The Pressure Of Having More In A World Where Nothing Is Enough

I very recently found out that someone I know (you will never hear any names from me) has been pretending they are something they are not. This person has been living (or so it seemed) the life of luxury. After a year of hearing about how much money they have, how their house is so much better than mine, how their children have better clothes, better lessons, better vacations, etc. I now find out it's been a complete lie. It turns out in the end that all of these things had been loans, gifts, and even freebies that were asked for (in the name of poverty). At first I thought this was terrible, horribly despicable, but then I thought about it for a while.

In our society there is such an extreme amount of pressure for our children (and even us adults) to have the latest clothes, gadgets, etc, and to not have these things is looked down upon. Is it right? Of course not. Who decided that shopping was an actual pastime anyway? Instead of shopping for things we need to survive we are shopping to just get more stuff. Sure there are people who refuse to go along with this frivolous way of life, but it doesn't change the cultural attitudes.

I feel pressured everyday to provide my kids with "what they need." Unfortunately what they need is not only basic necessities, but everything that it takes for them to fit in at school. In my ideal world a new pair of jeans or the perfect hair and make up wouldn't be necessary. People wouldn't have to impress each other with their new cars, their fancy houses, and their latest holiday. We could work less, and relax more. Maybe stop for a while and just enjoy life. But I can't single handedly change society. This is just the way it is, people are judged by looks, clothing, and possessions. It doesn't make sense to me but I see no other choice then to play along, and so I do.

I don't think anyone should lie, and I definitely think creating a fake persona is going over the edge. But this person was obviously feeling the pressure of society combined with a lack of self esteem. This incident reminded me of just how stupid this all really is. I see it every day, the judgements, the put downs of those of have less, people trying to impress each other. Why? I wish I knew the answer.