Cultural Problems

“Susan is not unusual.  She developed this problem because she lives in a culture that teaches out appearances and material acquisitions can soothe psychological problems and enhance self-worth.  Like Susan, most of us believe that others will accept us and think more highly of us if we have more stuff, or fancy stuff, or the latest stuff.  Our psyches are marinated in promises of status and esteem gained through material possessions.

“Large corporations implement highly sophisticated advertising campaigns convincing you that their products are necessary and will help you solve your problems.  They first remind you of your human fallibility and personal insecurities, and then promise you redemption from your feelings of inadequacy or shame.  Advertisements instill hope to achieve psychological states of being–like happiness, popularity, inner peace, sex appeal, and superiority to others–through particular products.

“Advertisers have studied your desires since you were a child, striving to gain brand or product loyalty from you.  They have manipulated your desires by subtly and precisely targeting your fantasies.  According to some sources, each day the average person is bombarded with an average of three thousand advertisement.  Each message is designed to influence and shape your values and preferences.  these marketing techniques have taught you to over-identify with image and material possessions.  Whereas people once thought, “I am what I do,” they now believe, “I am what I buy.”  – Sally Palaian, Ph.D. in Spent: break the buying obsession and discover your true worth

We need to be more concerned about our inner peace than the peace of strangers when they see us.  Buying the right things, eating at the popular places, wearing the right clothes all can be a detriment to our savings and debt and thus are peace of mind.

Renee Madison, MA, LPC, CSAT is a counselor in Colorado.  She can be reached for appointments at 303-257-7623 or 970-324-6928