Matthew Murphy, Campus Carrier Deputy News Editor
Though few would agree, materialism, according to Alexis de Tocqueville, is conquering the hearts of the American people. Money seems to be of the highest concerns in many decisions that people make in this day and age. People come into college with hopes and dreams of being a doctor, lawyer or successful businessman simply because that these careers often lead to the most amount of money. Simply put, it is easy to do this because of our fear of being uncomfortable, and not having “enough” drives us to do as much as we can to have that “enough.” “Enough” can begin with a three-bedroom house with two children and a white picket fence surrounding the property. However, the desire for “enough” is never satisfied, so what began as a hope for comfort can easily turn into the desire for luxury. By the time you realize it, “enough” has turned into the seven-story mansion on the hill with the Rolls Royce made out of solid gold – where the desire is completely the material aspects of life. With materialism, the soul is never truly satisfied (again, pointing to de Tocqueville). Meaning that one who lives one’s life in a materialistic fashion, carries along this burden deep within themselves, never knowing what true satisfaction looks like. Therefore, should one choose a major based on what would give them the most material gain? We are blessed here at Berry, to have a general education program, for it allows students to experience all kind of different subjects and educational experiences, subjects that one would not normally experience by the standards of a more technical or trade oriented education. It is within the general education, that one can find their true passions and enjoyments. I personally can speak to this matter. When I first came into Berry, I considered myself a scientist of sorts. All through high school I had done well in science, and I had the general notion that I enjoyed the subject. As I began my freshman year, I took several classes that were necessarily for my major, which was biology, and I did well in them. I had hopes of being the best doctor that one could be. However, as I sat in these classes, I did not find myself content. I was not allowed to speak my own thoughts, which is something I enjoyed doing. I began to realize within my first two semesters here that perhaps science was not the best major for me. I then took a government class (a class on de Tocqueville, Democracy and America, nonetheless), and I found myself fascinated. I knew soon after that class began that government was the major for me. Of course, this does not mean that science is bad and humanities and social sciences are good, for surely both are good if done with the right heart behind it. The point I am trying to make is that one should do what their heart is content with, not just their wallet, because that outlook on life will only lead one to despair. Material goods and money are not in themselves bad. Rather, the overwhelming desire for more and more goods that can destroy a soul’s happiness. There is more to life than money, and though it sounds extremely cliché, “money can’t buy happiness.” Choosing a major that you enjoy will make you enjoy your life so much more than just having a major because you know one day you’ll make a lot of money. I made the choice to major in something that I enjoy and I am happy in my decision. You will be happy if you do the same.