I do think our consumerist/industrialist/who-dies-with-the-most-toys-wins society is very damaging to the psychy. however, running off emotion is pure bullshit. Not to mention we don't live in a society of no emotion, we live in a society where emotional (temporary) fullfullment is dependant on constant stimulation and materialistic conditioning. This is why I pratice buddhism, which teaches to identify and liberate oneselves from environmental and instinctive conditioning, which fools you into believing the mental drives that tell you "You need this! you have to have this!" which are clouding you from seeing the true self.