Has Materialism Killed Society?

This blog entry isn't my inner pensioner talking, but my genuine, real-life nineteen year old self.

Just the other day, I was speaking to one of my university friends and we were discussing the new iPhone 6. I asked her "What's the difference between a 5 and a 6?"

She replied "Not much. A better processor and it's bigger".

I was baffled by the cost and after reading up about it, it seemed a little crazy to spend so much money for essentially a better processor, bigger screen, thinner phone, more memory and a slightly-improved battery life.

Confused, I asked "How can you justify paying that much for a slightly improved iPhone 5s?". Her reply?

"To say you've got an iPhone 6."

I was slightly saddened by her reply, but I do not blame her. It is so easy nowadays to care about your reputation and your possessions. I myself gave into materialism last year and bought an iPhone 4s as I felt my peers were moving with the times as I sat content with a phone that could only run one app at a time. It's not just about your phone though.

We live in a world where judgement surrounds us. Think about it. Hollister went through a stage where boys would be buying clothes out there because "the girls love a boy in Hollister gear". I also fell into this trap as a young boy thinking that I would somehow look better in a t-shirt modelled by male models and that girls would fall at my feet. Hilarious when you think back. But yet again, this is another example of peer pressure and materialism crushing what is society.

I'm sure a few people have heard horror stories of a poor family not having a penny to their name after the Christmas period and having to use food banks. Who's fault is that? To be fair, it is partially the fault of the poor family - they could have easily cut back the gifts for a year - but it is also the fault of society. How would you like to break the news to your young children that they can't have the new PS4 because they are poor? How would you like to tell your children that they are not normal and can't fit in at school because they don't have the latest trend? You can't. It's horrible.

A guy I was in school with was shy in primary school and his dad wanted him to make friends. So instead of letting the child be himself, he spoiled him and kept him up with technology to make sure that he fitted in at something - even if it was only having an Xbox 360 or the new Call of Duty game. It just shows how much materialism has taken over our lives.

So, what has caused this materialism? As much as I hate to say it, it is capitalism. The rich companies hypnotise you into thinking "this brand will make your life easy", "this top will make you the next Beyonce" or "all of the cool kids wear these jeans, you don't want to be left out do you?"

When you wake up on Christmas Day to open a present that you really wish you didn't get, materialism has caused that. The rich get richer with everyone needing fairly useless things like iPhones, whilst the normal people buy them to seem trendy or to not look too different.

My advice? Buy something if you think that it will be useful enough to warrant the price. Be yourself and save your money as much as you can so that you have money for your bucket list and you aren't left regretting decisions later on in life. Oh and if you haven't already, create a bucket list.