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Why People Want What They Can't Have

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Sex & Relationships
Just wanted to share this article on why we want what we can't have:

Why We Want What We Can't Have

It argues that we're always driven to want something more, especially when it concerns material possessions. That brand new watch loses its appeal real fast; before we know it, we're angling for a shiny necklace.

I think this explains, in part, why so many of us have the urge to "keep up with the Joneses." Instead of thinking that we already have more than so many people out there, we harp on the fact that others have more than us -- thus, we yearn for that which is unobtainable, or above our means.

What's your take on this? Is it possible for us to reach a point where we're content with the material possessions we own, or do we have an innate need in us to always strive for something better?

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    **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    Interesting question, I guess the importance we place on material possessions differs so much from one individual to another. I know each time I lose something or on unfortunate occasions when I've been burgled, the less relevance material possessions have in my life as I realise life goes on without them :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    doublejm1 wrote: »
    Is it possible for us to reach a point where we're content with the material possessions we own

    Yes, i'm there. :) There's maybe some things i'd like but I certainly don't need them. I've never felt the need to have something because someone else has it. I don't give a fuck about labels, I wear what's cheap and comfortable. To me a car is a box that gets me to the supermarket, likewise a mobile phone to me is just a phone I don't care what they look like and what 'extras' they have.

    A direct quote from my dating profile 'Couldn`t give a fuck what you do for a living, how big your house is, what car you drive, where you go on holiday................' :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    without wanting to sound ominous we are conditioned to see the acquisition of material wealth as really a key barometer of whether our life is successful, but it doesn't need to be that way.

    so i would say fundamentally of course people can be happy without more stuff, but generally our culture drives us to always want more stuff.
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