Going to a school like SMU, it's easy to see materialism every corner you turn. Whether its an Aston Martin on the boulevard, a Gucci purse, or someone talking about their villa on Lake Como, there certainly isn't a shortage of wealth here. Talking about the pursuit of happiness will make many people question their long held beliefs. Why can't a fast car make me happy? I have the nicest handbag and that makes me feel happier than the other girls. My villa is bigger than anyone elses, and theirs doesn't have a helicopter pad, so I'm obviously a happier person than they are. These ideas are driving society down the drain. People get so caught up in what they have that they no longer realize what actually makes them feel warm and fuzzy inside. What ever happened to stopping to smell the roses, long walks on the beach and laying with friends looking at the stars? Seriously, it sounds cliche, but why can't we actually do things like this more often?
SMU seems to be a big popularity contest. Much more than highschool was even. And this contest isn't play fair and by the rules, it's brutal, dog-eat-dog, I can spend more money than you and look better than you because of it. WHY!? This attitude is superficial and shallow, and to be honest, won't make you happier. The quote, "Money doesn't buy happiness" is often refuted with, "Whoever said that must have been poor." But really think about it... what is it about that car, purse or villa that makes you think you are happy? Life is way too short to get caught up on such things; we have more of an opportunity now than ever to change our thinking and focus on those things that truly make us feel joy inside. I'm not here to define it, because every person is different. I'm just trying to get people to look deeper in themselves, what is it that makes you feel like you're fulfilling your possibilities?
Some may call me a cynical poor kid, others may say I hit the nail on the head... Think what you want, but take my points to heart and remember that the best time to find yourself is right now.
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Driving up Central yesterday, I found myself behind a luxury Hummer with vanity plates that said "I SHOP." Usually, that would have annoyed me, but I had just completed some successful shopping at NorthPark and feeling all warm and fuzzy about living in such a rich consumer culture. I think buying stuff can make people happy, but not if they are doing it to prove something to other people, like the plates on the Hummer implied: I can shop because I'm rich. The competitive materialism you describe at SMU would surely be toxic to happiness.
I totally agree with you, that the students at SMU are 100% materialistic, and think that having better or higher quality possessions makes them a better and happier person. Its the wrong way to go about things. You see too many people walking the boulevard with that swagger. The Im so cool swagger. WHY? They feel that they are btter than anyone else. In all reality, buying things does make you happy. You cant live your entire life just watching the stars and smelling the flowers. It would get old and boring. We need to experience new feelings multiple times throughout our lives to make things interesting. I'm not going to lie, if I were to buy myself an aston martin, I can bet you a million bucks, that I would be completely happy. But I just have to be buying it for the right reason; to make myself happy. Not to look better than others. In the end, it comes down to you making decisions to buy things that will make YOU happy. NOT others happy. Happiness can be bought, but in my opinion for only a certain amount of time. Love is the key to happiness? YA DIG?! IT IS WHAT IT IS
I agree with SilverLight that happiness is relative--one thing to me, something else to you. In fact, that's what Schumaker is saying, except on a bigger scale--one thing to people in this culture, something else to people in that culture. In your philosophy class,did the question of environmental influence come up? I think the culture we are in affects how we define happiness. And that's where this conversation started, so what do you all think: Does the SMU culture encourage a definition of happiness based on showing off material goods so you can feel good about yourself?
I agree one hundred percent that people are so consumed with material items that they can't do the basic things they used to do to be happy. I feel that the reason people say or think they are happy is because of the attention these material items bring them. Although this attention may not be genuine most people sadly can't tell the difference anymore. Money can't buy you true happiness but it sure makes things easier so you can enjoy the other things in life. Walks on the beach, and star gazing are great but not if you cant truly enjoy it because of financial stress. All in all I agree that money can't by happiness only attention from others.
So Powerade: Are you saying that the culture here at SMU encourages false friendships based on material possessions? Do people buy to get attention? But it's not the kind of attention that lasts?
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