Materialism: a system that eats us from the inside out.

The wave of materialism has affected us all. There was a time when morals and values were key elements of anyone’s character. The criterion for judging was the values practiced by a person in front of others.  People presenting high moral values were considered respectable in society and were socially distinguished. Society was based on the goodwill of people and this base provided peace, harmony, and cooperation. It is very well said that time does not remain the same. The same happened in this case as well. A wave of materialism started and this wind of materialism has swept all values and traditions with it. Over time material objects started dominating moral values. These objects gained more importance than abstract ideas. Initially some people preferred possession of more material objects than values and customs but slowly and gradually these hundreds of people turned into thousands and thousands into millions. Now the wave of materialism has its impact on all most every one of us. 

Most of us are ready to sacrifice our moral values over material objects of this fugitive world. Competition has started among all of us to acquire as many material things as we can. We don’t care anymore whether we are acquiring these things either by doing wrong with others or through illegal means.  The one who does not have these things has no value in our eyes. He might be rich in morals but he isn’t rich with these worldly things so he is poor for us. 

There is a dire need that every one of us should review our attitudes and behaviors. We should reconsider where we are headed with all this materialistic approach. Every one of us should contemplate and ask questions from it. Possessions of the worldly things are not bad or forbidden but are they worthy enough to compromise morals for them?  Is a person with fewer material objects but high morals, poor? 

It is a test of our collective conscience. The answers to all these questions must not put a burden on our conscience. The evil of materialism must have been nipped in the bud but it is never too late to make things right. In this present age there are still some people who prefer morals over materials. Instead of demotivating them we should appreciate and join hands with them as this is the only way we can take a ship of our society out from the storm of materialism.