The High Price of Materialism 

The High Price of Materialism. Tim Kasser. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2002. 149 Pages.

Tim Kasser has written an excellent short book describing the scientific evidence relating to materialism and happiness. As one might expect from the title, not only does the pursuit of wealth not lead to happiness, it may actually make us unhappy, even when we are successful. Kasser gives one striking quotation concerning Jim Clark, the founder of Netscape and other computer companies: 

"Before Silicon Graphics, Clark said a fortune of $10 million would make him happy; before Netscape, $100 million; before Healtheon, a billion; now, he told Lewis, 'Once I have more money than Larry Ellison, I'll be satisfied.' Ellison, the founder of the software company Oracle, is worth $13 billion."

Kasser first shows that people who are rich are not necessarily happier than those who are not rich, provided basic needs are met. In fact, those who pursue wealth -- even if they do so successfully -- are generally less happy than those who do not pursue wealth. 

What is the cause and effect relationship between pursuing wealth and unhappiness?  Interestingly, it is not materialism which causes unhappiness directly, but that unhappiness and materialism are mutually reinforcing mechanisms. He notes that people who have experienced true deprivation are those who, later in life, are the most materialistic -- for example, those who went through the Great Depression often were materialistic in later life. 

He then goes on to describe the evidence that insecurity breeds materialism, and that pursuit of materialistic goals fails to increase happiness, works against close interpersonal relationships, works against authenticity and autonomy, and works against the health and happiness of those with whom the materialistic people interact. He concludes with some broad suggestions as to individuals, families, and societies can break out of materialistic world-views. 

Unhappiness and materialism are mutually reinforcing mechanisms.  And we should reflect: isn't the effect of advertising to deliberately manufacture feelings of inadequacy, fragile self-worth, and so forth? Thus, it is not the case that all of this advertising and promotion of commerce does more than just capitalize on unhappiness, it is geared towards creating unhappiness, because that's what generates a desire to accumulate material things? 

Kasser does not provide us with a grand sociological theory of the causes of materialism.  Some materialism, Kasser says, may result from genuine psychological problems not directly related to our consumerist society -- for example, an unhappy childhood or actual material deprivation, as in the Great Depression. 

But he does give us a lot to think about on the effects of materialism.  Regardless of its origins, in America materialism works against happiness. 

This is a thought-provoking book about the pursuit of material goods.  Kasser is not a preacher, but a scientist.  He presents his evidence carefully, and concludes that materialism is a game not worth playing even on its own terms of promoting human happiness.