BY WENDY KAUR
Valuing relationships over materialism means recognizing that possessions like a Mercedes or Maserati may stroke the ego but can't form genuine connections, as true fulfillment comes from the people who love and support you, creating meaningful memories and standing by you through life's ups and downs, while inanimate objects remain just objects.
Valuing material possessions over relationships leads to temporary happiness, as renowned psychologist Dr. Thomas Gilovich emphasizes the short-lived excitement of purchases and underscores the need for internal growth to foster lasting connections.
According to Gilovich, prioritizing spending on meaningful experiences with loved ones rather than material possessions is endorsed by a money blogger who highlights that memories of places visited and people met hold more significance over time, emphasizing that investing in relationships and life experiences enriches life significantly.
Ultimately, money serves as a means to an end, acquiring essentials like housing and transportation, but its significance pales in comparison to the value of relationships, as losing material possessions can be replaced, yet the wellbeing of loved ones is irreplaceable, urging us to prioritize human connections for love and happiness.
Our inherent capacity for change and growth means that while momentary satisfaction from achievements like landing a significant deal at work fades quickly, relationships have the potential to consistently evolve, surprising, uplifting, and providing a sense of belonging that material possessions can't replicate.
Human beings, being social creatures, require emotional security rooted in confident relationships, with attachment to possessions sometimes arising from a void in secure human connections, leading to anthropomorphizing objects and, in extreme cases, contributing to hoarding, according to Francine Russo from Scientific American.
The adage holds true: Possessions can't accompany us in death, as end-of-life caregiver Hadley Vlahos reveals that regrets shared by those approaching death emphasize valuing relationships over materialism, underscoring the importance of people, not possessions, during our final moments.