"Having too much kills desire" (Nadia Olivero)

Too much is bad, says an old Italian folk saying. Seneca already maintained that wealth does not consist in having more, but in wanting less. From the philosophical speculations of the Roman era to the studies of  Nadia Olivero, consumer psychologist and teacher of the University of Milan-Bicocca, several centuries have passed. But the theme remains highly relevant.

The more I possess, the happier I am . The short circuit begins with this false equation: possessing objects, with excessive accumulation, does not ensure happiness. Indeed, in the obsessive pursuit of something else, we risk becoming unhappy. And if there is no end to the acquisition of things, then happiness becomes unattainable.

Loss of identity . Hoarding is an attempt to build one's own identity, and this especially affects adolescents, the most susceptible to the lure of brands. To give themselves a face, precisely. But since consumption requires constantly creating new offerings, the risk is to constantly chase new objects, and never define an identity.

The end of desire . Desire always arises from a lack. If you feel like you have everything, then desire evaporates. It dies before it even comes to light. And with desire, creativity doesn't even mature.

The end of creativity . If lack breeds desire, it is desire that stimulates creativity. Discover, invent, progress, grow. An entire chain is broken by " having too much ," and a sense of frustration arises between the amount we possess and the little, or nothing, we dream of. Or even just imagine.

Psychology, through several studies , has explained the phenomenon of hedonic adaptation : after a material improvement or a desired acquisition, the initial pleasure tends to diminish and what was extraordinary becomes normal. In other words, our expectations rise along with our possessions.