The Connection Between Material Desire and Low Self-Esteem
Posted Nov 14, 2007 9 comments
Researchers have found that low self-esteem and materialism are not just a correlation, but also a causal relationship where low self esteem increases materialism, and materialism can also create low self-esteem. The also found that as self esteem increases, materialism decreases. The study primarily focused on how this relationship affects children and adolescents. Lan Nguyen Chaplin (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Deborah Roedder John (University of Minnesota) found that even a simple gesture to raise self-esteem dramatically decreased materialism, which provides a way to cope with insecurity.
"By the time children reach early adolescence, and experience a decline in self-esteem, the stage is set for the use of material possessions as a coping strategy for feelings of low self-worth," they write in the study, which will appear in the Journal of Consumer Research.
The article goes on to call this a "paradox" -- stating that "consumerism is good for the economy but bad for the individual." At the risk of sounding rude or something, that's motherfucking retarded. I would only refer you to the good people at the Mises Institute, if you're interested in learning actual scientific Economics. Most of what passes for Economics is merely a justification for existing policies, much like "Political Science" is devoted to inventing excuses for the actions of organized crime. A little bit of honesty would go a long way towards clarifying Where We Stand in 2007.
Although these findings might appear trite and obvious to the Skilluminati Reader -- you're an unusually astute and informed audience and frankly most of you are far smarter than me -- I still urge you to consider this at face value. Much like the finding that men make less rational decisions when exposed to images of half-naked, hot women, the content is "duh" but the implications are vast and disturbing.
Also, if any readers are familiar with earlier studies about the psychology of material desire, please toss me a few hints and pointers. This is exceptionally interesting and quite new to me. Thanks in advance.
Spread the Research:
Filed in: Social Control
Next entry: Final, Total Proof That Cell Phones are Government Tracking Devices
Previous Entry: Ben Mack Comes Clean -- An Effing Amazing Video
Comments
Sorry, but the comments for this entry have expired.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.1. ket on Nov 14, 2007 at 9:59 PM permalink
’At the risk of sounding rude or something, that’s motherfucking retarded’ - glad you said that. But reading the article, the writer isn’t making such a moronic statement, maybe one betraying a naivete about economics but not one lamenting the tarnishing of consumerism.
In fact the article, (with a ‘Fight Club’ quote!), seems aimed at encouraging an ‘Earth First’ attitude, which whilst long overdue for our unhealthy cultures, does seem to be close to a current ideological fashion otherwise known as eco-fascism. Makes me think of the UN’s Agenda 21 and Besmenov’s ‘Useful Idiots’.
2. Thirtyseven on Nov 14, 2007 at 10:32 PM permalink
That’s a very good point, I’m not trying to imply the author was a paid liar or anything. I don’t believe in “disinfo agents”, I think that it would be redundant to pay people to do what unaware volunteers are doing full time every day.
But consumerism is exactly why our economy is nose-diving towards the Great Toilet.
3. Bruce on Nov 16, 2007 at 2:22 PM permalink
summary of a variety of studies on lottery winners, somewhat related to what you are talking about… lots of different takes on the subject.
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id;=141224
4. Charles J Fitzsimmons on Nov 18, 2007 at 2:17 PM permalink
Sex changes men’s behavior? The punch line was the last one in the
Physorg story: “He said similar studies with women haven’t found
similar results” Odd.
Not much one can do with in-and-out, like two ends of an extension
cord. Mostly in the mind. My own model is a dumbell: a bar with weights at both ends, gonads, brains. I think early socialization
determines orientation, not vice-versa.
Sex,money,and power. “Thought prints”, is an idea of a Steve Hodel,
whose father was a study of it. Black Dahlia Avenger is a good book
His recent posting of evidence is also interesting.
5. CJF on Nov 18, 2007 at 6:59 PM permalink
Happiness is not experienced. It is remembered. (Oscar Levant?)
The driving aspects of sex are expectations. Desire.
He “worships the ground she walks upon”. Man proposes, God disposes.
Man proposes, woman disposes. The female is the primary sex.
We’re number two. We try harder.
Small animals are known for their taking odd things that attract them (usually,what we see as waste or junk) to their nests. (Sorry,
if they got your diamond ring or expensive watch).
A small critter version of religion? Politics-in-the-nest? Commercial
sex? Are they practicing, to replace us ? Have they, already?
Even as a child, residential streets reminded me of rabbit hutches.
High-rise buildings reminded me of commercial chicken roosts.
Mabe someone has had a copy of “To Serve Mankind” (it’s a cookbook)
6. Steven on Nov 21, 2007 at 8:46 PM permalink
I see consumerism as any other addiction. There are great doses of outside encouragement via our advertising culture. When people buy new toys, new clothes, new stuff to impress the neighbors, we get that rush of validation and approval as we play with our new toy for a while or get compliments on our new stuff. The rush fades but the association remains. There is a sense of belonging that comes with participating in consumer culture that rivals any religion.
Drug addicts live in fear of tolerance, a physiological reality that drugs have less of an effect on you the more you use them. Though it isn’t physiological, consumerism suffers from the same problem. Economists call it the “law of diminishing returns.” The more you rely on your programmed behavior, the less effective it is while at the same time the idea of life without the programmed behavior becomes less and less tenable. Dependency develops.
Explaining the other direction (self-esteem increase leads to decrease in materialism) is a little harder for me without invoking spirituality. I do think that self-esteem inoculates us against the needs-creation industry. The more confident a person feels, the less able an advertiser is to create an insecurity to exploit with a product. I also think they are more resistant to social disapproval, and do not need the latest new widget simply because it’s fashionable.
I would personally like to see similar studies on self-esteem and hypnosis – I think the stronger inverse link will be between self-esteem and suggestibility, of which consumerism is one possible “suggestion.” The less we trust our own word, the more apt we are to look to somebody else’s. This is why humiliation and dehumanization is part of any hard-core “re-education” program.
7. CJF on Nov 23, 2007 at 6:22 AM permalink
Global villager provincialism.
8. CJF on Nov 23, 2007 at 6:33 AM permalink
Julian Jaynes’ “Origins of Conciousness in the Breakdown of the Bi- camral Mind” The ‘herd instinct’ may be a longing for ancient ways
of thought?
9. Eric Xodik on Dec 12, 2007 at 12:16 AM permalink
Great article. Not to get all “new-speaky” on you but now we have a much shorter word for “motherfucking retarded"…
‘FUCKTARDED’