2 Kinds of Materialism

Everybody is at least a little bit materialistic at times, or experiences the temptation to some degree. From my perspective, I see two different kinds. Do you agree? If so, which one are you?

For this discussion, I'm defining competitive materialism as the kind that makes people want to accumulate impressive things and show them off to everyone. If you take an expensive vacation, you tell everyone you know about it, and want them to be envious. If you liked your house, but suddenly everyone somehow became able to afford one that size, you would want a bigger one. You don't like spending money on things that are socially invisible.

If you're a noncompetitive materialist, you like things, but don't think much about how your stuff is perceived by other people. If you like your house, you like it because you enjoy living in it, and don't spend much time thinking about the impression it makes on other people or how it compares to your friends' and relatives' houses. If you can afford to go somewhere fun, you go there just to enjoy it and don't rush to post vacation pics on Facebook.

I often encounter people who think competitive materialism is the only kind. I'm assuming they are members of that group.

Morally, do you think one is better than the other?

 

Generally speaking, I think a noncompetitive materialist is likely to have better morality because by your definitions a competitive materialist attempts to provoke undesirable qualities in others and I think this inherently suggest some poor morale on their part.

Do the homeless fit into either type of materialism you have defined?

 

Interesting post, and well thought out.

I would say that I'm noncompetitive. I am a modest person and was brought up by a very modest family. Both in finance and in spirit. I like what I like because I like it, for no other reason. Often what I like is disliked by others and no one gives a shit about it. So even if I were to brag and boast, no one would care.

That being said, I like to look good and I like to spoil my lady. I like wearing nice suits, and I like buying nice dresses and pearls and jewelry for my lady. We don't brag, but when I see someone looking at her and they enjoy what they see (men or women) it makes me feel proud. People at work compliment her outfits and jewelry and it makes us proud. Why? I don't know.

I certainly don't ever feel better about having things others can't for the reason that they can't and I can. That seems kind of sick to me.

 

Noncompetitive seems "better" than the other for reason of intent. It is for personal satisfaction, not for one-up-man-ship.

 

I'm noncompetitive mainly although I've fed a large extended family for decades by finding/buying trash and selling treasures to the competitive types.

Do you choose clothing for comfort or looks?

 

I've never thought of them in that way. Everybody wants to have their basic needs met.

On the other hand, I've seen people get very proud of things that are almost completely worthless, like collections of empty beer bottles. So, competitive materialism can take place at almost any income level.

I strongly agree.

Both, but I don't care about designer labels. If I find a cheap outfit at JCPenney that looks good on me, I'll buy it.

Fortunately, jewelry competitions have gone out of style. Sometimes even Hollywood (female) stars will appear at events wearing no jewelry at all.

 

I choose clothes for comfort, those that look comfortable and feel comfortable sometimes cute but not to impress anyone. I am not the frilly kind and I don't spend a lot on them. I could but can't justify a pair of jeans for 60 bucks. I just have this thing about saving money. It doesn't have to go to impressing anyone.

I might be a bit materialistic but not in a competitive way, anything fancy I have was given to me not bought by me because I am kinda cheap that way, and you can't sell it because that would be rude I think.

I picked my home, not because of it's size but because it was the perfect one to run a business in and so it's size is really too big for me even tho some of my friends have a bigger one. I can't say theirs is better and I want it because it doesn't suit my needs and honestly,,, I drafted my dream house many years ago and this one is so close to my dreams it's unreal but that was luck only. I am the kind who likes everything on one floor, even the laundry and this was it. It does have a basement but that just ended up as storage. One day I will clean it up and turn it into a gym as I had thought when I first saw the house. Not for show but for me to keep the fat off me. I have all the gym gear I bought at yard sales stored in a spare bedroom. That's fucked up.

 

Not super materialistic at all but there are things I like and yea, I like them because I like them... I surely don't care about what anyone else thinks or competing. So, noncompetitive. That said, when I go on vacation I do post pics but that's just because I know people (in my family and friends that don't live near me) want to see the pics of my son at the beach and all that. Certainly don't post pics to make anyone jealous.

 

I choose clothing for comfort and looks. I have a job that allows and wants me to look a certain way and so I find nice, comfortable clothing that fits that image.

 

I don't even take vacations let alone expensive ones. I was sent out of country to several places by my work places and I have this thing,,, I seen all I want to already and trips are just a stress package waiting to happen some day.
Will be going to the Chez republic soon with BF because he has been there and wants me to go with him. It's gonna be nuts for me because I don't care to fly anymore after several years back when my flight had a fire on board while at 29,000 feet above ground. We took an emergency landing in Toronto with a bumpy landing and a huge amount of damage control vehicles on the ground waiting for a crash landing, I kinda lost my liking for flying then. Any traveling pics I have are old now and were mostly work related.

 

Great thread Karen, the OP is very well written .

I'm definitely not competitively materialistic. It's almost the sort of thing you need an opportunity to be. I've never had spare cash to speak of, so if I was competitively materialistic, I'd have to do so withinin my peer group. My shoes have less holes in them than your shoes! I can afford to have my basic needs met most of the time, while you go some nights without enough food! HA! When you think of it like that, it seems like a waste of time.

I do know a lot of competitively materialistic folks, and I actually think it points to a major character flaw. Something in your life is missing if you always need to be bigger and better. That shows a distinct type of issue with yourself, and discontent with something bigger than just "things." You crave constant affirmation that you are good enough (no, better!), than everyone else.

Competitive materialism is encouraged in America, and it's tough to look anywhere without finding it. In fact, it might be what helped fuel the housing crisis a few years back. People want to live beyond what they can afford. Keep putting things on that charge card, bury yourself in debt. Material goods are a shield from the truth. "I'm living in this big house with the newest technology and shiny stainless steal appliances! The neighbors live in a small raised ranch. Things are really going great for me...right? ...right?"

I'm not impressed. With the right people and a happy environment, I could be content anywhere with most anything. There is a lot of joy readily available for free, and if I want someone to be envious of me (I don't), I'd want them to be envious of my happiness with what I have.

 

I think I could be a little of both. While I am not competitive in most ways as many things are not really important to me, including others views on my possessions, there are some areas I am competitive in.

I tend to lean towards certain fashion which I do know wear well and that is probably a good excuse to spend on those. Reality is that it is not necessary. Shoes, oh we are not going there at all.

I tend to purchase goods that I hope to have last so that often in not lower end merchandise. I do feel that it is frugal in the long run as the durability is often a factor.

Perhaps I am more likely to be competitive with myself.

 

I do like material things, but I am not competitive about it. I'm happy with what I have and don't go comparing with other people cuz it doesn't matter. Just be happy with what u have

 

When people ask me what I want for my birthday I used to say a horse and lotsa money... One year I got a card with a horse on it and a bunch of Canadian Tire money haha

For those who don't know what Canadian tire money is, it's bucks that redeem for merchandise and you get it all in bills that look like money, even the five and ten cent ones. It's a little thicker the Monopoly money but spendable.

One year my X really bugged me so I said a Rolles Royce. He spent 80 bucks for a model Rolles Royce that he had to build. Now I just say drop in for a visit or call me or send me an email with a smile on it because I will be a day older then the day before and that might freak me out. I just don't need more stuff especially now that my mom is downsizing and is bringing me stuff from grandparents the last few summers. It's all cool stuff but where to put it,,,
I am happy with what I have but there is a point it gets to be too much too.

 

that's kinda how i was feeling while reading the replies.


although i don't think of myself as a "competitive materialist," or a materialist in general...if i'm honest about it, i would have to say that i do probably have some of those qualities. for example, i seem to have more money in the bank than most people i know around my age. not that we compare out bank statements, but most people my age have student loan debt, maybe credit card debt, they most likely have a car that's nicer than mine was when i had one. so i only have more money because i'm cheap, and because i didn't have to pay college tuition.

but i'm not competitive when it comes to who has a nicer wardrobe, house, or car. when it comes to other things...like maybe camping gear, bicycle, things that i enjoy as hobbies...i probably get a small twinge of jealously when someone has something nicer. but it's more like "hey! that's pretty sweet. maybe that'd be cool to have." not like "oh shit my life sucks because he has a nicer hiking pack than me." and i don't go out and buy a new pack to "compete" with others.


i do sometimes like to show off certain possessions as well. the thing that came to mind when reading the thread was my collection of beer bottle caps. i just think it's a cool little collection, with each cap being unique from the rest in the collection.

 

There is so much of this kind of advertising in America that I don't understand why overexposure to it hasn't led to a high degree of burnout, where people just don't pay attention to it anymore.

I'm sure it played a role, but greed also factored into that, because housing is the only common major purchase where profit from resale is possible.

 

did you really expect anyone to answer that they are competitive?

 

Maybe they won't but those who really aren't might say so. I hate competitive people. Well, hate is the wrong word. Stay away from them is more like it. And people who are downers too, those types bring a person down and it's not healthy. I was told years ago get rid of the people in your life that bring you down, the lake is full of em now and so is my basement, hahahaha

 

They might say it in not so many words.

 

Guy called me in '68 and asked me if I wanted go to Hawaii and work. Thing was, we had to go the next day. So I drove over to Santa Cruz from San Jose and parked my car with all my "mainland stuff" at his uncles house and his uncle drove us to Frisco to catch a plane. I guess someone owns it. Never went back. Moved to Maui to live in a car. I bought a '58 Chevy station wagon and lived in it and on a sailboat. When I left Maui, I left the Chevy at the airport with the keys in it and when I went back to visit some people on Maui, I saw the wagon full of hippies driving around in La Haina. I didn't bother them about it--looked liked they were having a good time. Clothing? Girlfriend has bought me shoes, shirts, jackets, pants---everything but socks for x-mas and birthdays. She just loved to get me these things and I reciprocated because she loves clothing and dresses well. I don't care much about any of it. I love antiques and have always bought them over the years, but not many know about it. Money's handy and necessary, however I could have lived in a commune easily without much of anything if I had tried it when young.

I think EVERYONE would be better off having a piece of land--5--10 acres and do subsistence farming, using modern technology to better the lives of people worldwide. I've been voluntarily poor and then I've had money, but I didn't see much difference in myself with one or the other.

I can't figure who buys all the new cars every year. And why. So, I guess I'm pretty casual about possesions.