The Quest for the Good Life and the Effects of Materialism
June 7, 2004
by David B. South
 David B. South, President of the Monolithic Dome Institute |
In the historical novel, “Sacagawea,” I recall the heroine wondering why the "white man" think they have to have so many possessions. She's mystified by the overloaded wagons crossing through Nebraska which would get get mired in the sand and mud. She recounts observing the settlers pushing themselves and their horses on and on without even considering lightening their load. Only when their horses were totally exhausted and near death would they take out the heavy iron stoves and the other “essential” possessions. Very often the horses would not be able to recover, even with the much lighter load, and the families would be stranded. Too often this resulted in a far more tragic loss of their own lives-- as a direct result of setting out on the journey with an overloaded wagon.
Sacagawea, as the author tells it, thought the Indian had it all when outfitted with a little bag hanging around their neck containing a shiny bead and bird feather. She needed no more than a single dress she could wash and wear.
In modern times, our inability to separate our happiness from our possessions may not carry such dire consequences, but it is still a phenomenon which demands close examination.
Our possessions often add enormous amounts of stress to our lives. For every new material possession we introduce in our lives there is a variety of tasks associated with it's maintenance. Whether it's a hefty new bank payment, or simply something else to dust, it is another obstacle to achieving the simple life and peace of mind. If we're not careful, whole houses fill up with “prized” possessions and soon storage units are secured to store the things we feel we can not live without, but may no see again for 1, 5, 10 or 20 years.
Recently we had a beautiful 19th century home burn completely in our little town. It was the home of a retired widow. She noted that the only thing she thought she was truly going to miss was a picture she had of her father. It was the only one she had of him. There was nothing else in the house that she couldn't replace and a whole lot of it wasn't worth worrying about. Many times it takes a tragedy such as the fire to make us realize what is important.
We are entitled to have nice things and important possessions. But we need to be in control. If you examine the back of a hearse, you will find there are no trailer hitches, nor are there luggage racks on top. And in the end, if you can't take it with you, was it really valuable? Our experiences, not our shoes, make us who we are. Knowledge, not the car we drive, gives our lives direction. And family, not our fancy houses, makes our lives full.
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