I think the old adage of "all good things in moderation," is probably appropriate here. Like most things in life, a healthy balance tends to be the best approach. Obviously excessive materialism is not healthy. It's hard to deny that. Nonetheless, is the opposite approach any better?
I wholeheartedly agree that people who live above their means are both remarkably stupid and, in many cases, wastes of life. At the same time, a small amount of 'financial envy' is a good thing. Think about it. You're at the office -- it's 7:00pm -- and you are debating whether to invest another hour in the presentation you have to give to the CFO tomorrow. What motivates you to keep going? Job security? Maybe. Personal Pride? Perhaps. Future success, and your prospects of upward mobility in the company? Probably. On a similar note, when you're thinking about buying a new car do you really want a Honda Civic sedan? Sure, it gets great mileage, has a solid warranty, and will be fairly reliably in the long run. But... it's a fucking Honda Civic sedan! That BMW 335i across the street is just so much more appealing! I believe that thought process is what allows us to justify the extra efforts we may otherwise forgo. It's that thought process that allows us to push ourselves toward greater financial gain. Sure, I don't need a BMW 335i, but I'd really rather be driving the 335i than a Civic. To that extent, a certain amount of financial envy and drive is healthy.
We all know at least a couple people in our lives who have are unmotivated in most respects -- they wear the same clothes they did 6 years ago, haven't taken a new job or promotion in the last 3 years, and are content watching the same Seinfeld reruns that were funny back in the late 90's. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being frugal, getting the most out of your clothes, or finding Seinfeld funny. However, I don't believe I would be content living a complacent life. I would not be content settling for a girlfriend I could objectively consider a 7. I would not be content accepting a job with no prospects of future advancement. I would not be content buying a Civic, knowing that I will never own a 335i. For those reasons, a certain amount of financial envy and drive is healthy.
All that being said, I'm not trying to rationalize the thought process behind the "30k-millionaires" we all know. I'm simply saying that there's nothing wrong with thinking about what could be if I reached a higher level of financial means. Trust me, I'm most comfortable in bars where I can hold an intelligent conversation without trying to shout over house music. I still own and wear polo shirts I bought in high school. I would also never enter a relationship with a woman -- regardless of how hot she was -- where the strength of our relationship was predicated upon my wealth. Nonetheless, I'd be a liar if I said I didn't care what other people thought about me. Call it vanity if you want, but I do want to be perceived as successful, and as long as the image I portray is not grossly out of line with the reality of my pay-checks, I don't think I'm living wrong.
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