Materialism in the United Arab Emirates

Materialism according to the Cambridge dictionary is defined as “the belief that having money and
possessions is the most important thing in life”.According to a pioneer study conducted by Zayed
University’s marketing and communication and media professor, Daimen Arthur and Claire Sherman and
2 students from the university Noora Alhameli and Salama AlMarzooqi in 2017 which examined the
effect of materialism in the UAE, found that it made the society more competitive, narcissistic,
judgemental and less accepting. They also found that it also increased family problems, delayed marriage,
increased debt, reduced saving but was used as a tool to increase self confidence and esteem. All of us,
whether we are nationals or residents, all live in the same country and society and are all affected by its
influences including materialism. In regards to materialism and its effects, I will look into the effects that
I believe impact us the most including living in a society which is more judgemental, the increase in
personal debt and the delay in marriage. First I will discuss living in a society which is more judgemental.

One of the effects of materialism on society is that it has made it more judgemental. Living in a
judgemental society can make a person feel excluded and unhappy. According to a study conducted by
psychologists Hallgeir Sjstad, Andreas Massive and Roy Bauseister and also urban planning professor
Ming Zhang in 2019 looking at the effects of social exclusion on happiness found that it reduced
happiness. The UAE society excluding both its nationals and residences makes them both unhappy. The
exclusion of UAE nationals can also cause them to lose their identity. The exclusion of residences of the
UAE can make them feel uncomfortable and leave the country. If this happens on a large scale it can
cause the economy to collapse because residents make up a large proportion of the society and are integral
in sustenance of the economy. If people are excluded this can affect their life satisfaction negatively.
According to a study conducted expert in center of disease control and prevention, Tara Strine, Lina
Ballux and David Moriarty, Doctor in social psychology, Daniel Chapman and professor of population
health Ali Mokdad in a 2008 study examining the link between life satisfaction and health related quality
of life found a positive correlation between both. People with low life satisfaction had worse physical
health, sleep sufficiency and more pain. In the case of the UAE this will mean an increase in health
problems for all people which will decrease their expected life expectancy and increase public spending.
To sum up, a judgemental society excludes people which decreases their happiness, makes nationals lose
their identity, makes residents feel uncomfortable, decreases life satisfaction, increases health problems,
reduces life expectancy and increases spending on healthcare. Materialism also has additional effects.
Another effect of materialism is that it increases a person's personal debt. An increase in debts affect a
person's physical and mental health. When a person takes out debts this affects their physical health
negatively. According to a study conducted by Doctors sociology, psychology, anthropology and
occupational health, Elizabeth sweet, Arijit Nandi, Emma Adam and Thomas Mcdade which looked into
the correlation between debt and hypertension and strokes and found a positive cooleration. Hypertension
according to the Mayo clinic (2019, November 19) affects all parts of a person's body including their
heart, brain, kidney and eyes. This affects a person's health and ability to work. If the individual is unable
to work, another member of the family must. This can create family burdens and if this is the case for
many people can affect society as whole. Debt can also impact not only people's physical health but their
mental health as well. A person who has debt can have mental health issues. Debt can increase a person's
stress can cause them to have anxiety. A study conducted in 2000 by Doctor in sociology Patricia Drentea
which looked into the ties between debt and anxiety found that increased overall debt was positively
correlated with anxiety. Anxiety is a mental disorder of persistent long term worry and fear which one
experiences in everyday life. Anxiety is considered to be a disability which can affect a person's
productivity. If a person's productivity decreases in the workplace , less work is produced, company
performance decreases and ultimately economic growth as well. To summarize materialism affects both a
person's physical and mental health. It affects their physical health by putting them at risk of developing
hypertension and strokes and their mental health by making them anxious. In Addition to materialism
causing increase in personal debt. It also causes a delay in marriage.

Materialism causes a person to increase their spending and decrease their savings, disabling that to get
married because they are unable to meet financial needs for marriage. Delay in marriage can cause a
decrease in life satisfaction and marital difficulties later on. Delay in marriage can decrease both a man
and woman's life satisfaction. According to a study conducted in 2011 by program development
specialist, Joshua Doerner, Doctors in psychology, Joel Nadler and Meghan Lowery which looked into the
effects of delaying marriage on job and life satisfaction for both women and men found that a delay in
marriage causes lower life satisfaction for both genders. Delay in marriage not only causes lower life
satisfaction but also causes marital difficulties later on especially when it comes to child bearing. Women
fertility is known to decrease with age. Delay in child bearing according to a study conducted by
professors in epidemiology Zena Stein and Merveyen Suser in 2000 child bearing at an older age can
cause death of unborn baby and sometimes complete infertility. This issue specially can cause marital
problems. To summarize, materialism can delay marriage which lowers their life satisfaction and causes
marital problems later on, especially when it comes to childbearing.
To summarize the effects of materialism are as follows: the creation of a judgemental society, increase in
personal debt and delay in marriage. The increase in the judgement of UAE society causes people to feel
excluded which decreases their happiness, makes them lose their identity, causes them to leave the
country, decreases life satisfaction and reduces overall health. The increase in a person's personal debt
impacts their physical health in that it puts them at risk of developing hypertension and stock and their
mental health by making them susceptible to developing anxiety. Delay in a person's marriage can
decrease both a man and womens life satisfaction and increase marital problems later as a result of
difficulty in conceiving. Materialism is a societal challenge we will all have to face collectively and we
will all be part of the solution !