"Consumerism is the equation of personal happiness with consumption and the purchase of material possessions."

H = Happiness
T = Total Income
A = Autonomous Spending (I.E. Rent, Direct Debits)
L = Luxuries

H = L ( T / A ) where A + L < T.


This is all from a Consumerist biased perspective, but it does correlate with my own life.
After boring things such as rent & food, I'm usually left with not very much. I would say that it is naive to say that you can not be made happier by wealth.

In my life - I was *very* lucky to afford college whilst not living at home. There is little to no financial support for people in college - it is assumed you are housed by your parents. I was lucky that my boyfriend offered to pay may share of the rent at that stage in my life.
Without him, I would have been doomed to a job in administration - or would have had to find a job which would support students. How many jobs do you know that are flexible around a college that likes to change hours/days?! Not many!

I do not have a secure home to call my own. My parents house is small and I am made to feel like a visitor by the one guest who drove me out. Rent costs a bomb and I'm living between cities. With money I could afford my own house.

In general terms though, life can be enriched and inspired by travel - and clothes/accessories/treatments can improve ones self confidence.

~~ Disclaimer ~~

I am not advocating the spending of money and the collection of material goods, I am just challenging how people think of Consumerism - as even Ancient Civilisations were known to consume things that they did not need to survive.