Necessities, Comforts And Luxuries: Differences And Changes Over Time

Contrary to what many may believe, necessities, comforts, and luxuries are not the same.

Necessities are needs, whereas comforts and luxuries are wants. What we need is not necessarily the same as what we may want and visa versa.

For example, everyone needs water to survive, but some may want or prefer soda. Soda is not a necessity to survival but water is. In fact, drinking soda alone without water will harm the body when consumed over long periods. Water purifies the body, whereas soda can cause complications with the kidneys and other body organs. Focusing on the differences between necessities, comforts, and luxuries, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the differences of each and how each has changed over time.

Over time, necessities have evolved into advanced luxuries. Fifty years ago, families were content with having what it takes to survive. However, through the advancement of technology and various time-saving tools, hard work has been replaced with comforts and luxuries (e.g. television, computers, microwave ovens, self-propelled vacuum cleaners, etc.). Society places a label on hard work as unconventional. The days of working for what one has and being satisfied with what it takes to make a home are considered archaic or unconventional.  In fact, the role of women as homemakers has been replaced with the subconscious “career-minded” individual mentality. Women who choose (and are happy) staying at home, rearing children and being a wife are viewed in a negative light.

Furthermore, society often places invisible labels that give the impression that women who chose to stay home versus entering the workforce do so because of their inability to do anything else with their lives. This is far from true. In a world that views necessities as less than honorable, comforts and luxuries are taking precedence over tradition. In fact, they are becoming the tradition and anything less is not “normal.”