If you can change what you want (downshift) then you can gain freedom (from the almighty $). I actually do not want a car (and I am not just telling myself that), I do not want to live in a nicer apartment (well, maybe a little). What I do want is to do what I want, I have made many major decisions based on that principal, unfortunately neglecting other factors. I learned programming because I had an idea that I thought would allow me to be my own boss, I went to grad school because it allowed more freedom than work, I learned another language b/c I thought I could move to that country and retire earlier, etc. etc. If I could go back in time I'd probably not do any of that shit, at least not the way I did. Sometimes I wish I were better at conforming, or at least wonder if I would be happier.
Depending on the context, this might mean changing whether you want food, a roof over your head, not to be in jail, not to have someone else dragging your family members off to prison for saying the wrong thing..
And some philosophies are completely OK with this. Attachment is the root of all suffering, etc. Me, I'm pretty attached to not being hungry or cold or injured, and to nothing bad happening to my friends and family, and I think that's healthy.
