Why is there so much emphasis on material possessions? (Nov. ’01)
He Said by Joe Obeidi
I think there is a huge emphasis on material possessions in today’s society. In today’s world, people simply judge others by their looks and possessions. This has been the case throughout the world all through time. For example, a rich man seems to always be treated with more respect than does a poor man. Even in ancient history there was an emphasis on material possessions. Back in the Middle Ages, the person who owned the most land would have the most respect.
People want to be accepted in society. That is why much importance is put on what a person looks like, how they dress, what they own, and so on… Even though I think it is wrong to judge on material possessions, it’s what usually happens.
People need to understand that not everyone has the same opportunities as another. Some people are rich, some are poor, and others are in the middle. It’s the character and values of a person, not material possessions that count. I wish our society would realize this. Unfortunately, our world will probably continue to judge others on what they have materially, rather than what they have on the inside. The emphasis on material possessions starts when people are young. Kids who don’t wear cool clothing, or aren’t as wealthy as others, are usually picked on. It’s the kids with the cool clothing and from wealthy families that are popular and accepted. This is why when they grow up to be adults, they equate lots of money and the acquisition of possessions with acceptance. I wish our society could see that it’s not how much a person has that counts, but the personality and values of the person that are important.
The second reason why I think there is an emphasis on material possessions is most people feel that the more material possessions they acquire, the more important they become. For example, cars are a major status symbol in our civilization. People feel that if they buy an expensive car, they will have a higher rank in society. Even teenagers these days are driving around expensive cars, which they can barely afford, just to look cool. This problem of wanting more possessions to be powerful is the main reason greed is a predicament in our world. Many people will do anything for money and power. Thus, there is an emphasis on material possessions in today’s society because people want to fit in and want to feel powerful and important.
She Said by Lauren Boumaroun
In today's society, almost everywhere in the world, material possessions are given a lot of importance. They don't really deserve all this though. Having many belongings isn't as significant as people think. I believe that there is so much emphasis on material possessions in today's society for three reasons: because this has been the case in the past, money is thought to equal power, and human nature.
In Hindu countries, when the caste system was very popular, people who had more things, and were richer, were considered to be better than those who had nothing. The people at the bottom of the system were sometimes called the "Untouchables". If the shadow of one of these people passed over you, it was thought to be bad. In this country, we still sometimes think of people with many belongings to be superior to people with nothing. That is one reason why we want material possessions; they keep people thinking good things about us. The more we have, the easier we will be accepted in society.
Some people think that money is equivalent to power. People who have lots of money and material objects tend to “make it to the top” easier and faster. Sometimes they use their money in a negative way and bribe their way to the top. However, even if the people are good and want to earn their way up by getting a good education, they still need money to do that. Most powerful leaders have many material possessions. If you see a kid or teenager who has a lot of clothes, and nice car, and a big house, you will most of the time think that they are rich and their parents are very powerful and important people. That’s what we’ve been conditioned to think.
Another reason why we put emphasis on material possessions is human nature. We have been brought up to believe that rich people are better than poor people. That isn't true at all, but we believe it since it was all that we have been taught. The media doesn't help out much. All over the television there are commercials about the hottest new styles or the coolest new toys. It makes it seem like everybody has to have them and everybody is going to. If you can't afford these things, or just don't want them, you are supposedly not going to be considered "cool".
Although some people seem to think that having everything is great and that makes somebody perfect, it doesn't. Sometimes material possessions aren't as important as we make them out to be. What really matters is what is on the inside and what a person has to offer as a friend. We, as teenagers, need to teach society how to look past material possessions and look at what really counts… personality.
