To be honest, this post was originally going to be about my constant fatigue, but in my procrastination of writing that post, I stumbled upon an interview (in Interview Magazine) of Tom Ford. Tom Ford is someone who I would not consider an inspiration or an idol to anyone but me. He is someone who I would describe as a visionary. This really isn't going to be a "greatest hits" of his life, for that, feel free to ask me. Instead, as I was reading the interview, something he said got me thinking.
"... But as an adult working in the fashion industry, I struggle with materialism. And I’m one of the least materialistic people that exist, because material possessions don’t mean much to me. They’re beautiful, I enjoy them, they can enhance your life to a certain degree, but they’re ultimately not important. Your connections with other people are important, our connection to the earth. "
Now, I rather unfortunately consider myself to be a fairly materialistic person. I spend a great deal of my time lusting away at the perfect version of an object, wishing and hoping that I can one day own it. I convince myself that I will become a better person if I own these pants, or my luck will run out if I don't buy this beautifully crafted iconic shoe. My life is so consumed in labels, designer anything, and lust for these items that I even started making pneumonic devices using brand names. I'm not saying that this is ultimately a bad thing, I do believe that a certain degree of materialism is healthy and even necessary, but it "shook" me to my core to hear that one of the most successful, iconic, and brilliant sartorialists of our time essentially renouncing the importance of his own profession and the glamour that is associated with the world he lives in.
Granted, this quote probably won't change the way I view the world or even make a change in how I behave. What it did do instead is plant a seed of doubt in my mind that may eventually spread into changing the way I view the world. Materialism still has a rather special place in my heart, it's the one thing that gets me out of bed in the morning to drink my premium coffee and puts me to bed in my ridiculous thread count sheets. Without materialism I would be lost, but what Mr. Ford has me reconsidering is the importance I place on the simpler yet more complex aspects to life, and the relationships we maintain with others.
A little bit of materialism goes a long way. It's like that little selfish shot of espresso that we must have. This essay flawlessly blends your thoughtfulness and characteristic humor into a wonderful blog post. I love the conclusion you reached, for it shows maturity as well as potential.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the excellent writing!
Wow, Paul, very insightful. I am impressed!
ReplyDeleteCompletely true. Everyone is 99% materialistic, but only 1% of people can admit it. I have always believed that wealth is the purest test of intelligence. If you can consistently earn money, by legitimate or illegitimate means, you must be able to see something that is not obvious to most.
ReplyDeleteI am adding this blog to my feed reader. Consistent quality!
This is tricky. There are so many things like this in life. It's not healthy to obsess about how you look and hold yourself to unattainable standards of beauty, yet most of us care about looking good. And taking pride in your self-presentation is part (albeit one small part) of self-esteem. And self-esteem is good, right? So where to draw the line. Materialism is perhaps similar. If we're honest, most of us care about *something* material. But to give over all concern for the deeper aspects of life in pursuit of pure material decadence is obviously not good for the soul.
ReplyDeleteFor me, one important value that helps me from feeling like a victim of materialism is quality over quantity. I think it's worth it to spend money on shoes, for example, because high quality shoes are usually better looking and (more importantly) they're often better for your feet. So two or three really nice pairs of shoes is a worthwhile investment. Fifty really nice pairs of shoes? Probably going too far.
High quality coffee and chocolate is another story. That's not materialism. That's art.