how do i get rid of the desire for material things?

i'm def. not as materialistic as a lot of the girls around here (i live in a "high class" county ho hum :/) but i still find myself wanting fortune telling things, things for my room, some clothes or shoes, etc. basically things that i WANT but don't NEED. how do i get rid of the desire for new material things?

 

Become a Buddhist.

 

Fill the void with other things, like companionship, appreciation for nature & life, compassion, etc... all the intangible things that make life beautiful. Also, you being 18 and in a "high class" county, I assume you still live with your parents? Wait 'til you get out on your own and go through some rough financial times, the need for the basic things necessary to survival will win over the desire for extra things REALLY quickly, when it's a choice between a new pair of shoes or dinner for the week lol...

 

Still measured SURVIVAL. A line from 'Five Easy Pieces'; I'm fit; who says that I'm not fit.

 

Recognizing that material things are not the most important element in life is the first step.

One thing that helps me (besides being perpetually broke so I can't afford to be materialistic even if I wanted to be) is to picture what other people don't have when I think about what I do have. It produces a horrible sense of guilt.

Be deliberate about it. Don't give into your desires; stop and think before you go out and blow money on things you don't need.

 

stop being human

 

^^
i'd say the opposite; stop being a person and be a human.

study "wu wei" of taoism and/or buddhism

 

smoke pot. a piece of string will keep you entertained.

 

Well, it can get complicated. Obviously you need shelter ,food and clothing. Along with shelter comes the usuals--bedding,pots,pans ,couple of forks,spoons a knife,ect and some kind of furniture. Maybe a car or bike to get you to wherever you want to go. Some girls/women use "makeup" ,but that's extra. Most people like to have something in their suroundings to make them comfortable-like wall things-paintings-posters-pictures. Extra. Other little things like pretty glassware or oddities picked up here and there. Books--music makes one happy.I guess this sounds rather simplistic--but just about all these little posessions can be gotten at goodwills or salvation army outlets for little of nothing. There's nothing wrong with wanting to feel comfortable with where you spend lots of time-your home. People in mud huts do the same thing as we do ,only the objects are differant. Now ,just remember that the barrage of BUY-BUY-BUY, will be bombarding you for the rest of your life--it's the way of capitalism. Just get the little objects that make your life better and resist the rest of the BS. But don't feel guilty about the things that make you happy. A mind needs occupation.

 

I don't think you get rid of the desire, I think you learn to observe it as you move yourself away from its power. You may always recognize it as being there but you don't have be a victim to its influence.

 

The reason it is such an impulse is we are taught the belief in magic. That there are spells or potions or pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. The spell might be that the appliances of modern life make happy. They do not, nor do they even supply comfort if you are not happy. Potions might be detergents or hair colors. Pots of gold at the end of the rainbow, might be retirement accounts.

Life is pretty straight forward though, energy in, energy out.

 

Allow me to extrapolate. We continue to pursue those impulses to buy things because we believe those things will provide us with what we want. However, our wanting does not lead to satisfaction, it only leads to more wanting.

Why more wanting, because what you really want had not been identified or fulfilled. Look closely. What we really want is to be unopposed in life. To have all we desire immediately and without end. It is a description of peace. Money cannot purchase peace, it can only temporarily obscure the conflict.

 

Wasting your life not doing anything because you don't want to acquire possessions is just as bad as wasting your life acquiring possessions.

Do what you love and buy what you need to do that. Easy peezy.

 

i don't think there's anything wrong with having things you like, i think the point where it's wrong is where you think about it or money all the time, etc.

 

and i think things like instruments are good things to spend money on, those can become someone's life/passion and fill a void if they like it alot

 

so can clothes.

 

You are all squared away then, no existential dilemma.

 

Become a drunk lol =P I don't buy shit but booze and I don't own a god damn thing but a guitar and some clothes =P But yeah I can relate to you in the sense that I have way too many clothes from the freebox. Every time I go walk by I see a shirt or something I like and now I have a pile of fucking clothes! I plan on returning most of it when I hit the road again.

 

If you already know this, then you've pretty much solved your problem.

 

Move out, live on your own, and live below your means. It'll take awhile, but soon you won't even know what it is to want things anymore. I can't remember the last time I made a Christmas list that wasn't ridiculously practical or didn't ask for something like groceries or a little help with a bill for my birthday. But now I'm getting a little extra money at work, so now I'm able to afford things I desire on a whim. So I indulge at least once a paycheck. There's no point in working your ass off if you can't have a teensy bit of fun.