Material needs are an integral part of all living beings. Except human being, all other forms of life have subsisted with whatever Mother Nature has provided and are, blissfully, content at that level of existence.

Human being, on the contrary, intrinsically tuned as it may be by the very Mother Nature, for the purpose of learning and evolving, has never been content at any particular level of existence. What we call greed and avarice has been the driving force, all along. Perhaps, this is Mother Nature’s endowment to keep us engaged, continuously, towards discovering the real meaning of life.

It was only when greed or avarice of individuals started clashing that the need arose at community level to exercise discipline and restraint for the sake of peaceful coexistence.

Hence, a life driven by extended material needs started getting defined as Materialism and the need for discipline as Morality.

Soon it came to be realised that Materialism is nothing but gratification and aggrandisement of sensual wants (desires) and not, necessarily, a requirement of basic needs, as such.

Now, it is also a fact that, in worldly domain, Materialism will have to coexist, in some sort of controlled form, with social & spiritual needs for the sake of peace among the various sections of the society. Thence, arises the need for balancing the three aspects, viz., material, social and spiritual. Such a balanced equation is, absolutely, necessary for a responsible living.

Morality, lies in controlling the material needs and enriching the social as well as spiritual provinces, making them evident in our day-to-day lives.

If left uncontrolled, Materialism could eat into the very roots of our social & spiritual fibre, wreaking havoc and causing degeneration of community life, as a whole.

Signs of degeneration are already evident by “virtue “of the rampant Consumerism which is nothing but a derivative of Materialism. When needs multiply for the sake of, only, material comforts, sensual desires as also glamour, the space for social & spiritual aspects in life is bound to shrink, unbalancing the aforesaid equation. This fact is quite well evidenced in the “I-Me-Myself” attitude, amounting to individualised or self-styled relationships at all levels of the present social life. Even family and filial ties have not been spared by this trend which is solely driven by Materialism and Consumerism.

The time has come, when we have to take a break and think of a sustainable life based on minimal material needs, bereft of glamour & indulgent comforts, with special emphasis on social & spiritual aspects, thereby, placing Morality on a higher pedestal in all our thoughts and deeds. Future generations will thank us for such a legacy!