You don’t need to be rich although poverty is not fun
Not to mention, life in New Zealand is different than here
By University of Otago
Research from the University of Otago indicates
that stepping away from material excess may be linked to greater day-to-day
satisfaction and stronger social connections.
The team set out to examine how consumption relates to
well-being. Their findings indicate that people report higher levels of
happiness and life satisfaction when they adopt more sustainable lifestyles and
resist consumer-driven habits.
The researchers analyzed data from a representative sample
of more than 1,000 New Zealanders. The group included 51 percent men and 49
percent women, with a median age of 45 and a median annual household income of
$50,000.
They found that embracing simple living, formally known as
‘voluntary simplicity,’ supports well-being by creating more opportunities for
social interaction and meaningful connection. These benefits often arise in
settings such as community gardens, shared resource systems, and peer-to-peer
lending platforms, which differ from traditional market exchanges.
Patterns and Social Dynamics
Women were more likely than men to adopt simpler lifestyles,
although the reasons for this difference are not yet fully understood.
Co-author Associate Professor Leah Watkins explains that
consumer culture often links happiness to higher income and the ability to
acquire material goods.
“However, research is clear that attitudes to, and
experiences of, materialistic approaches to life do not lead to increases in
happiness or well-being. Nor do they lead to sustainable consumption necessary
for planetary health.”
Environmental Pressures and Global Trends
From 2000 to 2019, global domestic material consumption rose
by 66 percent. Since the 1970s, it has tripled, reaching 95.1 billion metric
tons.
As incomes and living standards have increased, concerns
have grown about the environmental impact of human consumption. These concerns,
along with global warming and ongoing health and financial stress following the
pandemic, have led researchers and policymakers to seek a clearer understanding
of how simpler lifestyles influence well-being.
Co-author Professor Rob Aitken emphasizes that this approach
does not require abandoning all material possessions.
“It’s not directly the commitment to material simplicity
that leads to well-being, but the psychological and emotional need fulfillment
that derives from relationships, social connection, community involvement, and
a sense of living a purposeful and meaningful life.
“In a world where billionaire weddings are treated like
state occasions and private yachts are the new status symbols, voluntary
simplicity offers a quiet, powerful counter-narrative — one that values enough
over excess, connection over consumption, and meaning over materialism.”
Reference: “Consume Less, Live Well: Examining the
Dimensions and Moderators of the Relationship Between Voluntary Simplicity and
Wellbeing” by Leah Watkins, Robert Aitken and Loic Pengtao Li, 1 September
2025, Journal of Macromarketing.
DOI:
10.1177/02761467251339399
