People And Their Stuff
How many things do you think you own? Take a guess—100? 1,000? More?
In 1994, photojournalist and author Peter Menzel wrote a book called Material World: A Global Family Portrait that captures international families with all of their possessions. The collection of photos illustrates the style in which families from all over the world live. Menzel ranked Mali, at the time, as “dirt poor” as the family sits with their handful of pots, pans, sticks, and limited clothing. Comparing them to the American family from California, this family’s belongings are generously spread out in their large grassy backyard. Same year. Same planet. Entirely different realities.
What does it say about humanity when a family of four owns significantly more things than a family of ten?
Why do we have so much stuff? As Americans, consumerism rules our lives and influences what we buy and why we make purchasing decisions. The United States is ranked second as the country with the highest spending power. We normalize overconsumption in so many industries including fashion, beauty, home, and other areas in our lives.
Just think about how many items you’ve bought not because they were necessary, but because they promised to “save time” or “make life easier.”I recently bought a veggie chopper that slices produce between crosshatched blades—no knife or cutting board required. Is it necessary? No. Does it make my life easier? Sure. Modern society, especially women, are mesmerized by products that multitask. Who isn’t obsessed with the “Amazon gadgets” TikTok videos? You always find products that you never thought you needed, and with the link right at your fingertips, what’s stopping you from buying it?
Interestingly, as we accumulate more, we also crave the illusion of having less. Minimalism in the kitchen has been popular for the past few years. Tiktokers make restock videos of them removing packaging from grocery groceries and into glass jars and clear acrylic shelves. The minimalist aesthetic that is desired so badly includes diy labels and absolutely no logos.
Many claim that watching content that promotes minimalism helps with gripping control in their life. Therapist Jake Ernst claims that people “feel at ease when watching someone turn something messy and chaotic to something more structured and controlled.” The more products and organizational gadgets we have, the more we feel that we are stepping in a productive direction. This kind of social media content makes us more aware of things we should be cleaning, organizational setups we could be using and shows us that an Amazon storefront link will help us solve these day to day problems.
As spring time approaches and “spring cleaning” content begins, maybe it’s time to think about your possessions a little more deeply. Do you need all 12 blushes? Could you give one of your four white t-shirts to someone who needs it more than you?
Maybe what we’re searching for isn’t more stuff—it’s more clarity. More intention. More peace. Buy more intentionally and take a look at all of your “stuff” — what’s in your Amazon shopping cart may be hidden right in front of you.