With the influence from celebrities and influencers, it seems like our generation is becoming money crazed, and even more so obsessed with displaying that wealth.
Whether we want name brand clothes, luxurious cars or expensive jewelry, we love how showing off our pricey products to others make us feel. But the truth is, we wouldn’t want all of these products if we couldn’t show them off.
I believe that this current obsession with wealth comes from a need of social acceptance through the use of social media. Would we pay money for these luxury products if we couldn’t show them off on Snapchat or post them on Instagram?
It’s all a cry for attention, but it didn’t just happen on its own. Pop culture has played a huge role in exercising these ideals and passing them down to the younger generations.
For example, some of the hit songs so far in 2019 were “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande, “Money" by Cardi B and "Wow." by Post Malone. What all these songs have in common is beyond the catchy beats and popular artists, they’re all about their love for their wealth and a need for material items. It’s no wonder more and more of us are wanting more and more.
Along with popular songs, celebrities on social media are also influencing our mindsets. You see big artists and influencers such as Kylie Jenner and The Migos who constantly post pictures of their expensive jewelry and collection of luxury cars. We begin desiring these same objects and forget that those things are simply objects. It can all lead down a dark path with a shallow, distant mindset.
The problem with this obsession with money is that it’s a quick trip to a life of unhappiness. An article on the psychology of money discusses how people who feel such a need to accumulate more money and more objects often develop mental illnesses and it can change who a person is.
“They lose their values and deepest beliefs,” the article reads. “Nothing matters anymore, while at the same time, no amount of money, possessions, or achievements is enough.”
It’s disheartening to watch a generation of people forget the important things in life, and trying to achieve attention and social acceptance through wasting money on material objects. The truth is, no matter how much is accumulated, no amount of money can bring true happiness. Even the wealthiest people in the world can stand behind that statement.
As Tapan Singhel explained in an article: “If more money brings more happiness, billionaires would be the happiest people on earth. If you read about their lives ... over time, many of them felt that they worked hard to achieve things they didn’t need or had wished for. A lot of us are doing the same thing without realizing that wealth alone can’t make us happy.”
Overall, it’s hard to see so many of my peers believe that the amount of money someone makes determines how valuable of a person they are. Due to pop culture and the pressures of social media, we think we need brands or flashy items to give us confidence.
Learning the value of hard work is always important, but success isn’t measured by the amount of money made. Happiness doesn’t increase when your bank account does. No amount of material objects can make someone fulfilled. At the end of the day, money is just exchangeable paper. Though it is a necessity in life, it shouldn’t be what we chase after.
