Want versus Need

From the Freebie: Thoughts on the Economy: Want versus Need

New research, printed in the Summer 2009 issue of Yes Magazine, indicates fewer Americans consider things such as televisions, air conditioners, clothes dryers, dishwashers and microwave ovens as necessary. The percentage decrease among people who do consider them necessary dropped sharply from 2006 to 2009. So, for instance, in 1973, approximately 55 percent of us believed a clothes dryer was a necessity; in 2006, that had increased to 80 percent of us, and in 2009, only 65 percent of us thought so— about the same percentage as 1983

Our belief that we need certain things based on want rather than necessity is the result of our continual bombardment by advertising and information—more in one day in 2009 than we received in an entire year of the 1950s. We’re always being told how much we need something—not because it will make us cleaner or healthier get us from place to place—but because our family, friends and neighbors will admire us for our shinier hair and brand new vehicle. This kind of assault creates discontent: You begin to feel that, if you cannot afford the car or even the shampoo, you are not as worthwhile as those who can.

Carol Holst, co-director of the advocacy group, Simple Living America , explains that “The whole idea is to live better on what we have, and be proud of ourselves for the constructive ideas that lead to a simpler, more fulfilling life.

“Voluntary simplicity is not about deprivation or sacrifice but about discovering what is enough–money, stuff and time–for the things that matter.”

We surround ourselves with stuff that is supposed to make us better, happier people, but does it? A friend of mine recently hired a professional de-clutterer to clean her house. “The process was painful, emotionally draining and an incredible amount of work,” she said. “But the result was totally unexpected: I no longer feel like a prisoner to my possessions. I feel free for the first time in years.” She simplified her life and that made her happier. She discovered something our grandparents and parents knew decades ago: Simple is stress-free, uncomplicated, more healthful and more fulfilling.

We need to open our minds to new ideas and ways of living that economize in ways other than financial—but “financial” is a good place to start. If we can get a handle on how to live and be satisfied within our means, with what we need instead of always what we want, we can be well on the way to a fulfilled and contented life.
-Alice Rose Kieft