88) Why we're wired to want more stuff and the psychology of materialism with Tim Kasser PhD

Why are we wired to be drawn to new things constantly and feel a sense of security (at least in the short term) from the accumulation of more stuff? Why should the psychology of materialism actually make us hopeful about our abilities to work towards a less materialistic and more sustainable future?

 

Sharing his expertise with us here is Dr. Tim Kasser, a psychology professor at Knox College in Illinois who's written over 100 scientific articles and chapters on materialism, values, ecological sustainability, quality of life, and more. He shared his expertise on the notable documentary, The True Cost, and has also authored five books, including his most recent one, Hypercapitalism.

 

Let's dive in.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

[10:31] Kaméa: "What influences how materialistic someone is?"

[15:49] Tim explains why we may innately want the latest and greatest things.

[19:21] Tim discusses the problem with our current social, political, and economic system and how it does everything it can to encourage people to consume.

[20:36] Kaméa: "Since it wasn't always this way, what about our world has changed in order to encourage mindless materialism?"

[23:57] How ad-blocking, mindfulness, and the "value pie" can make a huge impact in our materialism and wellbeing.

[28:48] Tim discusses the motivation and message of his newest cartoon book, Hypercapitalism. 

[30:51] Kaméa: "What do you think we need most today in order to collectively redefine what it means to live well so that we can actually accelerate toward better life quality and a sustainable planet?"

 

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