Why We Don't Need Material Things

We often wish for things we do not need. The stylish mustang, the expensive suit, the endless supply of beer or cigarettes, the job that has all the benefits, and even the career which seems to good to be true. Wishing for things is fine. But we waste much of our efforts in life chasing down things we do not need. This essay will explore why we don't need everything, why society tells we need them, and how to act differently in the pursuit of being free.

All the jobs in the world cannot buy happiness. Happiness works with us, not for us. The new job may pay well, but the pressure will not be amiable. The new mustang could lead to impressing all the girls or guys, but it will do nothing for the heart-however fun it is to drive. We do not need all the material things in the world. The huge big screen TV is not needed; we could sit on a couch and read a book for no price at all. Being materialistic can be fun. Working is about rewarding ourselves, but they need not be bought with the cash. We can sit outside and get a tan and release the pressure we thought only expensive wine could do. We can find a more fulfilling career instead of one that is full of pressures and high-pay. The car need only get us from the home to work or school. The family is there, willing to talk, and all we need to do is act.

Society explains that the nuclear family is a couple kids and a married couple. They are rarely smiling in the true pictures. The stories of family grow old about the hundredth time we read them. We can build a family without all the superficial things society tells us we need. Some parts of society are good; we are encouraged to go to school, find a career, and be happy. Other parts make no sense; getting wasted on beer is admirable.

We want to be free from society and material things. We go on vacations for the same reasons, but when we return the problems are still there. There is no secret to happiness here, but we can act less in terms of material value and more terms of being smart. In the end, it can be like telling the dog he does not need any more food. We will always want more material things, so why bother? It sounds like lecture, something many disdain, but the point is by not being slaves to material things or society we can find true happiness.