The Mecca of Materialism
I'm writing this from the Pavillion Mall, Bukit Bintang. I don't come downtown very often but every time that I do, I inevitably end up in this Mecca of Materialism. The mall is unabashedly bourgeois and represents every possible material temptation that the world offers.
The Bukit Bintang area itself is full of life at night, thronged by tourists from all over the world who come to enjoy the nightlife, street food and shopping. Strangely, I actually like this place because I enjoy having a beer in one of the outdoor pubs there and watch people passing by, like a zoologist observing animals in the wild. Only by studying other human beings, do you get a better understanding of yourself because you are also the same animal but are often blind to your own behaviour.
One of the things that I often think about is my own materialistic tendencies. I aspire towards minimalism but yet I am not averse to owning material things. I admire good quality products but not necessarily branded ones, though they often are. I will definitely not buy something simply because it is a status symbol.
Do I own a lot of branded goods? Not really but I do confess to owning quite a number of Mont Blanc pens, leather products and a watch, all of which I bought more than 20 years ago. I liked their simple elegance and quality. Mont Blanc was kind of my favourite luxury brand at one time but I've since ceased to acquire any new items because I did not want to go overboard. I would prefer to treasure what I already own and enjoy them while they last.
I use my luxury possessions to remind myself of the temptation of things and to meditate on my relationship with them. I believe we can enjoy their beauty but not be a slave to their allure. Always ask yourself: will you be able to accept the thought of losing them? One must always 'practice' relinquishing one's luxury possessions, the moment one owns them. That way, you maintain a healthy non-attachment towards them, but still be able to enjoy the pleasure of their ownership.
In a way, it's better to think of yourself as its temporary custodian, rather than owner. Nothing in this world actually belongs to you, even if you've paid a hefty price to purchase it. Matter belongs to the universe and will be reclaimed by it in due time. Your material body too returns to dust when you die. so this attachment between material things is only a transient relationship. Enjoy the dance and the dalliance while it lasts.
We know that the pleasure of a sip of wine fades away the moment one swallows it. There will be some lingering after-taste but that too eventual goes away. So you take another sip, and another sip, savouring each one as the liquid hits your tongue. The mind gets used to any pleasure pretty fast, and soon it will want to amp up its intensity. That's how addiction develops.
The beauty of material things should be enjoyed in moderation like sips of wine. Just make sure you don't end up an alcoholic. Possess and let go, acquire and relinquish, but never let them take hold of your soul. Be a master of materialism, not its slave. And that is how you have a healthy relationship with them.
