You don 't need the iPhone 14

You don’t need the iPhone 14 (or 15, 16, and 17 either)

by : Muhammad Mikhail bin Taufiq

ou walk into the Machines store, eyeing that glistening screen, with its sleek matte cover and its new Dynamic Island. This is the 7th iPhone you've had in 10 years. To desire the same product, with the same design and nearly the same functions year after year, is perfectly normal. That lust for more, that desire to own more things, you feel it when you walk into a store, when you see advertising before your YouTube video and when you walk on the streets window shopping. So let me ask you, after all those purchases, consumption and receipts, are you happy? Science and common sense say otherwise. This engine of consumerism lies at the heart of many capitalist economies, and it's about time we ask, is this the only option we have? Before going to the larger scheme of things, let's talk about this on an individual level.

Compare the joy between a significant achievement in your life and buying a product say, winning a competition versus buying a new TV. It's obvious that the former achievement is a far more vibrant, apparent memory because you had to put in the effort to achieve it, leading it to be more meaningful. Consuming new products is a form of instant gratification. It doesn't Y require work, and happiness boost. doesn’t last long, you get an inst However, it compared to ant delayed gratification. It's achievements that require weeks, months and years of work, culminating in a burst of joy and fulfillment. That is what it means to accomplish something and it's those very accomplishments that will define you. To be addicted to buying is to imprison yourself in a jail of manufactured contentment, and we must ask ourselves, isn’t it time to break out? Furthermore, recognize that simply making more stuff isn't adding any benefit to our well-being. The questions then become what to produce instead of how much to produce. This concept is rooted in economics to boot, with prominent economist John Galbrait Keynes

having encouraged the transition from a private consumption economy into a public investment one.

To illustrate this idea, a comparison of Bhutan against the United States can be made, certainly a case of David against Goliath. Bhutan, a tiny nation perched on the ridges of the Himalayas, is the only country to use a Gross National Happiness Index in place of the more conventional Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

illustration of Bhutan's geography

This is because the Bhutanese economy is centered on ensuring all citizens receive basic necessities and education, rather than the gross amassment of wealth. This is of course a contrast against the titan, the American economy, where billionaires are legion yet the poor and marginalized still suffer. Despite holding 40% of the total wealth in the world, the United States still lags in many key indicators of development and quality of life, including healthcare, education, and welfare. Upon realizing that mindlessproduction and consumption are the problems, we need a plan to move forward. Returning to a public investment economy, Gailbraith, an emphasis on developing the needs of the general populace rather than private consumption may do us better. This does not necessarily entail wholesale socialism with public ownership of virtually all goods. Rather, it's more of a Scandinavian model, with private firms given room to prosper while the government works to ensure the needs of the people are met. Hence, a change in mindset may be necessary as well, in order to motivate us to work towards greater happiness instead of just short-term gratification. It is evident that improving our well-being alongside increasing economic capability should be our renewed goal.

Considering that many states have reached a level of wealth or affluence far beyond what is required for subsistence, it's high time that those very states ensure said wealth is being put to good use. Changing from a society hellbent on material goods towards one aimed at long-term happiness would be a revolution in how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. And for you and that iPhone 14? Maybe you didn't need it after all.