I'm not sure it's more materialistic. But they become more aware of the financial requirements of their responsibilities. While I was single, money was just a vehicle for doing what I wanted. As soon as I got married and had kids, I suddenly had other responsibilities which required a different approach to money -- I had to have enough money to feed them if I lost my job, enough to keep them in clothes, shoes (no joke these days of Nike and Reebok), activities (piano lessons go on and on), orthodonture (gad, don't even ask), and looking ahead to college. Money took on a much longer term perspective. Then there's the mortgage -- once you buy a house, if you don't have enough to pay the mortgage your family loses its home. Then when the kids are grown, suddenly you are face to face with the concern of retirement and the reality that SS is NOT going to support you to any kind of life at all.
So from my perspective, it's not materialism per se, it's the assumption of responsibilities for the lives of others and your own future that require a material base.
BTW, I'm curious -- how do you decide whether people are or are not more materialistic? Just ask them? Do they define the terms the same way you do? Do they tell the truth? Just a few problems with polling! |
