Media and the Kadazandusun People’s Way of Life

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the inclination of belief about the ways of living among Kadazandusun people – whether leaning towards spirituality or materialism. Nowadays humanity are greatly consumed with the idea that happiness would only be achieved when someone accumulate huge worldly possessions and wealth. Obsession to acquire and accrue a great deal of material possessions to gratify people’s needs, wants and desires has been said to be promoted by the mass media. Therefore, apart from exploring the choice of living styles, this study also examines the role that media might have in propagating materialistic values among the Kadazandusuns in Sabah.  The outcomes of study show that Kadazandusun people are yet to indulge into extreme materialistic lifestyles, instead they are generally inclined quite strongly towards religious way of life. This study also found out that TV viewing appears to cultivate spiritual values instead of materialism.

Keywords: Advertising, Kadazandusuns, Spirituality and Materialism