Why more stuff can bring less joy

British writer, George Monbiot, describes “pathological consumption” as a “world‑consuming epidemic of collective madness”, where novelty trinkets and short‑lived gadgets end up as landfill after offering us only seconds of stimulation.

His essay, originally published in The Guardian, argues that our normalised cycle of buy‑use‑bin quietly damages our personal wellbeing as well as our environment.

Science backs him up. Decades of research show that a strong materialistic orientation – prioritising money, status, and possessions – is consistently linked with lower wellbeing and riskier consumer behaviour.

A meta‑analysis on this subject found negative relationships between materialism and wellbeing, partly because materialistic goals undermine our psychological needs. In some studies, even thinking about acquiring things has been shown to have a negative effect on our wellbeing.

Beyond the impact on individuals, household consumption drives a substantial share of emissions and waste that harms our environment.

Pathological consumption also keeps many Australians in debt. Last Christmas, regulators warned that debt can mount quickly when we overuse our credit cards and “buy now, pay later” services.

Australians planned to spend an average of $783 for Christmas in 2024, and nearly half reported regretting past festive spending.

The spending hangover can persist long into the new year. 

There is, however, a proven antidote to this issue: spending less, and spending it on meaningful experiences and connections. 

Studies show that experiential purchases – on meals with family, concerts, holidays, or self-improvement classes – produce more enduring happiness than material goods, because they weave into our identity, are easier to reinterpret positively, and foster social bonds. 

People even feel happier in anticipation of experiences – such as looking forward to a show or a social occasion – than when waiting for purchases to arrive. 

“Hedonic adaptation” – the tendency for joy to fade as we get used to things – occurs more slowly for experiences. That’s one reason quality time with loved ones and live entertainment can keep happiness fresher for longer. Of course, not every experience is perfect, but on average they make us feel better than we do from just acquiring things.