and feel less inhibited to spend their money on unproductive gratification

Ah, consumption...

I have a proposal, instead of spending money in gratification what about converting "money" to time. You see, work less in order to have more time for friends, family, yourself...

Of course, less consumption would lead to "less required work" which, in the way our societies are organized, would lead to unemployment and thus to stern unhappiness to a big chunk of the population.

Of course, if there was less pressure to accumulate wealth then "less required work" would only be a good thing, it would increase free time for all.

Of course, for many people in this planet, there is still a stern need to earn more as they cannot make basic ends meet. But that is probably caused again by the same problem (extreme desires of wealth accumulation and consumption).

It seems that a good game of chess with our sweet grand father on a cousy Friday afternoon is surely less interesting than buying the latest branded t-shirt for that premium price.

But I digress...

Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness - Bertrand Russell