Althouse: "Consumerism Leads to Depression, Study Finds."

April 13, 2012

"Consumerism Leads to Depression, Study Finds."

"We found that irrespective of personality, in situations that activate a consumer mindset, people show the same sorts of problematic patterns in wellbeing, including negative affect and social disengagement."

14 comments:

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Being poor can make you miserable, but past a certain point stuff doesn't help much.; 4/13/12, 10:41 PM
Palladian said...: When I had a lot of money, I was very happy. Now that I have no money, I'm miserable.

Ergo, money does buy happiness. Q.E.D.; 4/13/12, 10:50 PM
Palladian said...: Of course as a creator of things, I also have a larger sense of purpose in my life, so maybe that's why I'm happier when I don't have to worry about all the terrible, meaningless, shitty parts of modern existence.

If you have no sense of purpose, and nothing to do but buy stuff, of course you're going to be a miserable person.; 4/13/12, 10:53 PM
edutcher said...: In other words, money doesn't buy happiness.

It's nice to be able to pay the bills, but lots of stuff by itself doesn't make the desert bloom.

As The Blonde often tells me, being able to go someplace nice isn't anything; it's being able to go there with someone and share it.; 4/13/12, 10:59 PM
traditionalguy said...: Buying things is never finished since there will always be more beautiful and more expensive things. Why settle for a Cadillac, when here is a Mercedes Benz, and why settle for a Benz when there is a Bently, and then comes a Rolls Royce, until finally Peggy Lee sings is that all there is.

By nature things bought for ourselves make us self centered, they get old fast, they break down and they are stolen.

Scripture calls that idol worship. The problem with idols is that we become more and more like what we worship and under its spiritual power.

So Scripture tells us to lay up for ourselves eternal treasures in Heaven by the good we do for those in need here in this temporary world. (Ayn Rand followers need not apply.); 4/13/12, 11:52 PM
Hunter said...: Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless.

As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owner
except to feast his eyes on them?

The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether he eats little or much,
but the abundance of a rich man
permits him no sleep.; 4/14/12, 12:49 AM
Nora said...: "Researchers say that the depression and social isolation begotten from materialistic influences can be quelled simply by tuning them out at the source -- which in many cases, might mean watching less television."

Really?

My BS meter went up after reading this article.; 4/14/12, 2:25 AM
Toad Trend said...: What edutcher, tradguy, and Hunter Clarke posted. I can relate to all of those takes.

And, this; I have never found happiness in things. Things are temporary, as is this world.

Identify for yourself the eternal, and invest in that.

Its a big picture 'thing'. I think those that believe in intelligent design, rather than random self-ordered happenstance, are less attached to 'thing-ism' than those that don't.

Just say'n.; 4/14/12, 8:29 AM
SGT Ted said...: In other words, money doesn't buy happiness.

Unless you're the one receiving the Grant money to study consumerism. Then, there's all KINDS of happy over getting that money.; 4/14/12, 8:57 AM
Paul said...: "My BS meter went up after reading this article."

My BS monitor went up when I saw Treehugger.; 4/14/12, 10:43 AM
Kirk Parker said...: Hand-wringing journalism, on the other hand, is a source of perpetual happiness.; 4/14/12, 10:48 AM
Anonymous said...: Thanks to treehugger and their ilk, I no longer have detergent that cleans, a furnace that heats, kitchen appliances that work altho they are energy efficient (by not working?), affordable gasoline and pothole-free roads.

I'm angry, but I'm not depressed, so I guess he's right.; 4/14/12, 10:59 AM
Issob Morocco said...: Inane studies lead to nothing.; 4/14/12, 12:31 PM
Joe said...: Consumerism is being offended at stuff other people are buying which you don't like.; 4/14/12, 4:19 PM