ARE WANTS INSATIABLE?

One of the defining concepts in economics is that humans have "unlimited wants," and because there are only so many resources then wants will always exceed resources. With this definition economist then argue that there will always be scarcity and that human society can never have enough stuff. However there is evidence that desire to obtain unlimited material things may be a socialized trait rather than inborn. Anthropologists like Marshall Sahlins haveOne of the defining concepts in economics is that humans have "unlimited wants," and because there are only so many resources then wants will always exceed resources. With this definition economist then argue that there will always be scarcity and that human society can never have enough stuff. However there is evidence that desire to obtain unlimited material things may be a socialized trait rather than inborn. Anthropologists like Marshall Sahlins have written extensive studies about societies where material wants are very limited and in fact material possessions are a burden. Thorstein Veblen wrote in his bookThe Theory of the Leisure Classthat the desire for material possessions is actually a social construct based upon tying the need for social acceptance with private ownership of things. You may have heard of this concept when people talk about "keeping up with the Joneses."

What do you think? Are human wants insatiable? Or do we want more simply because we are taught to want more? Do we chase wealth because we want to be perceived as 'successful?' Could you imagine a differing society where success is not based upon material wealth? What might it look like?