Why are People so Obsessed With Money?

Everyone needs money to be able to buy the essentials in life. If you don't have any kind of income, you can't afford to put a roof over your head or stock up the cupboards with food. Life becomes so much more difficult when you don't have any money and you end up anxious and depressed. However, even when you can afford essential items, it doesn't necessarily make you any happier, because you always want more. When you see that your neighbour regularly goes abroad and always seems to have a new car, a feeling of envy can creep over you. Thus, whether you're rich or poor, you can find yourself obsessing about how much money you've got.

That is the problem with living in a capitalist society which can only be sustained by creating demand for the latest consumer goods. The marketing industry preys on people's competitive streak and their desire to be richer than anyone else and to have the latest gadgets and gizmos before anyone else. People with money see advertisements for high-end luxury goods and decide to buy them, as it gives them status. Everyone else can see by looking at the designer clothes they wear and the car they drive that they are not short of cash.

This desire for material goods affects everyone, though, as those with a lower income can also see advertisements for the latest technological innovations. When their friends and relatives all own a tablet computer or the latest mobile phone, they don't want to be left out. Unfortunately, this desire to 'keep up with the Joneses' can lead them to get into debt, as they use their credit cards and overdraft to fund a lifestyle they can ill afford. Not everyone lets themselves get into debt, as there are those who live within their means, even though this means missing out on expensive products.

Just because these individuals are careful with their money doesn't mean they don't want more. Anyone who is struggling from one month to the next would love to suddenly win the lottery or come into an unexpected inheritance if it meant that they would no longer have to worry about paying the bills and that they would have some money left over to treat themselves. Such an event rarely happens, but it doesn't stop people dreaming. People that are living in poverty obviously obsess about money because there is so much they cannot afford to do.

It seems particularly unfair when there are people who earn more in a day than most others earn in a year. Of course, there will always be those who defend the status quo and say that these individuals are only being paid what they're worth, but all too often this is not the case. There have been plenty of instances of poor decision-making and ineffectual leadership being rewarded. These individuals go from one high-paid job to another without any difficulty, accumulating more and more money. You would think that there would reach a point where money would no longer be of concern to them, yet they continue to build up their wealth.

It is probably due to wanting a higher standard of living and to be able to show to the rest of the world that they can afford to keep numerous houses and cars and to be able to send their children to private school. This is a rather different position to be in than those who are struggling to make ends meet. Thus, whether rich or poor, everyone ends up obsessed with money because they not only want to be able to afford essential items and services; they would also like to enjoy the high life, although this is reserved only for the few.