Consumerism Essay

Consumerism Essay
The technological age of humanity is regarded as one of the most crucial aspects of the advancement of the human race. Breakthroughs in important
fields have without a doubt fortified the strength of our species; however, every action has a consequence. As the world becomes more intuitive about
the role humans have in society, the economy, and the environment, concerning the products and stuff they own, there has been a focus on the role of
consumerism. Throughout history, there has been a movement towards adding and consuming things as a status of wealth, happiness, and power. This
notion is associated with the terms consumption and consumerism. Consumerism describes the shift in American culture from a producer–oriented
society in the nineteenth century to a "consumerist" society in the twentieth century ("Consumerism"). Additionally, the concept of having a "standard
of living" emerged alongside the shift from societies living with limited money and resources to an era of sustained growth with a more consumer
based society. This notion of consumption and consumerism and the culture of constantly buying things to either fill voids in our lives or to show our
social and economic status has affected our world and environment as we know it. More specifically, consumerism has influenced the way we think and
affect the oceans. Therefore, the question we chose to address in our capstone project is: how have humans, as consumers, impacted the climate and the
earth's ecosystems
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

Consumer Consumption Essay
Are You What You Buy?
As a society we are embedded in a culture of consumption. Consumerism brings out a passion in people to have things, be it objects or services that
will make them feel better. This "passion" becomes a powerful force that makes people make some unwise decisions in their life. The money
consumers spend on these goods could be going to the ever–surmounting needs for health care, poverty help, or other things that would help the society
as a whole. This is why America is the prime example of a capitalistic consumer society and not a socialistic country. Peoplewant things for themselves
before anyone else. All cultures need consumerism to survive, because we need food, shelter, and clothing and the last time I checked...show more
content...
From my experience, and especially one I can remember from my childhood, playing on my middle schools basketball team where all of us
wanted to wear the exact same pair of black Air Jordan's with black Jordan socks. I had already bought some shoes but as soon as the season was
approaching and the new edition came out we were all obsessing with having them, especially since our best player on the team had just got a pair.
After a few days of constantly asking my parents gave in and I was ecstatic. My favorite part about getting new shoes was going to the store and
looking at all the shoes on the wall but knowing that I was getting the best and most expensive pair. "Kids can recognize logos by eighteen months,
and before reaching their second birthday, they're asking for products by brand name. By three and a half, experts say children start to believe that
brands communicate their personal qualitiesВ…"( W109R 43).The next day was great and although not everyone could afford the shoes everyone
who started that year did have the all black Air Jordan's and we looked great.
Consumption can also be looked at in the form of the store and how its design and the feelings their designs are meant to generate. At the top of the
store group are

Advertisement : Advertising And Consumerism
In today's society, there is a huge overlap between advertising and consumerism, which affects what people buy and where they buy it. Advertisements
are put out for the sole purpose of persuading people to buy certain products. Advertising agencies do this by shaping "product images and brand–name
identities" (Campbell Et Al. 322) to conform to the image a parent company wants the viewer to see. Advertisements are a valuable weapon because
they create brand identity, which in turn determines the success of a product and, therefore, it's company. There are many different mediums for
advertisements; however, this essay focuses on billboards as the primary advertising medium. Roadside billboards help bolster the notion of common
American ideologies through the use of photos and text. Consumerism has become a more universally accepted term since the turn of the 20th century
and the advertising boom in the early 1960s. Consumerism is "the belief that goods give meaning to individuals and their roles in society" (Cross 1).
When consumerism first became prevalent, it succeeded because it gave people a "sense of freedom" (Cross, 2). Before the start of mass production
there were limited products out on the market for people to choose from; however, when the industrial revolution hit and mass production started many
more products were introduced into the market. Before this, companies didn't have to worry about differentiating their products and the customer wasn't

Consumerism Essay
In the fourth era of the consumer movement, the key marketplace features include concern for the environment, increasingly complex technology, a
diverse market, and a global market. Concern for the environment has manifested itself in a number of different ways. One example is the Exxon
Valdez oil spill, which caused many consumers to become disappointed inExxon. Exxon has had to work at improving its environmental image after
this accident, and there are still individuals who will not buy gas at Exxon as a result of Exxon's handling of this situation. There has been a trend in
the past ten years or so to protect the environment and to also buy products that are more natural and environmentally sound. In our era, Fresh Fields, a
...show more content...
For example, genetic engineering has made it possible to buy produce that is bigger and lasts longer than non–engineered produce. Questions of safety
have been raised with respect to this practice, and some consumer groups have voiced concerns. Advanced technology has also made a business of
fertility problems, making fertility treatments a possibility, and the selling of human eggs has become a booming business. All this poses new
challenges and ethical dilemmas to the consumers of today.
Credit has become another key feature of the fourth era of the consumer movement. Direct marketing is widely used to target individuals who may
be eligible for credit, and these individuals are aggressively pursued. Credit abuses exist, including giving credit to students who are not in a
financial position to acquire such debt. In addition, companies exist that claim to be able to fix credit problems for a fee, and in fact, they do
nothing that consumers cannot do themselves, by writing the credit bureaus, for example. Claims that a company or agency can miraculously clean
up bad credit are simply false. The use of credit as a way to purchase goods and services has greatly altered the world in which we live, and has
changed the way that consumers operate in the business world.

Consumerism In America
Why the American culture of consumption is destructive to individuals and society.
Consumerism in America has been at an all time high for years now. Consumerism refers to the consumption of goods and services at an
ever–increasing rate. It is one of the many things that America is know for. Our economy is judged by how much people spend, and if it is high then
our economy must be well off (Shukla 1). This ideology is purely materialistic and pushes people towards higher consumption than is needed. It
transforms others into overly materialistic people who cannot distinguish the difference between wants and needs, and negatively affects those around
them including the environment because of the glorification of material wealth. It is highlighted that in a year an American consumes 275 pounds of
meat, 635 pounds of paper, energy equivalent to 7.8 metric tons of oil, while 45 years ago, it was once the consumption of 197 pounds of meat, 366
pounds of paper, and energy equivalent to 5.5 metric tons of oil (Goodwin, et al 1). These numbers have nearly doubled within 45 years. That is not to
mention the fact that there is a car for every two Americans. Over consumption is very real, and resources are constantly being burned through.
However, consumerism is enjoyed by America, and there are many other countries who wish to consume as we do. David Masci said,"Indeed, more
than two–thirds of America's $8 trillion economy is tied to the selling and buying of goods (1003)."

Essay on Consumerism
If you want to know if all of our holidays have been turned into consumer driven shopping orgies, the answer lies in the major department stores.
Take a walk through Macy's or Lord or Taylor or any major store in Oct. and notice the Christmas decorations. That's right, Christmas decorations.
`Tis the season to break the bank. Our capitalistic society is always looking for a reason for driving consumerism and what better reason than a
holiday! If there's a month without one, we'll make one up...just so we have some reason to put some useless piece of crap on sale. What ever
happened to all the traditional values that are at the core of all or most of these holidays? Do we as a society even remember?
Since it's the holiday...show more content...
"The annual celebration of the American consumer economy– the holiday shopping season– is just underway..." (The New York Times/12/7/03/ Is
Wal–Mart Good for America?) The article is talking about the most popular shopping day of the season, Black Friday; the day after Thanksgiving. I
must admit, I participate in the day of over indulgence. Every year, my mother, aunt, cousin, and I wake up at 5am and head off to the malls of New
Jersey (to avoid the tax) and get as many good deals as possible.
While Christmas may be the main shopping holiday, there are many other holidays that have been commercialized. Valentine's Day is Russell
Stover's goldmine. I mean, come on, nothing says "I love you" like a big box of fat. Then there's Halloween. This is another money making holiday
for the candy companies. But also for whatever company makes those paper thin costumes that we dress our children up in to go wander the streets at
night for candy. Thanksgiving is a perfect holiday to actually get in touch with your family over a delightful dinner. If your family is like mine, it
usually ends up to be eating too much and fighting even more. There's also the Macy's Day parade to welcome in the official start of the shopping
season. Let's not forget Easter; it's the spring version of Christmas. Another religious holiday, the resurrection of Christ, has been attached to a

Consumerism Vs Consumerism
Since the beginning of time, people have always been trading their goods with other people. This is somewhat similar to buying products at the stores
when "we" the consumers go shopping, we are trading in our money for their merchandise. Then the 1950's came along with the first credit card and
people have been buying products worldwide and have been demanding more and more ever since, developing the method buy now, pay later". Having
this in mind, you can see that American consumerism has been growing throughout the years. It might be that consumption has helped create a variety
of jobs in the world. What people aren't considering is the state they leave their environment in. The more consumerism grows the more the earth
suffers. The man has always wanted to "fix" the world to make it a better place, yet man is what is destroying this environment in many different types
of ways.
As a child, my uncle was always spending money on things that he didn't need. When I was 10, he began buying tv's, projectors and computers
and he would fix them and then sell them but not all of the products that he would purchase he would fix so he would just put them in the extra
room he had. A few years passed and the extra room became so crowded you weren't able to open the door to get in the room much less walk in it. As I
grew older he began buying more bigger things like cars, he would do the same thing fix them and sell them. He began to overspend on the cars and
his backyard is now

Consumerism: Childhood and Consumer Goods Essay
Consumerism is a very important aspect in the life of each and every individual. Everyday, people who live in developed countries are faced with
endless choices. These choices appear every where in advertisements through television and radio commercials, advertisements posted in public places,
magazines, etc. Consumerism takes form in these advertisements that makes us seem imperfect. Their goal is to make us buy products to satisfy
ourselves. Children are born into a world of consumerism, asking parents to buy them things just because they want it. Most of us are lured into
consumerism one way or another. Consumerism begins early in life; in fact, it begins when a child is born. When a child is brought into this world,
parents are...show more content...
If they receive a negative response, they start whining, crying, begging, etc. This is a response that consumerism wants children to have. Also,
family members play a big role in gender associating their children. Girls usually imitate their mothers when they are young, and boys imitate their
fathers. When you ask what they want to be when they grow up, girls tend to want to grow up like their mothers and boys like their fathers. As
children grow a little older and become teenagers, their main goal is to fit in. To fit in, you must dress, act, and like the same activities. Subgroups
are formed to differentiate different groups of people. Being popular isn't always the most important goal in a teenager's mind; it is making it
through high school without drama. Again, this stage in life is associated with consumerism. But, it is this stage where consumerism plays its biggest
role. The teenage years in life are an individual's most influential period. Also, somehow teenagers have a lot of money to spend on consumer
products. A reason why teenagers may be able to buy such expensive consumer goods is that they save money to obtain a prized possession which can
later on be a source of pride (Walsh, 1990).This is why themass media focuses consumer products on teenagers. For teenage girls, there is the constant
trying to look good to fit in. Since teenage girls follow Hollywood media almost every single

Consumerism Essay
CONSUMERISM ESSAY Whoever said money can't buy happiness? Today, the argument can be made that happiness and consumerism are directly
linked. It is fair to say that happiness is a relative term for different people. However, the obtaining of new and shiny things has become such a part of
everyday life, that it provides happiness when people are purchasing something new, and causes sadness when no buying is taking place. For many,
it seems to be a protective coating against the harsh realities of everyday stresses from a job, or family life. In fact, the buying frenzy of modern life
has become so prevalent, and people have collected so much material, that self storage facilities are becoming one of the most successful and...show
more content...
Admittedly, the priceless works of art, homes, helicopters and other things he buys are out of the reach of the average person. He has taken
consumerism to a new level, and has gained wide acclaim as a result of it. Gone are the days when the fastest runner, the best speller or the most
talented golfer were the icons of the culture. Today, those with the biggest and most expensive toys win, or so it seems. In the modern society, the
only time that talented athletes are revered is when they are seen in commercials using the latest cellular telephone or smiling on a box of sugar coated
cereal. There is much that can be said about happiness as an element of pop culture as it relates to consumerism. Within the dollar–driven world of
modern America, happiness is often measured by the size of the vehicle in one's driveway, or the memory that their I–Pod contains. Happiness is a
commodity that seems to be able to be bought as an accessory with every item that is piled into the home of people from coast to coast. The instant
gratification that comes with material possessions, and the fact that credit cards make instant gratification through ownership possible, makes the
pursuit of happiness essentially a financial transaction at the local mall. As people become more and more scattered due to work and family
commitments,

Consumerism And Consumerism
In the 1980s, health policy in many countries was strongly influenced by the promotion of consumerism as part of the market ideology (Marincowitz,
2004). The problem with consumerism was that it encouraged people to make demands, but failed to emphasise reciprocal responsibilities
(Marincowitz, 2004). Because of a growing awareness of this deficiency, partnership (mutuality) has largely replaced consumerism. This study
discusses how the contextual factors and the interactional features and the consumeristic power relationship linked each other and how it negatively
influence the therapeutic relationship. Consumerism offers more power to the patient to take decision according to the patient need (Williams and
Hariison 1999). This study identified the certain possible sociocultural factors that influence the patient's treatment decision while using the power of
consumerism and the interactional strategy that used by used by the patient to convey it to the therapist during their interaction. This study identified
that in Indian private healthcare context people's treatment selection or compliance is often influenced by their financial situation. This finding is
aligned with findings of Fochsen, Deshpandae and thorson (2006) study. According to the doctors working in Indian private sector, the patient attend in
Indian private sectors often requested to prescribe the treatment according to their financial situation (Fochsen, Deshpandae and thorson (2006). So, the
study

Impact Of Consumerism In The 20th Century
Mass Consumption in the 20th and 21rst Century
Americans in the 19th century had their own view on consumerism. The average American believed in the idea of having less is more. They believed
that purchasing the basic living items and essentials to live was all you needed. This view was in place because blue collar workers had smaller wage
jobs and they only had enough to purchase what they needed. Once the 20th century rolled around, the blueprint of consumerism changed. In the
roaring 20s, America developed movie and film. People started to purchase items like makeup and home items to look like the movie stars. People
went from purchasing only the necessities like food and clothing, to purchasing extravagant items like makeup, movie tickets, high end fashion items,
and extravagant home dГ©cor. People started to buy more things because the idea of less is more was dead and the idea of more is better was in
place. In the beginning of the 20th century, Americans believed that what you buy determines where you fall on the socioeconomic class. When
actually it did the opposite. The articles we read actually show how the 20th century consumerism blended the blue–collar family and the middle class
together. The articles More is Better by Shelby Nickels, Architecture of the Space Age by Matt Novak, and Authenticity in America by Joshua
Freedman all address the changes and development of mass consumption in the United States by showing how economic states blended with
consumerism,

Consumerism In Modern Society
Modern Society and Consumerism. Consumerism has became a part of every aspect of modern life. Parts of our lives that were not altered by
consumerism, now have to conform with this phenomenon that has taken control. Consumerism is a reality that has always happened in developed
nations, in which people purchase goods and services that they do not need. Nevertheless, with the Industrial Revolution the way the economy
worked changed completely. An incredible amount of resources was now available to a wide range of the population. With the Industrial
Revolution also came the capitalism. The capitalism was a new form of economy that caused a rapid growth of middle classes in developed
societies (Webster). The population that was considered part of the middle class now had money to acquire not just basic needs for consumption but
also other other goods and services they wanted. To better understand the term "consumerism" we must first understand what it means and who it
affects. To consume signifies using something to satisfy one's own needs and desires. To be a consumer means purchasing goods and services for
personal use. As stated by Bauman, "consumed things cease to exist, literally or spiritually." They tend to be used in a physical way (by eating them
or or wearing them) or in a spiritual way (when something loses its personal value). Buying and owning things has became a huge necessity for people.
With the development of technology, the way we share information was

Importance Of Consumerism
Introduction
Importance of Consumerism or Consumer Movement The ancestries of consumerism can be traced back virtually as far as the beginning of commerce
and trade. In business activities, the consumer's concept is significant, and every attempt is made to promote consumer satisfaction (Rajagopalan,
2011). In reality, consumer may be exploited and cheated by unethical businessman as they are un–organized that lacking of knowledge to safeguard
their right (Rajagopalan, 2011). According to Philip Kotler and G. Amstrong, consumerism is defined that consists of the organized effects of citizens
and private, not–for–profit organizational to impose the rights and power, and also collective welfare of buyers in relation to seller (Rajagopalan,
2011). Consumerism also means that consumers are trying to unite together to protect their own interests. So that consumer organizational could
provide and organize efforts to fight against unfair marketing practice and to achieve consumer protection when purchasing goods and services (Chand,
2015). This is a democratic action for self–protecting and also a collective effort done by consumers to safeguard their own rights to against their
exploitation in this complex economic environment. These organized activities are also called consumer movement. Consumerism is...show more
content...
Halal products had been launched to care for particular customers' market like Islam in Malaysia. The uniqueness of Cadbury's packaging was the
purple colour that was recognized in 1905 and owned the trademark in 2003 (Heerey, 2006). Cadbury also active in charity events such as the
upcoming Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival 2016 events in New Zealand run and Cure Kids, Make A Wish, and Surf Lifesaving charities (Byres,

Consumerism: Good or Bad?
In today's society consumerism is often portrayed to be a negative aspect of people's lives and purchasing behaviors which inevitably leads to
materialism. Many of these viewpoints can be analyzed as being subjective in that they focus primarily on "frivolous" products and "debts" created, but
yet fail to acknowledge the processes of the concept of Consumerism. Consumerism is defined as, "The movement seeking to protect and inform
consumers by requiring such practices as honest packaging and marketing, product guarantees, and improved safety standards; and the theory that a
progressively greater consumption of goods is economically beneficial." (dictionary.com). The definition of consumerism and the image depicted by a
large majority...show more content...
Many innovations and successes of mankind can be credited to consumerism and the information given to consumers by requiring such practices as
honest packaging and marketing, product guarantees, and improved safety standards; and the theory that a progressively greater consumption of goods
is economically beneficial by consumerism. Consumerism benefits the environment through several approaches. Marketing for recycling over the past
decade has increased with the awareness of environmental issues being spread globally. Consumerism has also pushed marketers to use other tactics of
honest advertising which are more environmentally efficient such as using the internet instead of printing magazines and newspapers. With society
utilizing technological advances in computers and the internet, these methods of marketing have been proven to be just as effective as traditional
methods and much more environmental friendly. Personal health and hygiene can be accredited to consumerism as well as environmental issues.
Toothpaste commercials are commonly scene through television advertisements. These advertisements are honest and promote a good personal
hygiene. The "Got Milk?" commercials aid in self well–ness and bone preservation globally. Worldwide the environment, personal health, and hygiene
are improving with the continuous growth of consumerism. "The middle class in America has never had so much disposable income,"

Consumer Culture Essay
"What is consumer culture?"
In the late 19th, early 20th century a new phenomenon arose. Along with the development of industrial advances and urbanization of the emerging
American culture was the growth and subsequent domination of the "consumer culture". Consumer culture is a term that goes hand and hand with the
American way of life today, but in those days it was a new and unique experience. Along with the development of the mail order catalog, advertising
became a focal point of American mass media. Advertising can be traced back as early as Franklin's "Philadelphia Gazette". After the turn of the
century hand bills were given in the streets listing goods and services that many merchants could provide, and the New York Sun...show more content...
The sign above the early amusement park at Brandywine Springs offered this advice: "Let All Who Enter Here Leave Care Behind." This is a pretty
slick analogy for the consumer culture, forget you worries and your work week buy things, buy fun...buy, buy, and buy. If you won't, don't worry
your wife will. The middle class house wife found release in shopping trips, and with the rise of affordable and luxurious items, coupled with a
decent, stable middle class allowed the women of the day to focus some of their energy of the fancy items for homes for wear and for leisure.
When the Industrial Age seized America, and the shifting of the all work and no play work week to an 8 hour day, it offered those from rural areas
a glimpse at life off the farm. This led to even more migrant workers moving into the cities. Without the surge of population would the consumer
culture have been so dominant? Would the middle class have grown so dramatically if industrial products didn't boom and consumer attitudes didn't
capture the nation? The middle class had the desire to be as beautiful and elegant as the elite upper class Americans. Once the standardization of the
work week, and the explosion of mass production with moderate consumer costs became a reality these things were possible for the everyman. The
every family now had places to go for a vacation or luxurious trip to an amusement park, or an event. The mass production, as well as mass
consumption was heavily reliant

The Effects Of Consumerism
"Consumerism comes from the verb consume, which is rooted in the Latin word consumere, meaning to use up or to waste. The noun consumerism
also refers to a movement that promotes the interests of consumers – that is, people who purchase goods, use them, and then buy more – especially the
protection of these consumers from things like fraud or price gouging" ("Consumerism"). Consumerism has changed over the thousands of years that
people have been living. Some people believe that consumerism is great where it helps stimulate the economy, but other people see it as an evil force
because it hurts people and makes them care less about their self and the world around them. I can agree with the people that says it is good for the
economy; however, I have seen for myself that consumerism hurts people on different levels that other factors can not compete with. I believe that
excessive consumerism is...show more content...
It often makes people think that they have to have the newest items, but an experiment taken on by Alex Martin proves different. Alex Martin is a
resident from Seattle who decided to wear the same dress for a year in a way to protest against consumerism in the fashion industry (Holt 2). In an
interview that I have read from NBC Learn, she had mentioned that she had seen that people did not really notice that she had the same dress on
every time they saw each other. She said, " We're all so concerned on about our own lives– what we're wearing and our work and our families– we don't
keep a mental tally of what people are wearing" (Holt 2). I can see her point of view from this angle and I say that I would have to agree with Alex
one hundred percent. From previous experiences, I have seen people wear the same thing multiple days in a row, but my colleges have not noticed and
tend to believe that they are wearing something new everyday. This is not the mentality people need to have on a day to day

Definition Essay On Consumerism
The Ultimate Vice It has become too easy, everyday low prices, any size soda for a buck, ten for ten, five dollar foot long, sixty percent off the
entire store, thirty percent off when approved for a credit card; inevitably, the bank is bone dry. The power is off, the house is cold, and the Sheriff
is knocking on the door with a lovely writ of possession, ready to seize the occupied land. Consumerism can be just as attractive to society as drugs
are to an addict, but consumerism is the easiest way to blow away money, savings, and destroy any financial security. Just exactly, how much does one
dollar cost? In 2013 the average U.S. household spent $6,202 on groceries, with the federal minimum wage set to $7.25 an hour, this alone equates to
roughly...show more content...
The consumer has made another year successfully living paycheck to paycheck, no savings, no financial security, and more junk that triples its
storage occupancy every year. So what to do? If the consumer has not yet made it to become a full fledged hoarder, who is imagining falsified
meaning and value upon garbage, then the obvious choice is to make more room for money shredding objects by throwing the older objects away.
Being as it is, most of these objects are going to made out of plastics or other non–biodegradable materials to be left on the side of highways, or the
edges of a shore. A few decades back, consumer addiction was something that truly only affected those who could afford it. Those who had the
televisions to view the ads and the money to live near cities with shopping centers, but the contrast being, it used to be seen as a simple splurge.
Currently that isn't the case, when everyone within society has to be connected. Subliminal ads through social media, or total and complete spoiling
children with a false sense of value. Consumer addiction has begun to plague the rest of the world, everybody suffers upon it, and it may be too late to
stop it. Works

Essay on Effects on Consumerism
Consumerism is a description of society's lifestyle in which many people embrace to achieve their goals by acquiring goods that they clearly do not
need (Stearns, 7). The idea that the market is shaped by the choice of the consumers' needs and wants can be defined as a consumer sovereignty
(Goodwin, Nelson, Ackerman, Weisskopf, 2). This belief is based on the assumption that the consumer knows what it wants. Contrary to this logic,
marketers convince us that the consumer does not know what they want. The consumer has to be told what they want or be persuaded by advertising
items in a matter that demonstrates the reason a product makes their life easier or will improve their life instantly. As one of the most successful
entrepreneurs,...show more content...
Consumption, we describe as the act of meeting basic needs with material goods and the practice of consuming as a way of life is 'consumerism' (
Kennedy 173). The ideology that the meaning of life is found in buying things has really caused majority to spend almost their monthly salary on
goods and services in search of utility. This excessive recreational spending also plays a part in increase of inflation, also has made more money in
circulation. The world is the influenced by what they see and want to be there, where the low class wants to be like the middle class and the middle
class trying to look like the upper class. Today celebrities and people in upper class have influenced our sense of importance and needs, when it comes
to the aspect of picking commodities. Thus, many have resulted to high and unnecessary expending in order to imitate a particular social icon. It can
be ascertained that almost all average American adult being in debt might be as a result of overspending their need limit. This excessive and
unnecessary spending as a result to boost our economic status has led to some drastic tragic events. A Chinese man, Tao Hsiao, 38, on the 9th of
December 2013, jumped to his death in a shopping mall at China because the girlfriend would not stop shopping after several hours of shopping ( The
Washington Times). "He told her she already had enough shoes, more shoes that she

Consumerism And Consumerism
Americans are known for their overindulgence in everything: fancy cars, enormous houses, bountiful amounts of food, and ultramodern smartphones.
The common mindset of the average American is to want more and more. Many people no longer work for a sense of self–satisfaction, rather they
work to obtain an excessive amount of material goods to feel good about themselves and maintain their status in society. All of this exemplifies
consumerism. According to Merriam Webster, consumerism is defined as "the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically
desirable; also : a preoccupation with and inclination toward the buying of consumer goods." It has persuaded American society into believing that
more is better, which has...show more content...
Because of this, it is much easier for consumers to purchase something and therefore obtain more and more. Credit cards also contribute to this
obtainment. Originally, credit cards were only owned by the wealthiest consumers. Now, anyone can access a credit card if he or she desires. The
credit card allows for the consumer to buy an incredible amount of things, and they typically do. Why is there this mentality of extreme
consumerism? It is because of the inherent urge for status in society. People attempt to consume more than their neighbor to appear better and
increase their status. In "The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American," James Baldwin states "it seems inevitable, in any case, that a man may
become uneasy as to just what his status is" (Baldwin). Americans become restless and uneasy if they feel that their status is lower than someone
else's, and this drives them to consume more. Additionally, in "Why the Americans are so Restless," Alexis de Tocqueville asserts, "he [an American]
is so hasty in grasping at all within his reach that one would suppose he was constantly afraid of not living long enough to enjoy them... but soon
loosens his grasp to pursue fresh gratifications" (Tocqueville). Americans can never settle; they must always be working to achieve more. This can
have both positive and negative effects

Consumerism Essay

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Custom Papers Texas A&M University-Kingsville

More from Custom Papers Texas A&M University-Kingsville (8)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Consumerism Essay