The Role of Material Goods in Spiritual Development

The problem of materialism is widely recognized as a source of dissatisfaction in industrial civilization, while mass production and modern technology are acknowledged as providing desirable standards of health, education and physical comfort. The challenge is to develop creative, satisfying ways to live within mass production/consumption society. Learning to deal appropriately with material goods is importance in living in accordance with Baha'i principles. Understanding the symbolic dimension of goods, through insights from anthropology and psychology, provides us with a way to manage our use of possessions towards this end. Objectification - the process through which physical things are imbued with meaning in a specific socio-cultural context - is a key concept in this understanding. Objectification can produce alienation, in the Marxian sense ; but, used properly, the capacity of things to carry meaning has the potential to assist individuals in their personal growth. Recognition of the symbolic dimension of objects is particularly critical in enabling individuals to strive for detachment in highly materialistic societies.