Student analyzes materialism, true meaning of happiness

Think about a time when you felt particularly happy. What was it that made you happy? Was it because you had loved ones near? Because you were surrounded by a beautiful landscape? Because you had just accomplished something important? Or were you happy because you had lots of money? What makes you happy? That seems like a simple question, but the truth is that many people do not know.

Happiness, gladness or joy is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

Nothing material is intrinsically valuable, except in whatever promise of happiness it carries. Everyone is guilty to the theory that materialism equals happiness. People created an image in our head that we do not need to meet our spiritual goal to have a positive lifestyle. That we need more. Show me the fame, beauty, brains. Show me the smartphone, show me the power, show me the wealth. Show me it all, so I can be happy.

Social media is a powerful description of teens in which everyone shares feelings online. It all comes back to happiness. People choose an electronic device over people. For what is that helping? Since when do we think things inside the device is more important? When we access our phones for ideas and social media and tweeting and texting and liking, it shows lack of attention, lack of respect, lack of listening and lack of power. If we feel happier when we are typing and swiping, using it for hours at a time, checking it at inappropriate times, miss work or social obligations because we are lost in our digital world, or if important people in our life have complained about our phone use. Then our interest might actually be a clinical addiction. According to Mercola, previous research has shown that those who begin using cell phones heavily before age 20 have four to five times more brain cancer by their late 20s, compared to those whose exposure is minimal.

This is not happiness. True meaning and happiness come from experiences. From family and friends. From hobbies. It comes from the things that we do, rather than the things we own. And instead of spending money on things, and choosing phones over other human lives, why not invest in experiences? In relationships? In the times that set our soul on fire and make us jump for joy? Why not create those precious memories that have us grinning from ear to ear every time we recall them?
Because you know what they say: you cannot take it with you. But you can certainly be satisfied that you lived a wonderful life.