Was Elvis materialistic???

[MissyM]

He like nice things thats for sure. But in some ways I don't think he was. He gave away so much to others. And I think he worked hard to take care of others as well. But all in all, I don't think he was what I'd call materialistic?

[utmom2008]

Good thread Missy! (y) No...I don't think he was materialistic. I think there is a huge difference in liking nice things, and actually being materialistic. He was generous to a fault...I think he enjoyed others taking pride in something very nice that otherwise they couldn't afford. A truly materialistic person thinks of themselves first and foremost, and at the end of the day has their priorities very confused. I think Elvis always knew what was important.....family, faith and friends. He simply loved having nice things, which is pretty well true of the majority of us.....;);)

[Lonniebealestreet]

Sure he was. It may in fact have been that "the best things in life are free" did apply in his case and that he did get considerable joy from giving, but a guy who chose to own all the things he did could not be considered unmaterialistic.

I'm not knocking it but it is what it is.

[utmom2008]

Sure he was. It may in fact have been that "the best things in life are free" did apply in his case and that he did get considerable joy from giving, but a guy who chose to own all the things he did could not be considered unmaterialistic.

I'm not knocking it but it is what it is.
Then I guess I would be considered materialistic as well..;) If I had the money I would have more than 1 nice car, a beautiful vacation home, lots of diamonds, etc.....:lol: Given a choice between a Ford or a Bentley??? I'll take the Bentley everytime...:D ;)

[Lonniebealestreet]

Well, let me expand on that. If you look at this definition...

a person who is markedly more concerned with material things than with spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.

...then no, I don't think he was so much that, but I do think that over time he came to lean more and more that way.

But if you look at this definition, which to me is the essence of materialism, without any qualifiers...

concerned with material things.

...then I'd say he was unquestionably so.

I suppose one could say that Elvis sought happiness through acquiring things and failed, and by virtue of those things not fulfilling him, he could not have been a materialist. He was bored and depressed and he didn't care much about saving his money so he spent -- not because he valued possessions above everything else but because he needed things to do.

OK, I could see some good logic there. It's just hard for me to think of someone owning such a wealth of extravagances as not being materialistic. Is it just me?

[MissyM]

See I think he liked some flashy things but when you think of it he could have had lived a considerably more indulgent lifestyle. As for his vacations, he just deserved the relaxation. And he didn't have to take all the guys either, just some. But he wanted them to have the fun and relaxation too. Given what he made and what he spent on himself, I still am going with the not materialisitic.

[PaulV.]

The very first thing that came to my mind when I went to Graceland back in 1992 was that this guy was really not materialistic!! I mean, sure Graceland is nice & everything but he could have owned a MUCH bigger house if he wanted to impress peolple & to me a materialistic person always wants to impress with his possessions. I may be wrong also.

[utmom2008]

The very first thing that came to my mind when I went to Graceland back in 1992 was that this guy was really not materialistic!! I mean, sure Graceland is nice & everything but he could have owned a MUCH bigger house if he wanted to impress peolple & to me a materialistic person always wants to impress with his possessions. I may be wrong also.

I think that makes a great point. Think of the celebrities nowdays and their lifestyles. How many homes does "Brangelina" own?? ;);)

[Burning_Love]

I think he liked stuff. Becuase he didn't have a lot when he was younger. No, he wasn't materialistic. He just liked to have stuff he never had. IMO.

[PaulV.]

I mean think about it,,this guy was one of the best paid actor of his time and probably one of the richest entertainer in the 70's and yet he owned very little at the time of his death! He gave a lot away but did not have much for himself in proportion of the money he was making! And that was struck me when I first visited Graceland. He did not seem to care about perfection or look other than if it did make him feel good, Graceland was just that! He felt good there and he did not seem to care that it was not a palace (like he could have afforded)!

[Lonniebealestreet]

He owned very little at the time of his death because of his reckless spending though; it wasn't like he made a concerted effort to just became some minimalist. And "very little" is relative but accurate when talking about his cash situation.

The fact that Graceland is not much of a mansion by today's standards does not mean the guy was simple. Of course he had homes in California as well, and they weren't all rented either.

That isn't the main factor in my considering him to be materialistic though, and there were practical reasons for him to have had homes in L.A.

I just think the guy was really into his material possessions. In fact, he was not above bragging about some of them or having a sense of competitiveness about owning things superior to those owned by this person or that.

[cameron]

He didn't seem materialist to me at all. Graceland was filled with his relatives and friends living there . Even mobile homes for some of them parked in back of the house.

Only thing I could see some might think of materialist would be the "toys" he bought to play with at different times. He gave jewelry away off his hand and cars he was driving, IMO, none of that "stuff" meant a thing to him.
To me; a materialist person buys things to just show off to others...but, no way would they "give it away." He reminded me of a kid in many ways. :P

[utmom2008]

Only thing I could see some might think of materialist would be the "toys" he bought to play with at different times. He gave jewelry away off his hand and cars he was driving, IMO, none of that "stuff" meant a thing to him.
To me; a materialist person buys things to just show off to others...but, no way would they "give it away." He reminded me of a kid in many ways. :P

These are some great points.....(y)

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Hell Yes, Elvis is one of the most materialistic people on the planet, just because I think this is the case does not mean that Elvis was a bad person!
Materialistic suggests a negative connotation which in Elvis' case is not deserved.

When you think of Elvis you think of flash cars, aeroplanes, big rings, Jumpsuits, guns & motor bikes... the list could go on for two pages I'm sure. Elvis was the first superstar of his kind and he bought some of the top of the range items money could buy! Other stars have just continued where Elvis left off.

Elvis lived and breathed a lifestyle that was decadent and extreme even from the perspective of over 30 years later. The fact that makes Elvis different is that he shared his wealth with not only his friends but complete strangers. It is some of these qualities that draw use to him like a moth to a flame, we want to share in that lifestyle and we do it through him.

[cameron]

I think materialistic means different things to different people. :hmm:
All in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

[Diane]

I say yes and no on this. I think Elvis was bowled over by how much money he suddenly had and bought all the "toys" (cars, motorcycles etc.) that he couldn't afford before but to be truly materialistic to me is someone who also hoards everything they accumulate which he didn't.

Diane

[utmom2008]

I think materialistic means different things to different people. :hmm:
All in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

I second that;););)

[JDD]

I'd say yes, because they have warehouses full of all the things he owned.
Seems like if he wanted something he bought it, but that he also wanted other
people he cared about to have things too so he'd buy them a lot of the same things. So yeah I do but a generous materialistic person. Really on every level he did things to excess, and like nobody else before or since. He spent big, gave away big, preformed big.

JD

[MissyM]

But do you think that Elvis, himself could have lived without these things?

[JDD]

Hi Missy, I'm sure he could because he did when he was young but he didn't which is why I'd answer yes. He clearly seemed to enjoy his toys.

JD

[suspicious_mind]

No. I wouldnt go as far as stereotyping him that way.
He came into alot of money and decided to spend it on nice things. That dosent make him "materialistic".
Materialistic people are usually those that only care about themselves. Put themselves and appearances first.
I didnt know Elvis personally, of course, but i think ive read enough and heard enough about him and his life to know that he wasnt one to be placed into that category. :king:

[Colonel7TCB]

Sure Elvis was materialistic and like the (much) money he so dearly earned from his work ! But never became GREEDY !!!
In fact, once he felt he had earned enough income to live a decent / wealthy lifestyle he started to GIVE MONEY AWAY to the needy and poor or disadvantaged people in life. There you have a perfect example of being a human being ! We loved him also for that.
Too bad there were so many people around him who took advantage of him and really didn't like him or appreciate his love for them. Parker was the worst of them all.

[ForeverTheKing]

I don't think so....or not more than a normal person.

Sure he loved buying things...he had passion for cars and clothes (as anyone else) but he bought a lot of stuff for his parents and friends, just because he was happy to give them what they desired. (y)

He had money and he could realize his wishes (we'd make the same)...but he was so generous...I think he gave more importance to spiritual things than material ones.

I can't think to materialism, in a negative acception, connected to Elvis. :nono:

This is my opinion... :P

[Burning_Love]

Materialism : The theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena.
The theory or attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life.


I don't believe Elvis is materialistic. He definately didn't see stuff as the highest value in life.

Hope this helps.

[graceland girl]

dont think he really was, as he could have moved to a much bigger house and bought houses all around the world to holiday in, not just in the usa.
think deep down he was still that country boy at heart
besides, he loved buying things for other people and seeing their joy, and lets not forget all the charities he supported:D

[franny]

Elvis liked nice things, but who doesn't :P but, he had the money to enjoy all that!

I don't think he was "materialistic" as far as thinking expensive things meant "everything" to him...family came first and everything else (cars, etc) was second...

franny

[KPM]

Hell Yes, Elvis is one of the most materialistic people on the planet, just because I think this is the case does not mean that Elvis was a bad person!
Materialistic suggests a negative connotation which in Elvis' case is not deserved.

When you think of Elvis you think of flash cars, aeroplanes, big rings, Jumpsuits, guns & motor bikes... the list could go on for two pages I'm sure. Elvis was the first superstar of his kind and he bought some of the top of the range items money could buy! Other stars have just continued where Elvis left off.

Elvis lived and breathed a lifestyle that was decadent and extreme even from the perspective of over 30 years later. The fact that makes Elvis different is that he shared his wealth with not only his friends but complete strangers. It is some of these qualities that draw use to him like a moth to a flame, we want to share in that lifestyle and we do it through him.
I think he was materialistic-but when he would take off a favorite ring and give it to someone-it shows that even though it was one he liked he could part with it easily. So even though he acquired many, many things and enjoyed doing so, I'm not sure the "individual items" meant that much to him.

[SweetCaroline]

He didn't seem materialist to me at all. Graceland was filled with his relatives and friends living there . Even mobile homes for some of them parked in back of the house.

Only thing I could see some might think of materialist would be the "toys" he bought to play with at different times. He gave jewelry away off his hand and cars he was driving, IMO, none of that "stuff" meant a thing to him.
To me; a materialist person buys things to just show off to others...but, no way would they "give it away." He reminded me of a kid in many ways. :P


I agree with you, Cameron. Elvis just seemed to get what he liked, or wanted to have fun with, or made him happy.:D IMO If he was materialistic he certainly could have spent on bigger and BETTER stuff than he did! The only thing I might call extraggavant was the Lisa Marie jet, but then I wouldn't really even call the plane that, since it was needed for his employment. I have read (not sure of the truth) that not even all his jewelry was real.

[ricardo b. prospero]

Hello MissyM, who do you supposed among us is not materialistic in our own way. Remember that this is a material world and the desire to get everything you want is a normal human virtue.

[utmom2008]

Hello MissyM, who do you supposed among us is not materialistic in our own way. Remember that this is a material world and the desire to get everything you want is a normal human virtue.
You are so right!;) As I said in an earlier post....if offered a new Ford, or a new Bentley..well, duh---I will take the Bentley everytime. And yes, we do live in a materialistic society. The kids want the $150 designer jeans, not the Wal-Mart jeans.....

[Dudcowboy_1]

Not sure how take this one. To me yes Elvis would buy tons of things in 70s but also on other hand in heartbeat if someone else need it more than him he would give it away. To me he understood what it was like come from not having anything to having anything he wanted. But he never forgot who got him there either.

So this topic could go many ways.

Love to all,

Tim Dudley

[LianaKaralivanou]

Elvis was coming from a poor family (a fact that he never forgot) and that means that when he finally became rich, he started spending for things that he couldn't afford in the past. That's completely normal. Who doesn't like beautiful, expensive things? But apart from that, a materialistic person isn't as generous as Elvis was because these kind of people are tremendously selfish. So, even if he was a materialistic person, that doesn't mean that he was in a bad way!...;)

[Albert]

I believe he was very materialistic. To have money, cars and other nice things were very important to him. But of course, that doesn't make him a bad person or selfish.

[e76]

No, he just liked cheesebugers and pepsis! LOL

[MissyM]

Ok, I'll concede that Elvis was materialistic to a degree. I guess that is how I should have put it. And yes we all are to a degree as well. It's human nature to want for nice things. (especially if we work hard) But maybe our degree of materialism can be weighed out literally in how much we spend on ourselves and how much we spend on others. To me Elvis gave as much as he spent on himself. Maybe it can also be measure in how extravegant we are in maintaing a certain lifestyle. And also where our priorities lie. I don't think considering his fame that Elvis put a high priority in maintaining his lifestyle for the purpose of image. Aside from clothes. He always loved nice clothes. And since he did put such a high priority on giving to and taking care of others, I'd say he maintained a good balance when it came to selfishness. All in all, on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give him about a 5 in the area of materialism.

[cameron]

Ok, I'll concede that Elvis was materialistic to a degree. I guess that is how I should have put it. And yes we all are to a degree as well. It's human nature to want for nice things. (especially if we work hard) But maybe our degree of materialism can be weighed out literally in how much we spend on ourselves and how much we spend on others. To me Elvis gave as much as he spent on himself. Maybe it can also be measure in how extravegant we are in maintaing a certain lifestyle. And also where our priorities lie. I don't think considering his fame that Elvis put a high priority in maintaining his lifestyle for the purpose of image. Aside from clothes. He always loved nice clothes. And since he did put such a high priority on giving to and taking care of others, I'd say he maintained a good balance when it came to selfishness. All in all, on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give him about a 5 in the area of materialism.

I agree, Missy. He worked for the money; he was entitled to spend it any way he wanted.
In no way did I ever consider Elvis materialistic. At least not in the way I understood this word from the dictionary . ;)

[presley31]

I agree, Missy. He worked for the money; he was entitled to spend it any way he wanted.
In no way did I ever consider Elvis materialistic. At least not in the way I understood this word from the dictionary . ;)

l agree cameron(y)(y)

[Joe Car]

Considering where he came from, I can see him buying the goodies or toys to reward himself for the fruits of his labor. That being said, and what made Elvis so awesome, was his unselfishness, his willingness to make others happy, especially since most of the people he hung around with, didn't have much money. It was always important that he gave these gifts himself, personally, which had to give him a ton of satisfaction. Materialistic, perhaps to a degree, but man he gave so much of what he had away, ( aside from what he spent on himself ) and continued to work to his last days so he could keep doing what he did.

[Albert]

materialistic is something completely different than being selfish. An extremely generous person can be very materialistic.

Elvis threw away a lot of his credit as an artist/performer/moviestar just to make more money and maintain his expensive lifestyle.

Having lots of cars, expensive jewelry, multiple houses, planes, his own range, etc etc makes him materialistic in my opinion. And I don't care if he worked hard for it, or if he would have get the money from the lotery. It even doesn't matter if he (thought that he) needed all the things to maintain the image.

Even insiders told on many occasions that Elvis loved to spent money. And loved to share (which, as I stated above, doesn't make him less materialistic, but does make him a fantastic person).

[MissyM]

Do you realize how many people he took care of during his lifetime. So amny. I think of how much more he could have had for himself. To me if a person is equally concerned for others as themselves, that are only a little materialistic.

[cameron]

Do you realize how many people he took care of during his lifetime. So amny. I think of how much more he could have had for himself. To me if a person is equally concerned for others as themselves, that are only a little materialistic.

It must mean different things to different people.
From the on--line dictionary I'd still say , no he wasn't.

materialistic
ma·te·ri·al·is·tic [ mə tree ə lístik ]
adjective
Definition: focusing on material things: concerned with material wealth and possessions at the expense of spiritual or intellectual values

[utmom2008]

It must mean different things to different people.
From the on--line dictionary I'd still say , no he wasn't.

materialistic
ma·te·ri·al·is·tic [ mə tree ə lístik ]
adjective
Definition: focusing on material things: concerned with material wealth and possessions at the expense of spiritual or intellectual values
I have to agree with you. From the interpretation I have always had with the word, I say NO.

[Lisarose]

Materialistic, yes. He worked hard for his money and he liked to shop.
He shopped for everyone, though. He was just as generous and he was materialistic. In this instance, I take materialistic as he wanted to own things, however he also wanted everyone else around him to have those same things. In the case of Elvis, being materialistic is a good thing, he just wanted everyone to be as happy as he was.

[Nicole Presley]

No, I don´t think so. I think that the most important things in his life weren´t materialistic. I mean things like love and family.

[Suzan]

I think he was and he wasn't.
He liked to have the "first" everything that came out. But on the other hand he was quick to give things away.
He once said to Janelle McComb that material things were just for the moment or something to that effect.

[Lisarose]

I agree, Suzan. He didn't buy the things for status or personal NEED. He just wanted them for fun & because he could, I repeat, he worked hard for his money. He could remember the times when he couldn't even have things he did need. What was it he would say? "I will never be too rich to forget what it was like to be poor"?

[Suzan]

I agree, Suzan. He didn't buy the things for status or personal NEED. He just wanted them for fun & because he could, I repeat, he worked hard for his money. He could remember the times when he couldn't even have things he did need. What was it he would say? "I will never be too rich to forget what it was like to be poor"?

(y)(y)
Exactly!

He was just as quick to give it away as he was to purchase it...I don't think material possessions meant anything to him....

Janelle said that he stood in Graceland's foyer and made a wide sweep of his arm and said that all of it was temporary.

Yes he could and he loved to share that w/those around him.

He worked very hard to attain what he did and ultimately paid for it w/his life....so if he wanted to spend every last cent and leave zilch, so be it...he had every right to do so...:)

[medleyofcostumes]

I think that everyone is a little bit materialistic, especially if you have loads of money all of a suddenly after living in almost poverty.

I tend to believe that Elvis used to be materialistic in a way as to substitute love and affection with money. For example, in various books one reads about EP having an argument with someone and instead of apologising, re-establishing a good relationship, he gave away rings, cars etc. instead of saying sorry. That is, IMO, one way of being materialistic.

[Fretsman]

I don't really agree with the definition of "materialistic", Liking high end materials doesn't mean you put it above all else in life, He loved his items and was one of the most giving people on the planet, hell he probably bought 10% of the Cadillac's in the '60's and gave the majority of them away, I recall a lot of feel good stories, One of them was when he was shopping for a car and someone was salivating over a car they couldn't afford and he went and bought it for them, Beautiful Man, He didn't place anything above his Mom & God, but he loved pricy items, nothing wrong there.

[cibetty]

I don't think he was materialistic, he was very interested in religion and supernatural things.

[elvislina]

I don´t know what I shall say, but he was kind to people and buy things to them and that was kind of him. Hugs Anna