The article “Materialistic People Liked Less by Peers than ‘Experiential’ People” referred to a new study that found people who were more materialistic were found to be less liked than those who pursue happiness through everyday life experiences. “We have found that material possessions don’t provide as much enduring happiness as the pursuit of life experiences” (Van Boven, 2010). The message to take from this remarkable study is that materials do not make people happy- meaningful connections and an ability to seize the moment create happiness.
Colorado University-Boulder marketing Professor Margaret Campbell and Cornell University Professor Thomas Gilovich were co-authors on the study. The study not only found that those who placed a heavy emphasis on material possessions are less happy than those who can appreciate the here and now- but they also have a lower rate of meaningful social relationships in their life. This shows that meaningful relationships are much more powerful than material possessions. Van Boven suggests that those who feel like they are materialistic, “try to change….. Not just our research, but a lot of other research has found that people who are materialistic incur many mental health costs and social costs — they’re less happy and more prone to depression” (Van Boven, 2010). Detaching from the material world can not only lead to an ability to create lasting relationships with others, but can also fight depression.