Why is Society Centered on Materialism?

that is simple .... you gotta have stuff and every body likes nice things.

besides...what is more materialistic than video games:P

[QUOTE="Atheists_Pwn"]

[QUOTE="jimmyjammer69"]

You're probably going to have to correct me a bit here, as I was never too good in philosophy, but I don't think Locke did exactly believe in free will, but instead that the whole idea of free will only made sense in a dualistic explanation of the world. I think he saw free will as concerned only with choice - kind of like a psychological free will - since there was no metaphysical reality in which the conventional understanding of an uncaused cause could even make sense.

There's a strong line of reasoning in philosophy that states materialism and free will aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. Materialism is simply the belief that there is only one kind of stuff, and that all phenomena can be fully explained in terms of matter, including thought. There's a temptation to reduce materialism to determinism, and that in turn to fatalism, and that could well be the best consistent explanation of causation, but to call Locke "an idiot by every definition of the word", when some of the most intelligent people in the world are still battling over this point, seems a little extreme don't you think?

jimmyjammer69

Ok... like I say, I'm no expert on this, but as far as I understand, Locke made it pretty clear in his Essay On Human Understanding that he thought the idea of free will was incoherent. You obviously disagree, and maybe you could explain why, because I honestly am not familiar enough with Locke to understand that.

Because human beings are naturally infatuated by aesthetically pleasing things, and the media portrays certain things (usually very pricey things) as being desirable and a sign of status. As social beings, we often subconsciously strive to be the "alpha" individual within a community.Setsa

Pretty much this: media propaganda and status symbolism

And the occasional things that are inherently valuable.

Well how else is capitalism and our current economic model going to work?

Money may not buy happiness but it makes your life a lot easier if you got loads of it. (money) horgen123

Money can buy happiness... it just matters what makes you happy. I don't get this idea that "materialism" is a bad thing. We live in an empirical universe made up of material objects. Why shouldn't we grasp on to them if it makes us feel better?

Money can buy happiness... it just matters what makes you happy. I don't get this idea that "materialism" is a bad thing. We live in an empirical world made up of material objects. Why shouldn't we grasp on to them if it makes us feel better?

foxhound_fox

But most of us eventually take what we have for granted, so we revert back to the previous level of satisfaction.

[QUOTE="Steingrimur"]

I blame Locke.

That blind empiricist...

jimmyjammer69

Not sure whether you're joking but that's a different kind of materialism.

lmfao XD

this thread has served its purpose *scuffles off*

[QUOTE="jimmyjammer69"]

[QUOTE="Steingrimur"]

I blame Locke.

That blind empiricist...

BiancaDK

Not sure whether you're joking but that's a different kind of materialism.

lmfao XD

this thread has served its purpose *scuffles off*

capitalism has brain washed the pubice into thinking they need to buy stuff all the time .