Lack of Meaningful Values Causes Depression
Over the years, Tesla has been a growing company and is one of the most popular cars in today’s market. The demand for these various models have been unmatched due to its success in producing electric vehicles. Though these cars are quite expensive in comparison to other brands such as Honda and Toyota, many still opt out for Teslas due to its luxury and growing name. Purchasing a Tesla is no different than any other car because it still takes us to where we’re needed to be. A reason why many give into buying these expensive cars is because American culture has taught us that materials are supposed to keep us happy, even if it exists for a short period of time.
Diagnosing depression was always thought of as having an imbalance in the brain. As a quick fix, doctors prescribe antidepressants to mask the underlying feelings that are taking place. Although it may seem to have worked, once the drug wears off, all those conflicting feelings rush back in. In Johann Hari’s book, Lost Connections: Uncovering the Unexpected Causes and Surprising Solutions to Depression and Anxiety, he dives deep into the many disconnections we have severed from our lives that cause an individual to have depression. Without the reconnection to them in our lives, we may suffer and look into endless solutions. One of the disconnections that Hari mentions specifically is from meaningful values. The American way of life is rooted by materialism and utilizes junk values to fuel our egos. In turn, it’s an existing factor of why so many are becoming depressed.
Meaningful values such as trust, integrity, and honesty are preached within households, businesses, and communities. With time, those core values have shifted and are more meaningless as materialism and other factors overshadow the true intent. Hari argues that, “Materialistic people, who think happiness comes from accumulating stuff… had much higher levels of depression”(95). In Hari’s terms materialism is sought after deficient goals along with the continual purchase of things that are unlikely to be fully satisfied. It’s a baffling thought that many people think they can purchase their way into happiness. As a result, the craving of wanting bigger and better will continue. Though these things make us happy, it’s only temporary in which we continue to venture out for more. But, realistically, these materialistic objects do nothing for our soul. Therefore, materialism clouds the judgement of many due to its deception of happiness that is commonly mistaken for as meaningful values.
Through the creation of Lost Connections, Hari created the term junk values. These junk values are behaviors in which we perform only because we get something out of it. In an attempt to learn more about these junk values, Hari discovered that they make us feel bad in a number of ways.
Hari’s first discovery in which these junk values make us feel bad, is through toxic relationships. The bonds that we form with others should be meaningful that will last a lifetime. However, overtime we’ve been driven away in establishing a true connection as physical attributes speak more volumes than personalities. Today, social climbing is fairly popular, known for trying to improve one’s social position by leaving good impressions upon those of a higher social status. The connections that a person has with others are crucial because it’s a way of getting your foot in the door. Although it’s a method for advocating for oneself, it creates poisonous relationships because oftentimes, the friendship is based on getting something out of it. Merely looking at the interests and social positions that an individual has and is trying to get at, is already setting the relationship up for failure. Beyond the benefits of the friendship, it’ll only be surface level in which nothing of real value will prosper. Attaining relationships based upon materialism and status would make it so easy to switch friends that have more than the next. Thus, junk values poisons relationships because it’s seen as personal gain.
Secondly, Hari found that these junk values change the way of being completely in the moment. He mentions that there’s evidence that brings us the most pleasure and is called flow states (Hari 99). Flow states are described as moments in which we’re in the zone and are so deeply focused beyond the point of distraction. These flow states occur because we enjoy whatever it is we may be doing. However the number of instances in which this occurs significantly decreases due to these junk values. Being clouded from the junk creates a hyper awareness and limits us to be fully in the moment.
In addition, it was revealed that we lose ourselves because of these junk values. Every time we buy something in the pursuit of appeasing others, the control over our lives lessens. Instead of enjoying the things we already have, we look for other items that we think will make others happy. In doing so, we let useless materials and outside opinions dictate the way a person should live.
Lastly, Hari discovered that when only focusing on junk values, it sacrifices the time of other more meaningful things. We spend so much of our time and money chasing this ideal way of life. This idea that we can simply buy happiness comes up short in fulfilling our life needs. A common mistake among all of us is thinking that we all have time. There’s no fixed amount of time a person has here on Earth. With that being said, we’re losing precious moments we’ve been given and using it for the importance of materialism and driving it deep into our egos.
These junk values can be tricky because although it leaves us empty inside, they too can bring some sort of happiness into our lives. Whenever we shop, there’s a euphoric feeling running through our bodies because, “We want to drive (shopping) addiction… by creating an irresistible sense of urgency and excitement” Palmieri, Jean E. (2010, July 6) “Excitement is Key to A Compelling Shopping Experience: Women’s Wear Daily”. In doing so, the senses of urgency and excitement are what fuel our extrinsic values. Much like junk values, these extrinsic motivations are actions done because of what we gain. Since shopping creates a desired and satisfying adrenaline rush, many give into the endless cycle. The reason why shoppers continue to buy is due to the expectations of what we’re supposed to feel. These actions that we carry out are not because we want to do them because, “whether it’s money, or admiration, or sex, or superior status”(Hari 96) it’s those kinds of expectations that blur the lines between meaningful and junk values. Though these things make us happy in the moment, it is only temporary in which we continue to search for meaningful values that satisfy.
Understanding the reasons as to what causes a person to become depressed can be due to many reasons. Much like buying expensive name brands such as Tesla, they make us happy in the moment. But, as time goes on these items that were held as prized possessions are nothing but things that take up space. The American culture has greatly influenced materialism as these fuel junk values as well as our egos. Without the reconnection to meaningful values we will continue to search for answers.
