Consumerism and Happiness

There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.

-G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

Over the last few days, while reading about consumerism, a common idea has continually popped up. Almost every article I have read discusses the happiness levels of Americans now and in decades past. Turns out that people in the 1950s were just as happy, if not happier, as we are now. But how could that be?! They didn't have nearly the "stuff" that we do!

According to Chesterton, they were just as happy as we are because they desired less. Consumerism is a ravenous monster: you can try all you want, but it will never be satisfied. If we continue to buy and buy and buy and buy, a non-ending cycle will develop. Buying "stuff" may make you satisfied for a short amount of time, but later that feeling leaves and you feel the need to buy more.

Maybe, then, we should take Chesterton's advice. Maybe we should try to desire less. Maybe we should appreciate what we have more than what we want.

Heart Warming Advertising

A nice family sitting down for dinner. Cute kids. Yummy food. Milk. Ahhh... Don't you just want to jump right into that advertisement, take a seat, and eat with them? I sure do.

The creators of this ad play on our heartstrings in order to make us want to buy some delicious Stouffers lasagna. They used one of the techniques described in the New York Time article: they are making the home seem more fun. Who needs to go out to eat at an expensive restaurant when you can just pop some lasagna into the oven and enjoy marvelous family time? If "every family dinner is a story waiting to happen," then every family dinner is a chance to make memories and and a great time, even at half the cost.

But the advertisers don't want to let us forget that every family dinner requires something to dine on. They are reminding us that staying in for dinner can be just as fun (especially if you have a fairy child) and that we can always turn to Stouffers for a delicious center to the family dinner.