In the age of consumerism, consuming less leads to more happiness

They found the commitment to simple living, or ‘voluntary simplicity’ as it is formally known, leads to well-being through providing more opportunities for personal interaction and social connection than conventional contexts of exchange – such as community gardens, sharing resources, or peer-to-peer lending platforms. 

Women are more likely to adopt a simple life than men, although more research is needed to understand why, the researchers note. 

Study co-author, Associate Professor Leah Watkins, says consumer culture promotes happiness as being typically associated with high levels of income and the capability it affords to acquire and accumulate material possessions. 

“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 degradation as a result of human consumption 

Growing consumer affluence and higher living standards have resulted in warnings of alarming trends of environmental degradation from human consumption. 

This, coupled with global warming and post-pandemic health and financial anxieties, has led researchers and policymakers to call for a better understanding of the links between simple consumer lifestyles and well-being. 

But study co-author, Professor Rob Aitken, says this isn’t a case of just throwing out all your worldly possessions. 

“It’s not directly the commitment to material simplicity that leads to well-being, but the psychological and emotional need for fulfilment 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,” Aitken states. 

You can find out more about the research here.