Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Purchasing Power... Can Money really buy LASTING happiness?
In high school, the one mistake my parents made was to giving me my own credit card. If I had nothing to do, I would go to the mall out of pure boredom. Going shopping was an escape for me. Each time I bought something I experienced a sort of high that kept me going. Eventually, this habit got a bit out of hand and my parents revoked the priviledge I abused. Now that I am in college and on a budget, I am actually (surprisingly) more happy. I have found friends I love to hang out with, and I really do enjoy my studies. I rarely find myself bored and having to go to the mall for a quick fix. I fill my free time with either studying or other relaxing activities that are satisfying. Although sometimes I wish I could go to the mall for a quick spree, I realize that it will only bring me down. While I realized I was happy in high school with the ultimate purchasing power, I now see that it was a just fleeting feeling that didn’t last. Has anyone else had an experience like this they can relate to or offer me any insight?
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3 comments:
Wow! This post is exactly what Csickszentmihalyi is talking about in the handout I gave you all on Wednesday about materialism as an alternative to enjoyment.
This is a good post because I actually wrote something about money buying happiness on my blog. It seems to be a blogging trend! But, I know what you mean. Materialism is a funny thing when it is used to fill voids. A new pair of shoes or a new dress can be entertaining for a while, but that happiness is fleeting. Eventually, the newness of the items purchased will wear off and your still left to face difficult issues in your life. Now that you have found friends that you love and activities that make you happier (other than shopping) you will feel much more satisfied because the feelings of happiness you receive from these experiences are more permanant. If you are go through a hard time you can always depend o your friends if they are good friends, or take part in a hobby that you love to get your mind off things. You can't, however, depend on your shoes to clear your head. You will always find joy in experiences that are personal to you, even if they are difficult experiences because in the end these are the types of things you learn from, and take with you through life. You will always remember your friends from college even when you are seventy years old, but in a few days you will forget what you wore out last saturday night.
This is a great post for your essay! Lots of personal comments, just tie it back to blogging!
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