Materialism and Everyday Life

Materialism has reared its ugly head once again. Why is it so dominant that material gain is always the judgment the opposite sex makes in the possible prospects of relationships? Personally, I find it disturbing philosophically. I think of ideas, such as happiness, and how they effect our thinking. Or how about our actions? It is a far cry to say to someone that you love them and continually be pregnant with the ideology of materialism. I believe this has been another instance where I find pessimism once again in the world. There isn't a beautiful rose at the end of a road to smell. There are cars, houses, a waiter and platter of a "screw you, creepo" at the end of the line. If we begin to define the idea that we are all naturally selected in our beginnings, then we are going to end at that conclusion of everything, including marriage. This is what makes me all the more drawn to a Christian view of everything, marriage included. There are certain truths that go along with the view, being that we are chosen by Him. Before we can go on thinking about ourselves, we must first go on thinking about who we are, namely image bearers. If we bear the image of God, we should, therefore, exude all its characteristics. This, I believe, will give rise to objections but will nonetheless answer the most obvious contentions (mine). Calvin, in beginning his institutes, began with the idea of God: who he is, what he is, etc. In doing so he answered, inadvertently, the common objections to the notions of who man is.