Artikel: Materialism and nature connectedness: an assessment of the relationship to well-being (2022)

The assumption that economic prosperity, material achievements, and well-being increase with consumption has long been a common assumption. For both philosophers and psychological researchers, the path to well-being has long been conceptualized in two ways: the hedonic perspective and the eudaimonic perspective. Individuals who experience both subjective and psychological well-being can be described as flourishing. However, achieving well-being is not possible if the environment is not functioning well. Whether we want to admit it or not, we humans are dependent on nature. With that in mind, it would be useful to explore what it means to feel connected to nature and why it can contribute to well-being. Gaining an understanding that the accomplishment of well-being does not necessarily depends on material attainment and that it is more closely linked to a better relationship with nature could provide compelling evidence that the need for unlimited economic growth may not be as vital. Additionally, it might help us instead to realize that it is more important to focus on other things, like taking care of our environment.

Pablo Barriga hat Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen an der Military School of Engineering in La Paz – Bolivien studiert. Er ist Ende 2012 nach Deutschland gezogen, um einen MBA an der Universität Leipzig zu machen und dann am Lehrstuhl für Marketing an der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät zu arbeiten. An eben dieser Fakultät hat er 2021 seine Promotion abgeschlossen und arbeitet nun seit Oktober letzten Jahres beim Kompetenzzentrum für Klein- und Mittelunternehmen Förderung und Training auch an der Universität Leipzig.

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