Sapients are different from other sentient beings in that they express and know themselves through not just interacting with the physical world but also through culture with other individuals. To deny them that is to deny them the foundation of their being.
Creating policies that are based on election cycles and pandering to both populist and corporate sentiments has created myopic policies benefiting the few at the expense of the many, and a few generations of human beings over all that will come after.
Materialism can spur hoarding, which creates false senses of fulfillment and happiness. Corporations profit from commercialism's impact, and CEOs and CFOs profit from the spending mentality of the masses. Living simple and reducing clutter can free the mind.