premise: In all these strivings , so many of them well - intentioned , our crippling handicap has been our lack of humility . We had lacked perspective to see that character - building and spiritual values had to come first , and that material satisfactions were not the purpose of living . Quite characteristically , we had gone all out in confusing the ends with the means . Instead of regarding the satisfaction of our material desires as the means by which we could live and function as human beings , we had taken these satisfactions to be the final end and aim of life . What will happen if we continue to pursue our material desires ?
hypothesis: We will lose track of our humanity and our good nature and remain caught up in materialism