In the happy years of 2010, after a healthy dose of early 2000’s luminous commercials, I would proceed to bring a list of toys I wanted to my dad- already knowing his ever disappointing response. Some may conclude that I was a very materialistic little girl for a five year old, and it is painful to admit that they would be correct. Later in life, most of these needy passions subsided, and I was able to open my eyes to the real world of money, one that was not simply used to complete a Barbie collection and was not as wonderful as I had previously believed. Laced in selfishness and often hatred, money started to actually become repulsive as I saw how much anxiety not having it was, and how others with overflowing amounts of cash tended to act in the most bitter of ways. I often pondered on the motivation behind people with multiple sports cars, or owning million dollar mansions. I have to admit, at times I was guilty of falling into the chokehold of materialism, but haven’t we all? How come our society is so entangled in greed and want, even if there is no clear need? With the help of money, the evolution of people has become a reversed process as the more you have- the more childish you become. 

Currency has been the center of our economy and daily life since the beginnings of modern civilization. Money has always been a symbol of power, where the more assets you had the more influential you were. If you didn’t have a substantial amount of wealth, you had almost zero political representation. The interests of the rich were always prioritized. We see this in early France, where the third estate (made up of mostly lower class citizens) were not being represented in their government. The rich upper classes were trying to take advantage of their misrepresentation and the almost obsolete “say” they had in the decision makings of the government to fund their own expensive lifestyles. Later generations adopted this notion of money as the only pathway to success substantially changing our view of the less fortunate. Those who are not financially stable, are viewed as lesser or not hardworking in an attempt to invalidate their social and political views. Sometimes it takes almost a lifetime journey to realize that wealth cannot define a person, and neither will it be able to fulfill their needs. 

Many of the wealthy class don’t realize the damage they cause when they place themselves above others. Their childlike feeling of materialistic supremacy likely reflects on their childhood experiences, with them missing out on key lessons and pieces of wisdom. If there was anything I learned from Global School Play Day, it is that children need to be children and step away from their screens, work, and stress and play with their friends while experiencing the outdoors. Studies have shown that without a rich childhood, with an emphasis on love, support, and play rather than materialism, people are lacking in compassion. It’s blatantly obvious that money is indescribably destructive, and this affects people of all ages. Its almost drug-like addiction levels have led people to completely raise their self obsession levels through the roof, consequently making others feel inadequate and invaluable. 

Generations apart, and the same glorification of wealth prevails. It must be made known that materialism and the idea that how fulfilling one’s life can be depends on how wealthy they are. Those who use their wealth erratically and use it to flaunt in a way to degrade others is inexcusable. Although these actions may be the result of a lack of a substantial childhood, the internal root of greed needs to be addressed.