Relationships, Consumption & the Good Life

What does it mean to live well?

We are often told that a good life is something we can buy: better products, better experiences, better homes, better holidays, better versions of ourselves. At the same time, many of the things that seem to matter most — friendship, love, family, belonging, trust, care, community — cannot simply be purchased.

In this Bacchus Marsh Philosophy Club session, we’ll ask:

What role should consumption play in a good life?

Together, we’ll explore questions such as:

• Can buying things genuinely make life better?

• Do we consume partly to show who we are?

• Are relationships weakened or strengthened by consumer culture?

• What do love, friendship and community give us that consumption cannot?

• Is “the good life” mainly about comfort, freedom, meaning, pleasure, responsibility — or something else?

As always, no prior knowledge of philosophy is needed. The session will be friendly, structured, and discussion-based. We are not here to win the argument — we are here to explore the question together.

Come along if you enjoy good questions, thoughtful conversation, and hearing how other people see the world.