# Introduction an is hasty and greedy by nature. He always remains in search of better to best. His appealing urge to get the best for him has made materialistic, making him a machine with no emotions and feelings. He is only interested in making more and more money irrespective of religious and moral values. The man of today is a perfect example of materialism. We hardly realize the fact our desires are never-ending. The more we get, the more we want. The more we have the more we want. Material luxurious objects have sadly failed to give us true happiness and peace. It goes without saying that luxurious life without peace of mind and inner happiness is of no significance and value. (Hussain,k.) "We have found that material possessions don't provide as much lasting happiness as the search of life experiences. The mistake we can sometimes make believes that pursuing material possessions will gainus status and admiration while also improving our social relationships. It seems to have exactly the opposite effect. Trying to have a happier life by the acquisition of material possessions is probably not a very wise decision. Not just our research, but a lot of other research has found that people who are materialistic acquire many mental health costs and social costs, they're less happy and more prone to depression" Van Boven said. (Boven,L.V.2010). Money can't buy you love. It can't buy you happiness either. According to an article on CNN, "by and large, money buys happiness only for those who lack the basic needs". (Burns.G.) Materialism has had its grip on humanity since the introduction of man to this planet. Every culture, country, and generation has been plagued with the need for material goods. Materialism has turned child against parent, wife against husband, and husband against wife. Children confront their parents on "why can't we afford this? A culture full of spoiled children breeds spoiled and irresponsible adults. Showing our children reality and not "reality" television will benefit them and our culture. (Huffan,G.W.) Overall they have shown that aging is a part of an individual's culture and like other parts of culture, it has an important influence on the individual's world view and subsequent behavior (Graham 1981; Webster and Beatty 1997).(Wei,Y.) The media in general and advertising in particular show images of materially well-off consumers, those consumers exposed to heavy doses of advertising and other media would overestimate the material well-being of typical consumers (see Belk and Pollay 1985a,b and Friedman 1985 for the depiction of material themes in advertising and media).(Richins,M.L.1987) I want", "I need", "I must have" are the three phrases heard a little more than seldom from your typical American teenager. (Romaniuk,O) Advertising as a major social event expresses a key change in values, beliefs, behavior and buying patterns of the peoples which influence the lifestyles of people (Polly and Mittal, 1993). (Usman,M.2010.) Advertising also encourages materialism in which material goods and money is conceived important for personal happiness and social progress as compared to intellectual or spiritual concerns was increasing amongst children and adults. (Abiden.Z.2010.) Kasser argues that when people turn to material things to feel better, they compound the problem, because they seek experiences that "don't do a very good job of meeting their psychological needs." Studies show that poor people who emphasize fewer ill effects, most probably because they are meeting more of their goals. (Goldberg, C.2008.) Our love of money is evident too in our attitudes toward wealth and poverty. Although 92 percent believe that the condition of the poor is a serious social problem, our hearts are fundamentally with the rich. (Wuthnow, R.1993.) Early research conducted by Ward and Wackman (1971) suggested that materialism was the result of individuals viewing material goods and money as a path to personal happiness and social progress. Ger and Belk (1996) examined the concept of cross-cultural materialism by using undergraduate and graduate respondents from 12 countries. It was concluded that variables such as dramatic cultural or social change might well lead to higher levels of materialism. (Parker, R.S.) Materialistic persons seek products that show the success and status they wish to be observed by others and themselves (Richins et al. 1992) (Bernard,R.J. 2009.) The urge to lead an extravagant life. Personal satisfaction and greed are the most important aspects of life of the society driven by materialism. Materialism promotes many other negative feelings as well like lust, selfishness, jealousy, sense of hopelessness, etc. People are forgetting their moral values and often fail to understand the distinction between right choices and the wrong ones. The only thing that matters is good quality life and false comforts. (Materialism in society). # II. # Methodology This study was conducted from January to June 2010. One questionnaire was developed. The sample size of our study is 200. The questionnaire consists of 27 questions. All questions were close ended. We have distributed our sample into four categories. The stratified random sampling technique was used for making four stratums, which consists of Housewives, Businessmen, Salaried person and Students. 33.5% respondents strongly agree and 15.0% disagree that money is first priority in life now. 31.0% respondents agree and 19.0% disagree that money can satisfy all needs of life. 62.5%% strongly agree and 5.5% disagree that money is sign of high status now. 25.5% respondents agree and 15.5% disagree that money can while in some studies, materialistic rich people show give respect. 28.0% respondents agree and 19.5% disagree that money is key to success. 54.5% respondents strongly agree and 5.5% disagree that money can change our lifestyle. 35.0% respondents strongly agree and 8.5% disagree that the unfair distribution of money is leading us towards materialism. 17.5% respondents agree and 32.0% disagree that money is solution of every problem. 37.0% respondents agree and 9.5% disagree that poverty is creating wish for charming life. 31.5% respondents agree and 16.0% disagree that poverty is influencing mind towards glamour. 38.0% respondents agree and 11.55 disagree that poverty is creating greed for wealth. 15.5% respondents agree and 29.5% disagree that only poor people are materialistic. 42.5% respondents agree and 7.5% disagree that advertisements show glamour. 36.0% respondents agree and 9.5% disagree that advertisements motivate for luxurious life. 31.5% respondents agree and 19.0% disagree that lifestyle can be changed by advertisements. 30.0% respondents agree and 15.0% disagree that excess of advertisement have negative impact on life. 38.0% respondents agree and 9.5% disagree that charming advertisements attract. 37.0% respondents agree and 10.5% disagree that personal happiness can create satisfaction in life. 35.5% respondents agree and 21.0% disagree that wealth is source of personal happiness. 21.5% agree and 26.5% disagree that materialism create personal happiness. 29.0% respondents agree and 21.0% disagree that personal happiness makes us selfish. 34.0% respondents agree and 14.5% disagree that our culture is depicting materialism. 33.5% respondents agree and 13.0% disagree that our culture is moving towards modernism. 35.0% respondents strongly agree and 9.0% disagree that there is an effect of culture on our lives. 31.0% respondents agree and 15.0% disagree that our culture is negatively promoting materialistic thoughts. 20.0% agree and 23.5% disagree that our culture is rigid to follow that materialistic norms. The value of chi-square test is 24.345 and p value is 0.06 which is greater than 0.05, so there is insignificant difference between money and study groups. The value of chi-square test is 26.23 and p value is 0.13 which is greater than 0.05, so there is insignificant difference between advertisements and study groups. The value of chi-square test is 11.141 and p value is 0.517 which is greater than 0.05, so there is insignificant difference between poverty and study groups. The value of chi-square test is 16.331 and p value is 0.177 which is greater than 0.05, so there is insignificant difference between personal happiness and study groups. The value of chi-square test is 19.242 and p value is 0.083 which is less than 0.05, so there is insignificant difference between culture and study groups. # III. # Results # M ay V. # Conclusion Materialism is that everything which has physical existence is important in life. Materialistic thought create greed for luxuries in life. Researches show that people are always attracted towards glittering things. People are giving preference to material things so unhappiness, jealousy, greed, depression, aggressiveness, social anxiety is increasing and they start using people for their means. Greed of money, motivational effects of advertisements, problem of poverty, wish of personal happiness and negative norms depicting culture have influenced the people particularly teenagers. The results of our study show that money, advertisement, culture, poverty and personal happiness have insignificant relationship with study groups. # VI. # Recommendations To avoid and eliminate materialistic thoughts from life we should: Think positive Believe in spirituality Give more importance to relations than luxuries 1QuestionsStronglyDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeTotaldisagreeIs money firstpriority in life11(5.5%)30(15.0%)32(16.0%)60(30.0%)67(33.5%)200(100.0%)now?Can moneysatisfy all33(16.5%)38(19.0%)38(19.0%)62(31.0%)29(14.5%)200(100.0%)needs of life?Is money signof high status9(4.5%)11(5.5%)15(7.5%)40(20.0%)125(62.5%)200(100.0%)now?Can moneygive respect?29(14.5%)31(15.5%)42(21.0%)51(25.5%)47(23.5%)200(100.0%)Is money keyto success?23(11.5%)39(19.5%)47(23.5%)56(28.0%)35(17.5%)200(100.0%)Can moneychange our9(4.5%)11(5.5%)17(8.5%)54(27.0%)109(54.5%)200(100.0%)lifestyle?Is the unfairdistribution ofmoney12(6.0%)17(8.5%)45(22.5%)56(28.0%)70(35.0%)200(100.0%)leading ustowardsmaterialism?Is money asolution of41(20.5%)64(32.0%)37(18.5%)35(17.5%)23(11.5%)200(100.0%)everyproblem? 2QuestionsStronglyDisagreeNeutralAgreeStronglyTotaldisagreeagreeDoadvertisements3(1.5%)15(7.5%) 30(15.0%) 85(42.5%) 67(33.5%) 200(100.0%)Show glamour?Doadvertisements8(4.0%)19(9.5%) 40(20.0%) 72(36.0%) 61(30.5%) 200(100.0%)motivate forluxurious life?Can ourlifestyles be14(7.0%) 38(19.0%) 53(26.5%) 63(31.5%) 32(16.0%) 200(100.0%)changed byadvertisements?Does excess ofadvertisement13(6.5%) 30(15.0%) 49(24.5%) 60(30.0%) 48(24.0%) 200(100.0%)have negativeimpact on life?Does charmingadvertisements7(3.5%)19(9.5%) 40(20.0%) 76(38.0%) 58(29.0%) 200(100.0%)attract you? 3QuestionsStronglyDisagreeNeutralAgreeStronglyTotaldisagreeagreeIs povertycreating wishfor charming11(5.5%)19(9.5%)51(25.5%)74(37.0%)45(22.5%)200(100.0%)life?Is povertyinfluencingmind towards11(5.5%)32(16.0%)65(32.5%)63(31.5%)29(14.5%)200(100.0%)glamour?Is povertycreating greed6(3.0%)23(11.5%)41(20.5%)76(38.0%)54(27.5%)200(100.0%)for wealth?Are only poorpeople44(22.0%)59(29.5%)60(30.0%)31(15.5%)6(3.0%)200(100.0%)materialistic? 4QuestionsStronglyDisagreeNeutralAgreeStronglyTotaldisagreeagreeDoespersonalhappiness4(2.0%)24(12.0%) 50(25.0%) 72(36.0%) 50(25.0%) 200(100.0%)meansmore?Canpersonalhappiness5(2.5%)21(10.5%) 31(15.5%) 74(37.0%) 69(34.5%) 200(100.0%)createsatisfactionin life?Is wealthsource of14(7.0%) 42(21.0%) 52(26.0%) 71(35.5%) 21(10.5%) 200(100.0%)personalhappiness?Canmaterialismcreate25(12.5%) 53(26.5%) 59(29.5%) 43(21.5%) 20(10.0%) 200(100.0%)personalhappiness?Doespersonalhappiness24(12.0%) 42(21.0%) 44(22.0%) 58(29.0%) 32(16.0%) 200(100.0%)makes youselfish? 5QuestionsStronglyDisagreeNeutralAgreeStronglyTotaldisagreeagreeIs our culturedepicting8(4.0%)29(14.5%)66(33.0%)68(34.0%) 29(14.5%) 200(100.0%)materialism?Is our culturemoving towards12(6.0)26(13.0%)31(15.5%)67(33.5%) 64(32.0%) 200(100.0%)modernism?Is there anyeffect of culture10(5.0%)18(9.0%)37(18.5%)65(32.5%) 70(35.0%) 200(100.0%)on our lives?Is culturenegatively9(4.5%)30(15.0%)72(36.0%)62(31.0%) 27(13.5%) 200(100.0%)promotingmaterialisticthoughts?Is our culturerigid to follow15(7.5%)47(23.5%)81(40.5%)40(20.0%)17(8.5%) 200(100.0%)the materialisticnorms? 1groupsMoneyStudy groupStrongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeHousewife2.0625%2.9375%2.56254.56256.375 %%%Business-1.9375%2.375%2.1253.81254.75%man%%Salary3.625%5.1255.6258.56257.5625person%%%Student2.8125%4.6256.75%8.937512.875%% 2study groupsAdvertisementStudy groupStronglyDisagree Neutral Agree StronglydisagreeagreeHousewife1%2.2%4.5%7.1%3.7%Businessman1%1.2%3%5.1%4.7%Salary1.8%4.4%7.4%10.2%6.7%personStudent1.7%3.8%6.3%12.7%11.5% 3groupsPovertyStudyStronglyDisagreeNeutralAgreeStronglygroupdisagreeagreeHousewife2.25%3.25%4.625%5.3753%%Business-1.375%2.5%3.5%5.25%2.375%manSalary2.625%5.25%8.875%9.8753.875%person%Student2.75%5.625%10.12510%7.5%% 4study groupsPersonal happinessS Study groupStronglyDisagreeNeutralAgree StronglydisagreeagreeHousewife1.3%4.9%4.6%6%2.7%Businessman1.3%2.3%3.5%5.4%2.5%Salary2.3%4.9%8%9.5%5.8%personStudent2.4%6.1%7.4%11%8.1% 5groupsCultureStudy groupStronglyDisagree Neutral Agree StronglydisagreeagreeHousewife1.2%3.3%5%5.5%3.5%Businessman.6%1.7%3.7%5.6%3.4%Salary2.4%4%9.4%9.3%5.4%personStudent1.2%6%10.6%9.8%8.4% Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue VIII Version I © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) materialistic goals are especially likely to be unhappy, Syed Atif Ali , , Amir Razi , Huda Khan & Itrat Fatima ¥ Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue VIII Version I © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) Materalistic Thoughts among People © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) Materalistic Thoughts among People Don't be the part of wrong norms in the culture instead, change it Don't think much about the adds on television because "all that glitter is not gold" Material poverty is not poverty real poverty is of mind so be pure and honest in your intentions and goals. * Effects of Television advertising on Children: With Special Reference to Pakistani Urban Children ZAbideen MRSalaria 2010 * Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of science & Technology Islamabad * The effects of materialism, Brand image and Ad appeal type on Ad-Based Persuasion RJBernard 2009 California State University College of business Administration Honors * Materialistic People Liked Less by Peers than 'Experiential' People LVBoven 2010 Science Daily * Experientialism, Materialism and the Pursuit of happiness LVBoven pdf University of Colorado at Boulder 9 2 2005 * How to escape materialism and find happiness GBurns * Materialism is bad for you CGoldberg 2008 * Materialism and its effect on Culture GWGuffman * The damaging effects of materialism KHussain * Materialism in Society * The perception of materialism in a global market: a comparison of younger Chinese and United States consumers RSParker CHermans DHaytko J. International Business and Cultural Studies * The Effects of TV Advertising on Children CReynolds * MEDIA, MATERIALISM, AND HUMAN HAPPINESS MLRichins Advanced in consumer research 1987 Louisiana State University * Why teenagers are materialistic? ORomaniuk * M*usman SIlyas MFHussain * General Attitude towards advertising: Cultural influence in Pakistan TMQureshi J. Marketing studies 2 2 2010 * International Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan & University of central Punjab Faculty of management studies * Materialism of mature consumers in China and USA: A Cross-Cultural study YWei STalpade * J.Behavioral Studies in Business * Pious materialism: How Americans View Faith and Money 17. Wuthnow ,R. 1993 1 Century