Like a kid in a candy store, I spent hours feeling the materials, inspecting the inside coloration and pattern, comparing different styles and checking the appearance in the mirror, making sure it looked just right draped over my right shoulder: my first designer bag. My first and only, I told myself. But when I walked out, clutching the colorful, striped Coach store bag containing my new treasure delicately wrapped in tissue paper, I had an inkling that I would be back.
Needless to say, this wasn’t the end, but only the beginning. I went on to adorn the inside of my “glam tote” with a matching cosmetic bag, wristlet and wallet. What I once considered luxury was quickly transforming into an unnecessary necessity.
Although some may call this a shopping addiction, I like to refer to it as “Gucci greed.”
Although I’ve never saved up enough to buy my own Gucci, I have a feeling my selfish desire for different designer’s purses is the same kind of greed, regardless of the brand name. In order to overcome greed, I believe, first and foremost, we must acknowledge the causes.
Our society today is living in a very materialistic world. From gadgets like iPads to overpriced jeans like Miss Mes, our generation has been raised to crave the cream of the crop. It’s as if we were born with a preconceived notion that we deserve better than average, more than necessary, greater than generations past.
Is this why us college students settle for cheap food like Ramen noodles, so we can splurge on our guilty pleasures? When did our priorities shift from necessity to luxury? We shouldn’t be pinching pennies to nourish our bodies with food, but satisfying our body’s needs. Then, I think the occasional splurge is okay.
Nowadays, all it requires is a simple swipe of a card. We tend to forget the actual dollars building up on our credit cards, and would rather relish in the instant gratification we get from our latest purchase.
Not to mention, the distance we create from gaining financial security and independence. Later in life, sacrificing financial security might not have been the smartest move.
Sometimes I think greed for the unnecessary comes from a void in life that people choose to fill with material objects. A designer bag is safe and harmless; its job is to purely satisfy (and hold personal belongings). The problem lies in filling the void; instead of finding the source of our emptiness, we ignore it and buy products to temporarily make us happy.
Greed isn’t going to give us the life-long happiness we need. Buying one name-brand item will most likely lead to purchasing another; in turn, developing a pattern of lusting for high-end commodities. While my first Coach made me content at the moment, I soon got bored with it and decided I must get another. My one-time luxury purchase turned into a hard-to-break habit.
While my Gucci greed can put a smile on my face, it cannot solve problems I encounter in my everyday life. This greed only complicates things, potentially leading to credit card debt, disappointed parents and ultimately, an unhappy self.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Gucci girl for life, but Gucci will no longer get the best of me.