Let's think about this for a moment, shall we...?

Question

Why do things make us feel better or... depressed?

I am talking about useless material possessions.

***Q inspired by Voice of Reality and another q in GWS.***

Answer 1

Outside of materialism/consumerism, I don't think it's as much about the object itself, as the mental/emotional attachment to it, whether it is something given or made by someone dear to us or related to an experience, etc... for example, I have a box of journals and mementos from trips I've made and experiences memorable to me, these are things that I would like to always keep with me wherever I may go, but if someday those things were to get lost, the memories would still be there, either way.

Looking at or feeling them in my hands takes me back to relive those experiences in my thoughts, and provide a sense of comfort. In reality, it's all in my mind and emotions.

I sort of relate that with other aspects, such as beliefs, having faith in something that makes "it" very significant to the individual who believes.

Answer 2

A human's primary sense is vision.  A huge chunk of your brain is dedicated to processing and relating images.  It's what we're good at.  It's what we respond well to.

This is why materialism is so popular.  When people think of success, they often paint a picture in their minds of what it looks like.  When they want to be reminded of something they take a physical memento they can look at later.  This is why we have trophies and medals and uniforms and many, many other things in our society.  THINGS work well for us.

But you are right in your subtext as well.  What most of us really want are not the things themselves but what they represent.  We don't want to LOOK successful, happy, or whatever, we want to BE those things.  It is just hard for us sometimes to tell without looking.  A feeling can't be quantified and stored away.  An outfit can be.  So it goes.

Answer 3

I don't think possessions are useless if they make you feel better.  I would hate to be without my books for instance.  Nor would I want to do without all the ornaments and knicknacks I have accumulated over the years.  Looking at them makes me feel better.  They are not the most important things in life, but they do help to make life more cheerful.

Answer 4

After reading the answers, I think maybe you aimed at people who feel they need diamond earrings and expensive furs and things like that... to tell you the truth I don't understand why people feel better or worse about them, they are just items and are not necessary.. but sure enough there could be something psychological said (even though I don't have a phD). Perhaps people who keep useless material possessions and feel better when having them is because it means they have money, they are comfortable.. people who cannot afford those same material possessions feel they are not covered financially, because anything can happen to you from one day to the next.

Maybe this is why certain objects that we purchase make us feel better, especially if we have had a rough day and just want to treat ourselves.

Also, there are objects left behind by people we love.. that give us good memories of them, which we hold onto to cherish the person, it isn't really the object itself..

Hope that helps!

Answer 5

I think Buddha's last words on his deathbed speak to this:

"All compounded things are ephemeral; work diligently on your salvation."

Answer 6

That's true if there is an emotional association with the object.  For example, I have an afghan that was handmade by my grandmother.  She carefully selected the colors to please me and spent many hours crocheting it.  That afghan brings me comfort when I am sick or tired or just worn down from the stresses of the day.  Wrapping up in that afghan feels very much like receiving a hug from my grandma.

Answer 7

I am currently reading a passage in the book "Acting Out Culture " by James Miller called "Two Cheers For Materialism" for my college composition class. It basically says that materialism is nothing new. It dates back to a very long time ago. Human beings have a want and a need for "things" and "objects". It makes us who we are basically. If you look around you, everything is driven by materialistic possessions. Its why we work, its why were alive, just to be able to buy things. Even the poorest of the poor have more things today then poor people did a long long time ago. Materialism isnt just affecting the higher class rich people, every level of society is materialistic, whether its with in their budget (cash) or with out their budget (racking up debt)

Answer 8

Some possessions to me aren't useless. Like the desk my grandfather made (died 1988), or the jewelry my grandmother gave me (died 1992).

After getting robbed in 1994 and 1997, I decided then and there to downsize. It is just stuff, and it's not worth getting hurt over it.

Answer 9

Because having material possessions somehow grounds us in this world. My grandmother passed away 3 weeks ago, and now we are clearing her home from all the stuff she collected throughout the years. I still remember how much she loved her things, and swore that she needs every one of them... Her death cleared it all for us somehow: material possessions only give us some comfort in life, they mean nothing on the larger scale of things... Great memories we make with people we love in the lifetime and the love itself we share with them are the things of true importance.

Answer 10

part cultural, part greed, part no self - sense of self outside of the material

Answer 11

They don't they are just things.