Thread by @MySuccessTheory

Materialism is a trap and does not make you happier.

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In this thread, we will discuss:

- The Hedonic Treadmill
- The Materialism trap
- How to improve your baseline of happiness

A quote to frame things:

"Materialism is an identity crisis."
- Bryant H. McGill

Does buying more stuff make you happier?

Does it help you keep up with your social group?

Does getting promoted improve your long term happiness?

Well, the Hedonic Treadmill tells all...

Hedonic Treadmill states:

"We will always return to our base level of happiness, whether something positive or negative happens."

Meaning if we get a promotion or new car, we experience a spike in happiness

Eventually, we will come back to our original level of happiness...

This works on the negative side as well

If you have a terrible breakup, lose lost of money, or get fired from your job

There will be a low period, but over time you will bounce back to your original levels of happiness.

Let's focus on the materialistic trap of the Hedonic Treadmill

We think buying new clothes, toys or getting a promotion is going to make us much happier

But in the end, our happiness always returns to the original level

Making us addicted to "new stuff = happiness spike."

At the start of your success journey, you may be thinking you need more cool clothes or a new job, or the latest toy

Whatever it is you feel you need to make yourself happy

But it might not bring you the happiness and fulfillment that you imagine it will

The Hedonic Treadmill is the philosophical "Keeping up with the Joneses"

By constantly buying things and trying to keep up with the people around you

You will not be able actually to move forward

Instead, you will keep looking for the next thing to fill the void

The goal is to find what you really want

To grow, you need to lose the necessity to 'show off' or to keep up with others

If you don't, your happiness will continue to spike up/down

Returning to your baseline

This is perhaps a mediocre baseline because of all the ups and downs

While increasing my income, I thought I needed to buy stuff to solidify my happiness

Mainly because they were things that I couldn't afford before

I had put them on a pedestal "If I only had that computer, if I only had that car or job... Then I would be happier."

I can tell you right now, yes, I did feel good about buying something I wanted, and it was a spike

But eventually, I returned back to my normal level of happiness

This is how I got interested in the Hedonic Treadmill theory

In the last couple of years, I have greatly reduced my spending on material goods.

I don't put the same stock into new tech toys or clothes that I used to

When I bought things, I never found I used them as much as I thought I would

They just became things I had in the house

Do I like having them? Yes, sure

Do I use them every day? Have they changed me as a person? No

I thought these items would make me the person I wanted to be, or at least signal to others what kind of person I was

But this was absolutely an egotistical exercise

That spike of happiness is not sustainable through jobs and objects

The only way to escape the materialistic trap and Hedonic Treadmill is to investigate what fulfills you truly

To invest your time and energy figuring out who you are and improving your baseline of happiness...

To improve your baseline of happiness

There are areas of focus:

-Fitness
-Journaling
-Meditation
-Eating healthy foods
-Saving money and investments
-Reading books on self-actualization

Buying new stuff will not improve your baseline

Making smart choices will

However, don't feel bad about treating yourself to things too, if you need a new laptop get one.

But recognize that you are not your job title, your toys, or your car

You are a person who is capable of massive growth and have the ability to achieve great things in life.

If you liked that thread, you would enjoy my guide

Learn how to avoid the Hedonic Treadmill with Tactical Stoicism

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