Beyond the Shopping Spree Consumerism, Emptiness, and the Search for Meaning
The 1980s in the United States were a golden era of consumerism. Fueled by a booming economy, mass marketing, and the rise of credit cards, shopping became not just a necessity but a cultural event. Malls were packed. Catalogs arrived like clockwork. Families filled their homes and garages with televisions, gadgets, decor, exercise equipment, and more. The message was loud and clear: more stuff meant more happiness. If you could afford it, you deserved it. If you couldn’t, you put it on credit. The American Dream was no longer just about stability—it was about abundance.
But as the years passed, abundance became excess. Closets were overflowing, garages turned into storage units, and still, the craving for more didn’t go away. The thrill of acquiring dulled over time, replaced by a quiet exhaustion. Many people began to feel trapped by their possessions, burdened by the very things they thought would bring joy. Beneath the shiny surface of wealth and convenience, a subtle sadness took root—a sense that something essential had been lost along the way.
This growing emptiness wasn’t just personal; it was cultural. As a society, the United States began to question: What comes next? When we have everything we thought we wanted—what actually satisfies us? What entertains or excites us now that the novelty of “more” has worn off?
The Rise of Dubai
A New Chapter in Material Dreams
Half a world away, another story was unfolding. In just a few decades, Dubai transformed from a modest desert town into a dazzling metropolis. Skyscrapers pierced the sky, artificial islands reshaped the coastline, and luxury became the city’s identity. Shopping malls, gold markets, high-end restaurants, and designer brands—Dubai became the new playground for global wealth.
Much like the United States in the 1980s, Dubai’s rise was fueled by ambition, opportunity, and the belief that prosperity was best expressed through visibility—through the accumulation and display of status symbols. For many, Dubai offered a dream lifestyle: fast cars, high-rise apartments, and limitless shopping.
Yet as the city reached new heights of glamour and wealth, it too began to face the same quiet question: When the material dream is realized, what remains? What fills the emotional and spiritual void that often follows material success? The comparison with the United States in the 1980s becomes more than symbolic—it’s almost cyclical.
The Role of Religion in a Consumer World
This is where religion enters the conversation—not as a set of rules, but as a counterbalance to the culture of consumption. Across faiths, whether it be Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, or others, there’s a shared message: material wealth is temporary, and real fulfillment lies in something deeper.
Religion doesn’t necessarily reject wealth, but it warns against worshipping it. It teaches restraint, gratitude, community, and purpose. While consumer culture tells us to acquire more, religion often tells us to pause, to reflect, to give, and to look inward.
In places like Dubai, where Islamic teachings emphasize balance and generosity, there’s a built-in reminder that wealth should serve a greater good—not just personal luxury. In the United States, where many have turned away from traditional faith structures, the absence of a spiritual anchor has left some grasping for meaning in ever-evolving trends, technologies, and distractions.
But across both societies, the lesson is becoming clear: things alone don’t satisfy. When possessions become the main pursuit, disillusionment often follows. Religion, or any deep-rooted belief system, offers an alternative path—one that centers on identity, connection, morality, and legacy rather than accumulation.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We’re living in a moment where many people—whether in the United States, Dubai, or beyond—are re-evaluating what it means to live well. The fatigue of always wanting more has caught up with us. People are asking bigger questions: What gives life meaning? What makes me feel whole? What do I really need?
Entertainment, distraction, and consumption still dominate much of modern life, but beneath the surface, there’s a slow shift happening. Minimalism is on the rise. Conversations around mental health, mindfulness, purpose, and simplicity are becoming more mainstream. Spirituality is being rediscovered, sometimes outside traditional institutions, but often pointing back to timeless truths.
In a world overflowing with stuff, what we crave most is substance. Not just things to own, but something to believe in. Something that doesn’t lose its value over time.
The challenge, and opportunity, now lies in turning away from the noise of consumerism and toward something more enduring—a life led with intention, rooted in meaning, and connected to something beyond the material.
- Marianne Rothmann
- Cultural Communicator
