Why do so many people associate material things with happiness?

Question

Thanks for answering.

Answer 1

The Media: advertising & marketing gurus, psychologists etc, have become experts on pulling our strings.

Now if a picture speaks a thousand words....

One last word...

Subliminal.  

Answer 2

Because they think they are their bodies.

Answer 3

Material things are a measure of success.  And people who are successful, are considered happy.  Or looked at by others as being happy  I personally don't agree with this, but that just the way it is.  I don't have a lot in life, and others think that I will be happier when I attain the things that they have.  But I am fine in my own mind the way that I am.  They are constantly worrying about people stealing from them or being ripped off.  To me that is no way to live.  Be content and maintain what you do have, free of worry.  That is what happiness is.        

Answer 4

because theyre shallow losers, lol  

Answer 5

because since we were kids they shut kid up by giving them candy or a toy..

now they give people more expensive stuff...

Personally I think happiness is knowing yourself, having a loving family and loving friends...not forgetting God's love :]

Answer 6

AS thats how they define happiness. Besides its making them happy.

Also, they find happiness in materialistic world.

Answer 7

Because they were trained that way. To shut up a squalling brat that was raising h**l in the store, they bought you a toy. Or an ice cream cone, or etc. You grew up thinking of material possessions as a reward. Rewards bring happiness. Buying them is easy and almost without effort. A self-fulfilling condition.  

Answer 8

Well.... the Earth is a "material" food is a "material"pretty much anything in our known existence is "material" so my friend we live in a material world.

WORK WITH WHAT YOU GOT!

Nah but seriously I'm sure it's possible everyone assosiates at least one thing with happiness.

For some i's a picture, a blanket, or maybe a memory made possible by "materials", and yes in this case a human can be a material unless you want to get into a huge philosophical arguement about what a material is and that could take a while.

A poor man sees food orshelter as happiness, a rich man may find money as happiness, you or I may find food as happiness.

ETC ETC a bunch of other mindless stuff you don't want to hear. :)

Answer 9

I don't know. I think from an early age, depending on the environment you're in, you kind of learn that when you own something, you feel like you have more importance, and that this particular object can occupy you for sometime, and it just has some value and importance to you.

We value objects, but often material things seem to be falsely viewed as what make up our being. The clothes you wear, the makeup you wear, how you fix your hair, etc etc, seems to define alot of things, especially in women, to who you are. When in reality, it doesn't have much to do with it.

Answer 10

It's just so easy to do since material things do make us happy / feel good, and many of us are too lazy to look beyond the cheap veneer of material happiness to see that there are more profound ways to be happy than chase material wealth.  But then, chasing material wealth is what capitalism, our nation's economic preference, is all about.  It sucks, but it's true.  God Bless you.

Answer 11

This is the way of the world! We are born living and understanding this concept. The only problem is the fact that it does not work. There isn't a single material object that can bring us consistent happiness for a lifetime.  

The thing is that we cannot base our happiness on anyone or anything that is outside of ourselves.  If we DO, we are giving others control of our life.  And the true fact is that we were born with everything we need to succeed in this life.  But most of us are not utilizing all that is inside of us, which can and will bring us happiness forever.  

Thanks for reading!

Answer 12

Since we cannot live without material things, I want the best ones that I can obtain.     If you don't aspire to the best, you will probably end up with the worst.

I also want the best for those I care about.  

I also am fond of money.      Money may not buy happiness, but it certainly can make misery comfortable!

Answer 13

I think it is because it is easier to control things.