Consumerism According to G.K. Chesterson

There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.

G.K. Chesterson (1874-1936)

In almost every text I've read about consumerism, the idea that having less brings happiness has been mentioned. Most people, these articles said, are actually happier when they own less material things. Tammy Strobel, for example, limited her possessions to a mere 100 items, and she's happier than ever.

In the opinion of Chesterson, Strobel was happy not because she owned less, but because she desired less. With the constant burning of desire gone, we can be happy with what we already have, because we know that we are truly blessed to have so much wealth in the first place.

Chesterson also says that to get enough we can accumulate more and more. The joy brought by owning more is temporary, but by constantly building an arsenal of possessions we can renew the happiness periodically. The cycle never ends, but it does keep us content.

Chesterson was trying to tell everyone that by wanting less we could happier than if we owned the world. Maybe we should listen and start to live a life void of lust.