Sunday evening, my Korean student told me, "I have been busy cleaning to get ready for the arrival of my in-laws. We have so much stuff that I have to decide what to keep, throw away, or donate. It is a really hard decision."
Her words reminded me of a Chinese saying I heard recently: 已饥方食，未饱先止 (yǐ jī fāng shí, wèi bǎo xiān zhǐ), which means "eat only when feeling hungry, stop before feeling full." This advice on moderation in eating can also apply to our accumulation of material possessions.
Both situations—having too much stuff and overeating—highlight a common problem in modern society: overconsumption. We often accumulate excessive material possessions and consume more food than we need, leading to cluttered homes, financial strain, and health problems.
The problem of overeating, driven by the availability of processed foods and high-calorie options, made worse by a lack of self-control, has led to an obesity epidemic in many societies. I think of one of my relatives in Beijing, who, after indulging in rich foods for decades, now suffers from diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, and has had strokes. Many of my younger relatives already struggle with their weight problem and 3-high (b/p, cholesterol and glucose).
Similarly, consumerism encourages people to buy and accumulate more than necessary, creating physical and mental clutter. This culture of excess places a morbid focus on material wealth over personal well-being.
In the long run, this overconsumption is unsustainable environmentally. Just imagine the waste, pollution, and resource depletion resulting from our overconsumption!
The advice of eating only when hungry and stopping before full represents ancient wisdom about moderation and mindful consumption. It encourages people to develop healthy habits and avoid excess.
If people embraced this advice, many modern health problems could hopefully be mitigated and our planet would enjoy a better stewardship than what it does now.