There is an absolute irony in materialism. When we focus our efforts on acquiring material possessions, it is with the intention of making ourselves happier, but instead we are feeding an obstacle to happiness.

Acquiring material possessions merely suspends dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction is perpetuated by a culture of advertising that is designed to convince us that we are not happy and need to purchase something that will make us happy. If you examine most any advertisement on television, radio, newspaper, billboard, etc., you will recognize that most are designed to point out a perceived deficiency or urgent problem and position a product as a solution.

The most important thing to recognize is that your material possessions will never bring you happiness. No matter what or how much you have, there will always be more that seems to be needed. In fact, the more "stuff" you have, the more you will need to maintain and the more you will have to buy to maintain what you already have. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. The larger and more extravagant the vehicle you drive, the more gas it will use. The larger the house you own, the more stuff you will have to acquire to fill it up.

These material concerns tend to divert our time and energy away from personal development, relationships and spirituality. These are elements that make up a satisfying life.

There is an absolute irony in materialism. When we focus our efforts on acquiring material possessions, it is with the intention of making ourselves happier, but instead we are feeding an obstacle to happiness.

Acquiring material possessions merely suspends dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction is perpetuated by a culture of advertising that is designed to convince us that we are not happy and need to purchase something that will make us happy. If you examine most any advertisement on television, radio, newspaper, billboard, etc., you will recognize that most are designed to point out a perceived deficiency or urgent problem and position a product as a solution.

The most important thing to recognize is that your material possessions will never bring you happiness. No matter what or how much you have, there will always be more that seems to be needed. In fact, the more "stuff" you have, the more you will need to maintain and the more you will have to buy to maintain what you already have. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. The larger and more extravagant the vehicle you drive, the more gas it will use. The larger the house you own, the more stuff you will have to acquire to fill it up.

These material concerns tend to divert our time and energy away from personal development, relationships and spirituality. These are elements that make up a satisfying life.

There is an absolute irony in materialism. When we focus our efforts on acquiring material possessions, it is with the intention of making ourselves happier, but instead we are feeding an obstacle to happiness.

Acquiring material possessions merely suspends dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction is perpetuated by a culture of advertising that is designed to convince us that we are not happy and need to purchase something that will make us happy. If you examine most any advertisement on television, radio, newspaper, billboard, etc., you will recognize that most are designed to point out a perceived deficiency or urgent problem and position a product as a solution.

The most important thing to recognize is that your material possessions will never bring you happiness. No matter what or how much you have, there will always be more that seems to be needed. In fact, the more "stuff" you have, the more you will need to maintain and the more you will have to buy to maintain what you already have. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. The larger and more extravagant the vehicle you drive, the more gas it will use. The larger the house you own, the more stuff you will have to acquire to fill it up.

These material concerns tend to divert our time and energy away from personal development, relationships and spirituality. These are elements that make up a satisfying life.

There is an absolute irony in materialism. When we focus our efforts on acquiring material possessions, it is with the intention of making ourselves happier, but instead we are feeding an obstacle to happiness.

Acquiring material possessions merely suspends dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction is perpetuated by a culture of advertising that is designed to convince us that we are not happy and need to purchase something that will make us happy. If you examine most any advertisement on television, radio, newspaper, billboard, etc., you will recognize that most are designed to point out a perceived deficiency or urgent problem and position a product as a solution.

The most important thing to recognize is that your material possessions will never bring you happiness. No matter what or how much you have, there will always be more that seems to be needed. In fact, the more "stuff" you have, the more you will need to maintain and the more you will have to buy to maintain what you already have. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. The larger and more extravagant the vehicle you drive, the more gas it will use. The larger the house you own, the more stuff you will have to acquire to fill it up.

These material concerns tend to divert our time and energy away from personal development, relationships and spirituality. These are elements that make up a satisfying life.

Sounds like Raven62 is just a wee bit mad about having driven all the way to a neighboring powerball state and came up empty....

Well here's hoping the next Mega Millions and Powerball winner comes from the Midwest...namely the states that I play in...and specifically the store I buy my tickets from....and hopefully the tickets I bought for that drawing...that is what I call channeling my inner power to achieve a desireable outcome...and you are darn skippy I will be very materialistic....Can you say Bentley, Maserati, Brooks Brothers here I come?!!!  I would do my best to stimulate the economy as follows:

Let's say I win this Friday's Mega Million with the sole winning ticket.  I would take the cash sum of $51 million.  After accounting for federal and state taxes, I would be left with approximately $35 million (maybe less as I used the old tax bracket rates...now I guess I would probably have to fork over an extra $5 million to Daddy Obama and the liberal spending Democrats---don't raze me...I happen to be a black man...one of few who didn't vote for the present President).  So let's say I would have $30 million (still thankful!).  I would put 80 percent of it in a predetermined investment mix.  I would put 10 percent in a trust I would use to fund charitable giving.  Then the remaining 10 percent would be my play money (that's right $5 million).  I would give the local economy a little jolt by infusing $1 million into auto purchases, home renovation, clothing retailers, and air travel (okay, that part wouldn't be local unless I planned to fly on United...which I would but not exclusively...more like 25 percent of the time as I would fly Delta and American as well as Emirates Air---I read that their first class is kick ass).

So yall local folks in Chicago should be pulling for me to win the big one!  Let's all channel that energy for MY big win...and yes I would remember the little guys :)

Have you ever seen or heard news reports about lottery winners becoming broke? Can you imagine? They have no money left!

Many lottery winners, especially those who take a lump sum are now poor. How could that possibly be? Many people think that if they could just win the lottery, their whole life would change for the best. They think that once they win all that cash, then all their problems will disappear. Therefore, week after week they buy lottery tickets, hoping to win.