What if we all went about our selfish and materialistic lives in a bad way? In the documentary “Money, happiness, and eternal life–Greed” by DW Documentary, a range of people – from a hippy college professor to a female Buddhist monk to the President of Zimbabwe’snephew – ask what it means to be happy in a highly materialistic society.
From the rich to the simple life, you will find yourself asking “Who is truly the most happy?” “What’s the best way to live my life?” and “Can money buy happiness?” I hope that the answers in this documentary will enlighten you as much as they have me. StreamDocs
Centering on America’s newfound obsession with fashion and technology, it makes you question your motives for acquiring wealth. Do we do it solely to feel better than others (unlike in animals, who need possessions like food as matter of life and death)? The film also delves into whether we are so different from the hierarchy of primates, who have similar hierarchies of mannerisms and head honchos. This comparison was mentioned at a horse race, where many people go to be seen as “important” or “upperclass.”
In reality, is our greed pushing us further into an abyss of depression and isolation?
As “Greed” asked these questions, I pictured my online shopping habits, which often require large amounts of gas and plastics for shipping purposes. This had me feeling guilty. The film has inspired me to make cutbacks, as the wise professor asks a thought-provoking question: will we really keep going until we’ve extracted the last petroleum from the Earth?
Everyone values status, but let’s ask ourselves: how far is too far? While even the Buddhist monk said we cannot blame the company, then this means it rests on us as individuals to curb our spending habits and drive for consumerist tendencies– or, as the film puts it, our natural greed. ReadEconomics
Seeing that the President of Zimbabwe’s nephew owns about 700 pairs of shoes, it leaves you gaping at the scale of one man’s insatiable need for possessions. It forces us to look at our own comparable habits, which make us feel comforted in the face of death, and reimagine a more frugal, satisfying life.
It reminded me that we need material possessions but we can do it in sustainable ways.
For example, we can learn to use less plastic and shop on more sustainable markets than Amazon, such as Etsy and Grove Collaborative. I will say it again: carbon neutral shipping works to the planet’s benefit and your peace of mind.
I encourage you to watch “Greed.” The film talks about studies that examine bankers’ level of risk taking, and how to examine your life’s habits. It shows how to, without going hungry of course, adopt a more Buddhist lifestyle. You’ll learn the well-balanced course to success that doesn’t leave you depressed and or fear-addled. StreamIndie Films
While it may be impossible for any of us to totally escape the consumerist lifestyle, it’s important to see it for what it is and take steps to negate it.
Whether it involvles finding a more ethical job or stopping the comparison that everyday women make to ultra thin super models, there are plenty of healthy ways to declutter and find true stability and happiness. I hope “Greed” helps you find your own inner light and climb out of the darkness of materialistic society.
