January 17, 2015
The joy of new stuff is fleeting. Why is that? What can replace stuff with, that extends the length of that joy?
The joy of new stuff is fleeting. Why is that? What can replace stuff with, that extends the length of that joy?
The joy you get out of stuff only lasts for a very short period of time. You get this quick excitement out of the new stuff but your new stuff is not new for very long. This is called the Hedonic treadmill. When you get something new you get used to having it, this new car you just got only stays new when you first get it, you get used to the new car and soon will want a new car. If you let stuff dictate your life you will never get off that treadmill. You have to avoid letting stuff dictate your life to start with. You are better of spending your time and money on something that can give you a lasting result. You can help others or donate your time and money to a worthy cause you see. If you have a hoppy or a club you like you could put more time in with that. The joy of helping others is much greater then they joy of your new cell phone that is the same as the one you just bought a month ago. People are the key to happiness.
Stuff will not make you happy for a number of reason. First, after the newness wears off in a few days, you will realize that there is already something newer and better than what you just bought. Second, there is no way you can use all of the stuff that you have acquired. Third when you have more stuff your life becomes very cluttered and stressful.
Having an emotional tie to tangible items like “stuff” results in unhappiness. We need to be able to let go of these things and find joy in intangible items such as conversations with friends/family, performing acts of kindness or giving, or doing community service work. The cycle of buying more stuff, getting bored with it then buying more stuff is known as the hedonic treadmill or the hedonic adaptation theory. At a certain point we need to understand this process and get off of the treadmill. Once we acquire a certain amount of basic needs, we should look away from tangible items for happiness. Finding ways to make others happy is a great way to start your journey away from that vicious stuff cycle. You can do this by giving money, or your stuff to someone, helping them with things they cannot do, or simply taking time to visit with people and experiencing life’s simpler joys. These are the memories that you will remember down the road, not the one’s when you just got your new iPod or new shiny car.
Beautifully stated, gentlemen. I have nothing to add.