Meeting unlimited needs and wants with limited means—the guiding principle and problem of our world. Every nation, organization, firm, and individual must, because of limited resources, compromise some needs and wants for others. The problem lies in the fact that most people have too many needs and wants—do you really need everything you think you do?
Have you ever, before giving into an impulse to purchase something you had a sudden, fiery, passionate desire for, analyzed that desire and determined its origin? Do you think, as a citizen and participant of a consumer society, in which you are constantly being bombarded, influenced, and amused by advertisements that range from flashy and obvious to subtle and suggestive, you may be far more impressionable than you would ever dare to admit?
Consider your last few purchases—were they necessities like clothing, food, or shelter? If so, did you choose the bare bones versions (e.g. buying a basic t-shirt for $4.99 as opposed to a flashy, designer one for $29.99)? Most likely, unless you have a tight budget (and you’re actually acting like a consumer with a tight budget, instead of choosing to be indifferent to your financial situation and blowing your last penny on impulse buys), you are inclined to buy those things that fit your personal style, even if they are pricier or excessive. That’s okay, though—that’s how our society works.
However, in order to continue living in such a way for the remainder of your life, you will, without a doubt, have to either become very wealthy or work until retirement age. There’s no other way to financially support your buying habits. Now, you can choose to live in an excessive, needy state of constant want and consumption (not that that’s a bad thing—if it floats your boat, go for it) or you can choose not to. You can choose to remove yourself from the consumer cycle and from the rat race by making a simple decision—to limit your needs and wants.
To do so, it’s basically a matter of determining your priorities—your basic survival needs, your loved ones, and your health (more on simplifying your life from a previous post)—then working, buying, and living primarily for them. Our society is so focused on the idea that we have to buy a nice big house and two+ cars and be able to vacation to all sorts of places every year and wear nice clothes—but the fact of the matter is, you don’t need all that stuff to live, survive, or even thrive. And, if you think about it, do you really even want it all? If your answer is yes, are you sure it’s not that artificial voice, implanted into your psyche by years and years of exposure to commercials, advertisements, and other marketing media, speaking?
Stay tuned for a future post, in which I’ll talk about specific ways to limit your needs and wants and alternatives to housing, clothing, making money, and the like that will allow you to remove yourself from the consumer chaos and return to a healthier, more natural existence.
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