A happy society consumes less. How much does a happy society consume?
We live in a consumer society. Many have wondered why we started buying so many unnecessary things, beyond the mere availability of money. Serge Latouche defined one of the reasons well in the phrase shared by the Facebook page Youflame.
It would be banal and incorrect to say that dissatisfaction is solely due to politics. Many leaders have come and gone in states and parties, but none have succeeded in making us happier. In fact, we continue to consume.
Dissatisfaction is inherent in every person; we are not content with what we have and aspire to something better. This often manifests itself in how we spend money: as soon as we have some extra money, we want to treat ourselves to something.
The question I want to ask you may seem harsh: How long did you feel happy after making the purchase?
Everyone will have their own answer, but I believe that if you didn't really need that item or service, once the novelty wore off, you felt as unhappy as before. We think we will become happy once we have that object, but it's an illusion that quickly fades.
True happiness comes from feeling fulfilled. We all have a purpose in life that goes beyond economic serenity or consumerism. Children understand this better than adults: they communicate their dreams, from becoming an astronaut to a Formula One driver. As adults, we often forget what it truly means to want something because our path seems predetermined, and realizing a dream appears – precisely – like a dream.
It may be difficult to fulfill our childhood dreams, but we dream every night. Perhaps some of them are achievable. Remember your dreams and understand if they hide a desire, then make it come true."
Photo by Simi Iluyomade on Unsplash
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