07-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Do We Really Need 30 Dolls?
Barbies for sale at FAO Schwarz in New York, April 8.
Photo: timothy a. clary/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Regarding Matthew Hennessey's op-ed 'Donald Trump's Two-Doll Problem' (May 6): Although I disagree with much of the president's economic policies, I agree that if we consumed less, we would be better off. Mr. Hennessey suggests we aren't 'too materialistic.' Yet from my vantage I see scores of people waiting in line to buy the latest phone; others who feel compelled to pick up the latest pair of sneakers; some who scroll social media and wonder how people snagged the newest $10,000 designer bag; and more yet who spend hours trying to secure reservations at the trendiest restaurants. Our appetites are never satisfied.
In the 2025 World Happiness Report, the U.S. scored 24th, its worst since the list began in 2012. Could it be that this is related to excess consumption and the emptiness that attends pursuing more goods? Ironically, a billionaire like Mr. Trump is helping make this clear.
