As kids it seems the two most common phrases we uttered were “I want…” and “Gimme…” We could not distinguish between what we wanted and what we actually needed. They were one in the same and if we didn’t get them, come hell or high water, the world was going to know about it.
Guess what, boys and girls, we are all grown up now, or are working on getting there, and it seems our two favorite phrases haven’t changed.
We live in a world where excessiveness is the key word. Build it bigger, make it stronger, more expensive, more of everything. People can’t get enough of anything. And once they get it, it isn’t enough, no matter what “it” is. More is as elusive of a concept as infinity is, one that can never be reached or be attained.
Now, normally at this point in the column the author, me, writes about how he or she disagrees with what people think and states how they should think and how society needs to fix itself. I guess I could do that, if I understood where any of these “more people” are coming from. I don’t understand why enough is never enough, why people don’t appreciate what they have earned or worked for or they have been blessed enough to have been given.
We watch shows on MTV and VH1 like “Cribs” and “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” with exorbitant and luxurious homes and tons of wealth, and this and that, and all the amenities money can buy. Wow, color me super-impressed, I guess.
The fact of the matter is that lifestyle, I am sure, is fabulous and very nice, but in the real world where most of us live it’s a nice fantasy, but never a reality. Yet people still pine over this lifestyle as if it is all that matters.
Why does one need to be able to buy seven houses, own a jet or have 20 cars? Why is this suddenly the American dream everyone wants? Maybe I was just raised a little differently. My parents taught me the character of your spirit is more important than the dollars in your bank account. If at the end of the day you are healthy, happy and loved, a price just cannot be determined.
Maybe my biggest issue with these “more people” is they probably don’t even appreciate what they have now. If you’re reading this paper at SMU, trust me – there are a lot of these people out there at this very moment.
Everyone has been blessed in his or her own way. I am not in any way advocating that people shouldn’t work hard and attain nice things for themselves, but I worry that we are turning into a society where enough is never going to be enough.
If five cars are not enough, will 10 be? Or will it be 20, or more? If a mansion isn’t big enough, is a castle? When does it stop? These are scary questions you may ask yourself and if you can’t answer, maybe reprioritizing what’s important in your life is in order.
There’s not some nice solution I can put in a box and hand out to people through words at this point. Society is going to take itself where it will.
I could throw out some very silly clichés right now like “measure your wealth in laughter,” but we all know that is crap.
Money does matter, but in moderation, or at least moderation in your desire for that money. But I know I sleep better at night knowing that what matters to me are the people in my life, their health and happiness and the gratitude for everything that has been given to me in my life.
About the writer:
Rachel Carey is a sophomore political science major. She can be reached at [email protected].
