...Consumerism in America Our economy is based off of consumerism and therefore we have been persuaded by our culture to believe purchasing entities will make us happy. We are trapped in the idea that the more we consume the happier we will become. Many Americans are waking up from this disillusionment through their realization that happiness is not derived from stuff but from a positive perspective on the coexistence of people and experiences. Material possessions on their own do not make people happy. Alex Honnold, a free soloist who lives a simple life devoted only to climbing, insists that what makes people happy is their concentration on community, family and their own tight nit little web. Family and friend groups are ultimately where people find the most satisfaction because there they feel they belong and are accepted. Yet simple experiences such as eating at a dinner table with family are becoming more and more rare. Instead, family members are often focused on their iPhones, laptops or eat completely removed from the table in front of a television. These material objects that are believed to make a person happy instead inhibit the simplest of enjoyable experiences like a family dinner. Outside the family, young people are not experiencing the happiness that is the present moment and the people in front of them. They are constantly connected with everyone they know through services like facebook and texting which offer quick jolts of shallow happiness but remove people...
Words: 916 - Pages: 4
...As people, we all have become materialistic in this modern society. We are competing with each other. People buy useless things because they see others or they wish something. In the article “Spent: America After Consumerism” the author, Amitai Etzioni, discusses two problems: consumerism and capitalism, which is causing an economic crisis. Etzioni explains how consumerism has become a social disease, where people are spending money on useless things to acquire higher lifestyle to fit in the society. He also suggests solutions, to control consumerism by following communitarianism or transcendental pursuit. However, many people feel that consumerism is part of life. They feel as if they acquire more materialistic objects or money it will bring happiness in their life. I do agree with the author that consumerism has become a social disease and people will do anything to acquire vain desires. At first, I have seen many people working extra-long hours to acquire their desires without thinking how restless life can affect them physically and mentally....
Words: 1118 - Pages: 5
...The Boondocks -vs- Consumerism Consumerism is normally something that Americans associate with our economy or large corporations, but it has definitely gone beyond just these two concepts. In today’s society, consumerism has managed to spread to movies, songs, advertisements, and more importantly to television shows. Consumerism has been defined by Dictionary.com as, “a modern movement for the protection of the consumer against useless, inferior, or dangerous products, misleading advertising, and unfair pricing.” Aaron McGruder’s, episode of the animated Cartoon Network show, The Boondocks “The Block is Hot,” is about how a heat wave comes to the town of Woodcrest in the middle of the winter. A neighborhood girl named Jazmin starts a lemonade stand, which is bought by a businessman, Mr. Wuncler. Meanwhile, 10-year old political activist, Huey, stands on a soap box and talks about violations of human rights issues. Through these features, one can see how consumerism plays a role in this television show. Because this episode has the distinctive features most animated television shows have, of addressing real issues by exaggerating them, having recurring characters that the audience is familiar with and having a conflict or problem that is usually solved by the end of the episode, it demonstrates how consumerism isn’t just associated with our economy or large corporations. In, “The Block is Hot,” Aaron McGruder displays a distinctive feature that most animated television shows...
Words: 2015 - Pages: 9
...Consumerisms Effect Consumerisms Effect Consumerism is defined as, “the theory that an increasing consumption to goods is economically desirable; also: a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods” (“Consumerism,” n.d.). With this said, is consumerism healthy for anyone who is involved? From American cultures birth after the revolutionary war, this society has relished the flattery of consumerism. The search for wealth, material goods, and happiness has no boundaries in this society. Although some positive influences exist within consumerisms definition, a darker side to this phenomenon cannot be over looked. Consumerism reflects many negative human attributes and its increase is adversely affecting American culture, societal equalities, and the environment. Consumerism, in all its forms, has been around since the earliest times of American culture. From the earliest time of America, directly after the Revolutionary War, this attitude of need and want for material good and what was considered the best was very evident. One would think that during a life altering divide of nations the concept of consumerism would stop between them, but during this time, Americans still sought British goods. A high perceived value and thought pattern that these goods were of superior quality allowed these items to become a status symbol for early Americans. George Washington, weeks after signing a peace treaty with Britain, ordered a large...
Words: 2146 - Pages: 9
...Consumerism and the Impact of Social Class “People in a consumer society consume to improve their quality of life; there are costs associated with this practice (financial, time, ecological, societal and human) for the individual and the collective” (McGregor). Associated in this piece is the concentration in the belief of consumerism’s affect on the societal structure in terms of the social class standards, between lower, middle, and upper class sections. The dependent variable is consumerism; the rise in spending and its involvement and impact in the economy and social standards of today’s society. Independent variable is the focus of socioeconomic status and social class; concerning the idea that wealth allows greater amounts of consuming, however the lower class strives for similar status in the material and nonmaterial goods. Factors that provide consumerism in society and the economy are the buying of consumer goods, which has expanded in recent decades to national and global lengths. Consumerism is said to be the reason that the U.S. had turned citizens into shoppers, making Americans less free to the economy and the market. Globalization; the process of goods and services over national boundaries, is a rising factor, due to the buying, selling and networking of products globally. Countries like the U.S. China have benefitted by the globalization, but also have impacted their society and culture, from the influence of cultural differences, negatively and positively...
Words: 1768 - Pages: 8
...developing countries. I. Introduction II. Definition of consumerism III. Consumerism in the First World A. Consumerism in the USA B. Consumerism in European countries IV. The spreading of consumerism in the developing countries A. Consumerism in China B. Consumerism in India C. Consumerism in South America V. Cause and effect of the expending consumerism in the world A. Cause B. Effect VI. Conclusion A hundred years ago, Napoleon said that China is a lion which fell asleep. This may, or may not, be true. If Napoleon was right, is this lion still asleep or is it waking up? If you walk in Akihabara, the most famous place for digital product shopping in Japan, you can see many Chinese signs and hear Chinese announcements all day. Chinese are buying expensive products all over the world today. In only a few years, China has mastered the art of production and the purchasing of that production. It has taken the wisdom in regards to markets and consumption, which has taken advanced countries several decades to build up. Similar phenomenona happens in not only China but also many other developing countries. In contrast to the gradual development of Western societies, some developing countries have gone from poverty to gluttony in a few decades. Within several generations, people's concerns have gone from basic survival to a love of more material and luxuries. Consumerism has been the main value in the USA from the 19th century and...
Words: 2837 - Pages: 12
...A social and force in the changing roles of women was consumerism which took off in the 1920’s and continued to have an impact on women until the 60’s/70’s, which to a small extent gave women an increased sense of independence, through working and self-expression. Industrialisation and the growth of cities laid the platform for mass consumerism in America, by the 1920s, the development of downtown department stores gave accessibility to a vast array of new goods and cities became the centre of cultural change. Mass entertainment was also popular with amusement parks, dance halls and movie theatres resulting in a new visibility of women in the public sphere. The department and chain stores created accessibility to an array of new goods. Women...
Words: 803 - Pages: 4
...highlights materialist consumerism and the lack of morality in teenage behaviour. It enables us to closely examine society’s flaws as well as how these flaws influence teenagers to act in such shameful manner. Heckerling ridicules the concept of materialist consumerism by using black humour and satirically depicting characters such as Cher in a shallow light. This provokes the responder to criticise society’s obsession with materialism. Thus, the film exposes the negative impacts of fashion labels on teenagers’ views on status and self-image. Moreover, Heckerling criticises our disconnection from human values and represents this stereotypically continuously. Throughout the film, we are aware that it is what they own and how they wear that count, not who they are. This social commentary directs us to the superficiality and the absence of ethics of teenagers because of the materialism and consumerism they embrace. Society’s fascination with materialist consumerism drives individuals to self-indulge excessively. Heckerling ridicules the flamboyant lifestyle people seem to lead today and the heavy influence of commercialism. The issue is raised from the beginning of the film where we are introduced to Cher’s life through a series of montages and non-diegetic sound where we observe Cher talking about how their lives look like a ‘Noxema commercial’ but in reality is ‘way normal.’ This indicates the stereotypical teenage life in America and satirises the materialist consumerism of the ostentatious...
Words: 738 - Pages: 3
...CONSUMERISM Consumerism is the idea that personal happiness can be obtained through consumption, the purchase of goods and services. One of the phrases supporting consumerism is "Money can buy happiness." The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen or, more recently by a movement called Enoughism. Veblen's subject of examination, the newly emergent middle class arising at the turn of the twentieth century, comes to full fruition by the end of the twentieth century through the process of globalization. In economics, consumerism refers to economic policies placing emphasis on consumption. In an abstract sense, it is the belief that the free choice of consumers should dictate the economic structure of a society (cf. Producerism, especially in the British sense of the term). | History | | Consumerism has strong links with the Western world, but is in fact an international phenomenon. People purchasing goods and consuming materials in excess of their basic needs is as old as the first civilizations (see Ancient Egypt, Babylon and Ancient Rome, for example). A great turn in consumerism arrived just before the Industrial Revolution. While before the norm had been the scarcity of resources, The Industrial Revolution created an unusual situation: for the first time in history products were available in outstanding quantities, at outstandingly low prices, being thus available to virtually everyone. And so began the era of mass consumption...
Words: 1810 - Pages: 8
...Consumerism History of Consumerism Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the purchase of goods and services in an elevated amount. Consumerism as an ideology first appeared in Western Europe roughly three hundred years ago. It gave a rise in consumer’s need and importance to the display of material items. It promoted economic progress, a rise in small shops, an increase in the growth of cities, and an incline in individualism. A shift in the market hit right before the Industrial Revolution. Capitalist development and the industrial revolution focused on infrastructure and production and manipulation of fossil fuels. In 1919 consumerism began to sweep over the American population when General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) was established. The General Motors Acceptance Corporation mission was to issue loans to customers who had purchased a vehicle. Americans started the notion of “Keeping up with the joneses” which is the idea that Americans compare themselves to their neighbors, defining each stance in socio-cultural inferiority. With this new need for status with possessions was thought to be the beginning of the American consumer culture. Soon after The Great Depression and World War broke out. When the war-ceased consumers went wild, credit cards issued first for convince took off quickly to show status through the products each individual had. Consumerism gathered strength in the United States through internal trade growing, expansion...
Words: 3287 - Pages: 14
...The Onset of Consumerism on our Youth through Massive Advertising By June 16, 2014 ENGL 101 – B17 LUO Professor Sholes Associates of Arts – Religion Turabian Format Philippians 4:19 reads “but my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. Twenty different translations of this text and not once does it mention God supplying wants. Yet, advertisements teach the youth of America today that they should have all of their wants, not just needs. Advertising agencies, through massive and expensive efforts, have infused the idea of ultra-consumerism into the lives of American youth as evidenced by the priorities and ideals exemplified by children at young ages and as adults. Companies have recognized the deep influence of advertising on young Americans as evidenced by their massive amounts of money and effort spent on targeting children. It is not hard to imagine that companies would see children as a true market for their products. In fact, children under eighteen years old being considered consumers is a widely accepted viewpoint. Even as far back as 1958, an American youth, a teenager in particular, was being referred to as a “merchandising frontier.” In 1998, advertising agencies spent $2 billion specifically towards children in order to promote their products. This formidable amount of funding translates to a significant amount of influential ad time. The astounding 40,000 commercials a child views in a year make up approximately...
Words: 1815 - Pages: 8
...Introduction The role of hyper-consumerism on culture as a source of control and power relations has been discussed by a variety of scholarly voices. Among the most prominent is Michel Foucault, who described the various ways that consumer markets circumscribe public spaces, placing important distinctions between class members. In particular, Foucault discusses heterotopia – the public space which carries both physical and psychological gravity. For Foucault, public spaces are characterized by existing without truly existing. The heterotopia serves as a metaphor for a larger context while having the appearance and characteristics of other everyday spaces. Tyndall takes this notion a step further by developing social rules that are attached to consumer places, such as malls and shopping districts (Tyndall, 2009). This version of consumer-driven rules – culled from qualitative research and personal interviews – depicts a new notion of public-ness that is less egalitarian than ever before. It is a version of public space that is not entirely open to the public. Baker adds to this perspective by historicizing the commercialization of public space, dating the use widespread use of public space for advertising purposes to before the dawn of the 20th century (Baker, 2007). This argument inextricably links the notion of “culture” with “consumerism”, and sets the stage for the potential for access to public spaces to be consumed, or purchased. Finally, Klingle underscores this...
Words: 1702 - Pages: 7
...Two Heads of Consumerism Consumerism is define as the preoccupations of society, but two different authors take this universal definition and creates two vastly different articles. Although, both authors agree that consumerism is a form of a cycle or “paradox.”( Your Lifestyle) However, a notable difference in one article, “Your Life Style Has Already Been Designed”, is the way the author presents his evidence through his own personal experience. This author makes an effort in referencing himself through his own experiences with consumerism. In the beginning of this article he mentions his new job, but realizes how easy it was for him to make unnecessary spending, “I’ve been markedly more careless with my money.” (Your Lifestyle) This author also mentions the psychological aspect of how marketing is done at a very young age to Americans, which this stays with us...
Words: 499 - Pages: 2
...Consumerism Term 3, Lecture 1 Now, consumerism is more widespread than before. Before- What you produce determines who you are and how people look at you Now- Consumption= what is consumed, when it is consumed and how much, determines who you are and how people look at you 2. The roots of consumerism Began towards the end of the 18th century Sugar, tea, coffee- consumerist products With these consumerist products, came the associated pieces (cups, coffee cups, saucers, coffee shops) Consumerism= caused by increased prosperity. As people earn more, they consume more. Social, political and economic revolutions changed people- from this comes consumerism Consumerism becomes feminized- focuses on what goes on in the homes. Which is a woman’s job After consumerism (18th century), women are seen as more beautiful. Before, men were seen more beautiful. Thus women buy more to make themselves more beautiful. Men started to go shopping, as a fun activity. This was not the case before consumerism came along. 3. The growth on consumerism Uneven geographically- consumerism more in urban areas than rural areas a) changes in retailing(shops) changes in retailing boosts consumerism = department stores advertisement boosts consumerism = first in America Peasant societies don’t produce consumerism Changes in media boosts consumerism= radio Kleptomania= compulsion to steal...
Words: 811 - Pages: 4
...Freedom Fries and Other Stupidity We’ll Have to Explain to Our Grandchildren (2006), is directed by filmmaker Carl Christman (2006) in which he takes a comedic viewpoint on American patriotism and consumerism. Christman’s (2006) main intent for this documentary expresses his opinions and thoughts in effect to how Americans react to France deciding not to assist the United States with the war against Iraq. These reactions include American protests, the decision to change the names of certain foods (i.e. French Fries was changed to Freedom Fries) made by the Republican U.S. Representatives, and other voluntary actions that indicate dissatisfaction with France. He utilizes many rhetorical tactics and strategies for the purpose of dissuading American...
Words: 1575 - Pages: 7
