The High Price Of Materialism Analysis

The High Price Of Materialism Analysis
"Psychological Aspects of Consumerism" Kasey F
Materialism is a main focus in today's society. The average person is highly materialistic. Inside "The High Price of Materialism" written by Tim kasser
he found many psychological aspects connected to materialistic consumerism. Kasser associated that psychological aspects, such as the things people
view as valuable, characteristics and personal desires imply with materialism.
The average person has many psychological aspects that interest them in materialism. For example; The average person in today's society has a
job, to make a salary, to purchase certain items, to maintain a character for our daily live interactions with others. Everything that is bought has a
reasoning behind it because people believe it needs to be bought for a particular reason. There are millions of different beliefs. For example; A
person might believe an Iphone VIII is to be bought because it is the newest version, and also the priciest. Today's society has brought belief to
consumers that the more something costs the better it is. Another example of psychological connections with materialism is people in today's society
believe in appearance. The way we dress gives an impression of how we are morally. If we didn't have the...show more content...
I am influenced by other's thoughts just like everyone else. Much like Kasser mentioned how desires to feel safe, have relationships with others, or to
make the world a better place. I care how I dress and what my house looks like. This all materialistically connects to consumerism because to sustain
all personal desires I must consume the things needed to forgo my beliefs. Beliefs are not going to just disappear, people will always have beliefs. I
will never change my beliefs, but i could focus on my spending habits. I should consider if the items I would like to buy are necessities and it would
improve my
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Factors Of Materialism
Article 1: MATERIALISM: THE CONSTRUCT, MEASURES, ANTECEDENTS, AND CONSEQUENCES Definition: According to the authors,
materialism can be commonly defined as a belief that material objects are crucial and valuable. Materialistic person is one who values material
objects highly and from a sociological view, it is a culture which most people holds material as highly valuable subject. Nonetheless, the word has a
secondary meaning as it is an implicit and usually negative–value judgement to the degree where people who are described as being materialistic
commonly held to have a concern with only material things rather than important spiritual or intellectual fixation. However, the authors discussed the
articles openly with the possibility of having both positive and negative consequences. They also using the term that merely denote the degree to which
individuals or groups value material possessions. Measures: The authors mentioned and discussed numbers of approaches in terms of materialism
measures. Of these measures, those by Belk and Richins have been mainly stressed as it is claimed as the most widely used in marketing. In summary,
three measures of materialistic traits are possessiveness, non–generosity, and envy. Both researchers seem to...show more content...
Since there is no integrated theory of materialism, ideas about the causes of materialism may be derived from a wide variety of theoretical and ethical
perspectives. Generated as they are by different perspectives, the propositions laid down here are only loosely connected to each other and are, in some
cases, contradictory. For the innate materialism, they stated two factors which are Sex

How Materialism Affect American Families
Materialism can affect every living person on the planet, but it is more common in rich or well built up countries or nations it all started in the early
1900's and started the boom of the industrial age of materials and technology. And what had get created from the age of materialism is the disease of
Affluenza, which is a mental disorder that can have an effect on every person, no matter the age, race or creed, it is a disease that should be looked at
more carefully, instead of overlooking the problem.The modern plague of materialism effects American families in a very bad way, which is over
consumption of buying non amenities, instead of needs, which include basic clothes, food, healthcare and a mode of transportation. But the families
just buy...show more content...
IT breaks families apart because material objects can destroy everybody, mom, dad, brother, sister, it can bring about divorces and pain and destroy
childhood.The effects of materialism first came from the early turn of the century because of new inventions, and the industrial revolution. So the effects
of materialism goes back many years, so it is a little hard to reverse the effects of materialism.Over consumption is a harmful part of American
society, ''Even though American comprise only five percent of the world's population, in 1996 we used nearly a third of its resources and produced
almost half of its hazardous waste.'' Also ''The average North American consumes five times as much as an average Mexican, 10 times as the
Chinese, and 30 times as much as the people in India''.( citied: Affluenza diagnosis 1997 documentary).How it is straining our personal lives, because
of the new toys and technology that is out to the public, some of the toys and technology are cell phones, game systems, and toys like cars, shoes, and
designer clothes. But there are ways to combat the material strain on our personal restraint; saying no, and find an organization to join that works on
fixing

Materialistic Comfort In American Culture
Materialistic Comfort Throughout the years of American culture, there have been dominate patterns of values that have stood the test of time and are
still followed today. One value that stood out to me in particular is the comfort people gravitate to in materials. In the past century the focus of
happiness has switched from family oriented to possessive. While mental possession is still very prominent, American's gears have shifted to a more
competitive, greedy society. There's a materialistic dream that drives Americans to go to college and find a career that's going to buy them a fancy car
with a nice house that is bound to impress. Modern Americans are drawn to what is going to make them look more successful, so while memories and
spiritual

Materialism In America
Today millions of Americans who compulsively buy are creating a materialistic society. It is unfortunate that most Americans do not realize that when
they have to buy something that everybody has, or are eating out continuously they are losing money. Us Americans are shopping for things like
name brand items for the sake of our identity and the image we present to others. Name brand items are expensive, but you can almost always get the
same quality item for a cheaper price. People are deliberately working to make money to buy these items. On the other hand, downshifters are cutting
their work hours to put their values ahead of the amount of money they possess. Downshifters don't mind what item they buy, they prefer to bargain
shop, which allows

Research Paper On Materialistic Society
Our Materialistic Society
The term materialism is known as a philosophy, and also an issue in our society. By definition, "materialism is the theory or attitude that physical
well–being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life" (Khan). This means that our society has a tendency to
consider material items or money as more important than our spiritual values. Since youth, children have thought that having more stuff, or better stuff,
is happiness. Everyone always wants to buy the latest device, or the newest trends, when they don't really need it. According to DeAngelis, "Compared
with Americans in 1957, today we own twice as many cars per person, eat out twice as often and enjoy endless other commodities...show more content...
For example, you can avoid impulsive buying by waiting at least two weeks before buying something you think you want. That way, if you don't want
it anymore, you won't regret buying it (Meeks). You can also skip window shopping the next time you go to the mall or pass by a store; it's better not
to tempt yourself. In addition, instead of buying the newest things that come out, you can just wait until you need to replace them. If everyone just
tried to be less materialistic, we can make our society less focused on things and more on what truly

Topic 2 " Our society is overly materialistic. We center our lives on acquiring material things at the expense of such traditional values as family and
education."
I agree with the issue that our society is becoming too materialistic. People are involved into a commercial world and forget their responsibilities to this
society. The traditional value is taken place by materialistic culture. This is because that there is too much temptation to resist in this world, such as
luxurious cars, vacations and clothes of brand names.
Parents do not spend enough time with their children. Today's children get more and fancier toys to play. Parents buy these toys to please their children.
However, parents would not to sit down with the children...show more content...
Similarly, children's birthday consume too much. To celebrate a birthday party, the parents usually pay about $150.00 to a fun place such as
McDonald's, Chucky cheeses, or children's gym for a birthday party and spend at least $100 more for gifts, goodie bags and birthday cakes. When I
was a child, my family birthday tradition was that I should do some housework for my mom because I needed to remember this special day was
mother's suffering day. As the feedback, mom gave me an egg as the gift, which mean I was always her lovely baby. The traditional family value
taught us to express love, joy and gratitude. However, it is disregarded.
At last, today's marriage is getting involved into materialism as well. True love is changing to the relationship of money. People do not treat marriage
as serious as before. So many young girls are having sex with rich men. A young girl told me, "Marriage is my bridge to be the rich. Meanwhile, many
people do not want take the traditional family responsibilities because they are strongly influenced by materialism. For example, my cousin, a
42–year–old successful man, wound not marry one of his girlfriends. He said, "Family duties are too much. Comparing with spending too much
money of raising children, I prefer to enjoy single's life as spending money on luxurious things for myself." Family values become very poor in some
people's mind.
Given these facts, I conclude that our society is overly materialistic. The materialism

Materialism In Huck Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn puts great emphasis on corruption in a materialistic society, where many decisions are directly influenced by
economics. In fact, theft and trickery for the sake of economic gain are recurring elements in the novel. Furthermore, the novel exposes the prejudice
behind the economic institution of slavery. In some instances, greed is used for driving the plot, but more often than not it serves as an indictment of
19th century materialism. The first force that sparked the duo – Huck and Jim's – adventure was Pap. Pap's character may be the most obviously
antagonistic in the novel – he is an unreformable, abusive and lying racist. Likewise, his entire rant about the government centers around property,
reflecting his materialistic nature: "the law takes a man worth six thousand dollars ... and jams him into an old trap of a cabin like this" (Twain 26).
He also notes that the law is trying to take away his own son, which loses all sentimental quality when he says it's the son he's spent "all the expense
of raising" (Twain 26). Due to this cupidinous and grasping nature, he encroaches on Huck to take Injun Joe's treasure, which causes him to flee; Pap's
lust for money ironically propels Huck's adventure to begin in the first place. Similarly, Jim's situation also operated under economic circumstances; he
runs away upon realizing Miss Watson's intent of selling him to New Orleans. In fact, Jim understands her motive, saying "she didn' want to, but

Materialism vs Happiness in America Essay
Western society has an obsession. It is a dark and crippling fixation. Many people do not even realize the trap society has lured them into. The
procurement of material wealth has become an obsession in modern Western culture. The culture has become obsessed with acquiring vast amounts of
wealth and anything associated with "being wealthy". This need for material objects has intensified overtime. The progression of materialism in the
western world has caused a decrease in the happiness and overall well–being of the people that reside in the society.
Materialism as defined by Merriam–Webster dictionary is "a doctrine that the only or the highest values or objectives lie in material well–being and in
the furtherance of material...show more content...
Their desire for gold led them to a new world. Materialism can drive humans to do great things. However, there are times when it has driven human
beings toward the path of their own destruction.
There are not many noteworthy spans of history where human's materialistic have values diminished. When events that reduced materialism occurred
it was usually the result natural disasters or caused by human folly. One of the best examples human follies would be the Housing crash of 2008. The
main cause of the crash was the failure of the stock market; which is the perfect illustration of materialism. The quest to amass ever higher profits, led
to an unstable system that failed and brought millions of people down with it. Materialism, in this case, drove individuals onto a path that served good
only to a few, but harmed millions.
As long as humans have existed, there has been greed. It is only recently that scientist have realized the negative effects it has had on individuals. The
study of materialism has provided varied results. But the most intriguing views state that materialism is increasing and that it does have an effect on the
happiness and well–being of individuals. Studies have shown that materialism lead's to mental health problems, as well.
In modern times it scientist have shown that materialism is rising. Since the 1950's materialism had been on the rise. Richard

Materialism and Greed Essay
Materialism: Can it make you Happy?
Can Greed and Materialism lead to true happiness? "Greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works and greed will save the USA." (Wall Street) "Cause
we are living in a material world and I am a material girl" a theme in one of Madonna's most famous songs.
Greed and materialism stand in apposition to any manifestation of true happiness. People are under a false perception that money will solve all of their
problems and as a result bring them their utmost joy and happiness. Many psychologists, philosophers, and religious figures throughout the ages have
refuted this assertion. People in American society take money very seriously because it can either make or break your life choices. In order to fit in
...show more content...
We rely on money, if all the money in the world disappeared tomorrow the world, as we know it would collapse. Everything is connected to money in
some way. Everything essentially has a price tag on it if your pocket is fat enough. This is what makes money extremely appealing. But money shouldn't
be the driving force that motivates people to be successful and wealthy. People should be driven by pride, integrity, and happiness.
Materialism also is the standards that other people see that we think we have to live by. As Webster's Dictionary state, materialism is a theory that
physical matter is only fundamental reality. Americans are very materialistic, because our society is so materialistic, people can be hurt, and ashamed
of how they dress. Materialism in our society can also be costly. We are very concerned with different name brands such as Polo, Tommy, Ralph
Lauren, Guess, Baby Phat, Gucci, Nike, Adidas and the list goes on. We see the different stars on television, in movies, commercials, and magazines or
on stages. Whether they are actors, actress, singers, models we all look at the clothing they wear and think that this is what must be fashionable
acceptable in our society.
While money can clearly feed the best parts of the human experience, obviously, this is not always the case. Just what is it about this stuff that we call
"money"? In all appearances, we can't live with

Materialistic Perspective Research Paper
Kirstin Cox Religion can be found in a majority of cultures and society all across the world, and cultures have been following religions for thousands
of years. Although a religion may have started practice thousands of years ago, a religion may not even earn itself a certain label or name for the
religion. Buddhism, for example, did not gain the title of Buddhism until the nineteenth century. For a practice to be considered a religion, it must
include leaders, beliefs, rituals, symbols, myths, scriptures, ethics, spiritual practices, cultural components, historical traditions, or management
structures. However, not all of this religion behavior may occur in religious institutions, such as a church or monastery. If one can build...show more
content...
The possibility of deities or supernatural beings are not true in the materialistic world. They are only true in the mind of the human which created
these mythical beings or beliefs. One of the main arguments for this theory is the fact that religions can be found in nearly every culture, so humans
must have invented it if there are so many variations surrounding a common theme. Materialistic Perspective concludes that if religion were not man
made, then there would be no stark variations between the basis of religion in each culture or society. If religion were not man made, then each
culture or society would have the same beliefs as the other culture or society. This theory suggests that only the material world exists, and the
supernatural occurrences that are sometimes claimed to have happened by others are only invented by humans. Materialistic Perspective also focuses
around the belief that spiritual deities are only made to represent or objectify human qualities. Karl Marx, communist leader, suggests that religion is
only made to revolutionize society and combat exploitation, and humans may become "tools of oppression" if dedicated too much to religion. While
Karl Marx's ideas about Materialistic Perspective may be extreme, he is in agreeance that the foundations of religion are all based in the human

Materialism in Society Essay
It is human nature for people to desire material possessions. Our material yearnings are an attempt to satisfy are need to special and wanted. In a
world where most of society defines "socially acceptable" as the material possessions one owns such as, the latest clothing, the biggest house, or the
fastest car one comes to believe that you need all of these things to be viewed as a part of society. For many, work has taken over community life and
has had a major effect on happiness. Advertising has also become a primary determinant of our satisfaction, and is only a small part of a larger
materialistic culture in which we are not only enticed customers but also prominent consumers. We have been beguiled into believing that material
Some of the possessions I have show me for what I want to be, but not for who I really am. My cell phone, for instance, describes me in many ways.
It shows that I am very talkative, professional, can afford expensive phones and accessories, and that I like to stay in touch with family and friends. I
have come to rely heavily on my cell phone and I just recently up–graded from a Razor to the new Envy phone from Verizon. I got the up–grade even
though my razor was in perfect condition and barely a year–old. It still amazes me how I just had to have this phone. I saw the commercial advertizing
it as the latest and best phone out. It displayed all of the new features that came with the phone and the new billing plans that came exclusively with
this phone. I wanted to be one of the first to own it so I went that same day and paid an extremely high fee to up–grade my phone and my billing plan.
I was so happy that I bought a clear, plastic, hard shell case and the most expensive Bluetooth Verizon had.
However, my car on the other hand describes my adventurous and outgoing personality. I like to travel to different places and for people to see and
admire my car. I want people to view my car and wonder who is driving that. I want to be the guy that advertisers display, the one who gets the really
attractive model, the sex appeal, and the overall swagger. I have found that I am a showoff and I really don't like it.
Having come to college I

Materialism In American Culture Analysis
Materialism is the act of considering tangible possessions to be more important than other values in a person's life. Some believe that Americans are too
materialists but others argue that there is a more significant meaning behind a purchase. In a Conversation about materialism in the American culture,
Henry Thoreau, John Galbraith, Juliet Schor, and Wendell Berry defend the position that Americans are too materialistic while Phyllis Rose, Joan
Smith, and Virginia Postrel argue for the opposing position. After reading each of the author's articles, it can be concluded that there is some truth in
both arguments, but alone none are completely true. Superficially, Americans are materialistic. This is due to three different reasons and being...show
more content...
Our world has reached a period in which there is a constant cycle of new inventions and products being produced.Although that situation may not
be bad for some aspects of life, it is a very important factor that potentially determines our materialistic behavior. According to John Galbraith, our
society has been invaded by the "dependence effect". He states that "the process by which wants are satisfied is als the process by which wants are
created". Because we have access to so many options of new technology and new goods and services, buying one single thing just is not enough
anymore. A person may buy the newest smartphone available on the market, but in a couple month a newer, more advanced model has already come
out. Furthermore, while he makes the purchase of the phone a smartwatch could catch his eye. Although the phone is fulfilling the need of calling or
texting, the watch could fulfill the need to tell time. It should not be considered greedy if the person decides to purchase that "newer phone" in a
couple of month or the smartwatch with the phone, it is their choice to buy the newer products that has new features that could ultimately make life a
lot easier. However, that person's choice of purchase initiates the process of the dependence effect once more. Since that void of needing a cellphone
is out of the way, a new need or desire will surface in its

Materialism In 'I Saw, I Shopped'
Have you ever gone to the store and just had to buy that article of clothing or those sweet Nikes? How about when you're grocery shopping and
those donuts look too good not to buy? How long has it been since you last picked up your phone or other electronic device? That is materialism.
People can grow attached to objects and have a very hard time getting rid of things. This can become a serious issue when left unchecked and in
some rare cases can lead to a person's death. In the article "I came, I saw, I shopped" It says "...americans don't have savings..." This line says a lot
about how people tend to purchase wants more than needs. When deciding on whether or not to make a purchase unless you are struggling for money
the thought of need or want doesn't cross your mind. The article also states that collectors are in serious debt because the purchases these collectors
make are too big for their pockets. These examples are just the beginning, as materialism has been an issue for thousands of years....show more content...
The Egyptians believed that you could take things into the afterlife, and so burying your possessions was a tradition of sorts. King Tut however
took his materialism to a whole new level. The Pharaoh was buried with around 4000 items, including meats, furniture, and even his family. A more
fictional king from greek mythology, King Midas, Had an even greater form of materialism and greed. The story goes that King Midas was visited
by dionysus and because of his hospitality he was granted one wish. The greedy king wanted everything he touched to become gold. This miracle
soon turned to tragedy as he could no longer eat, drink, or embrace his loved ones. Greed is a form of materialism and it only brings harm to you and
those around you when you let it get out of

Materialism in Today's Society Essay
Materialism in Today's Society
Have you ever sat down and really thought about how much you value your possessions? Do you value your belongings more than you value friends,
family, love, or yourself? The truth is that obsession with possessions has become a way of life in today's society.
Materialism has been defined as the theory or doctrine that physical well–being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value
in life. (Heritage Dictionary, 3rd ed.) This means that we look to possessions to bring us happiness. We then use these possessions to make things and
people behave or respond the way we desire. We have become so successful at fabricating and manipulating the world that we have come to believe that
They often draw in the consumers with a catchy commercial that contains a celebrity or model sporting their brand. This is a sure bet way to get the
consumers? attention!
Materialism in Today?s Society 4
Many celebrities promote products without that intention. This is because young people who idolize these famous stars want to wear what they
wear.Therefore, this leads to free advertising for these corporations. One such group was the rap group Run–DMC. This group frequently wore the
Adidas brand. They liked the brand so much that they wrote a song called ?My Adidas.? (Klein 456).This song led Adidas to become a very
popular brand and people all over the United States started wearing the brand. Many people are brand ?hogs? and pursue what ever brand is in style.
If a celebrity is wearing a new brand, it can be assured that at least one person will mimic them.This is especially true when the aspect comes to teens.
Sharon Beder stated, ?In 2000 alone, teens spent $155 billion on things like clothing, CDs and makeup.? (Boston 2).
In fact, the younger population has become so infatuated with celebrities that they have begun getting plastic surgery to try to look like their favorite
celebrities. Two million young people had plastic surgery in 2003 alone (MTV, I Want a Famous Face).
Since 1997, there

Social Issues Of A Materialistic Society
1.We as individuals live in a very materialistic society. Some individuals buy material items because they think having material possessions gives them
a higher social status and makes them happier. In most cases, when individuals have materialistic items, they have a tendency to redirect their focus to
getting more stuff. Sadly, for some, the more they have the more they want to get. Possessions do not equalhappiness! In fact, there are a lot of social
issues in a capitalistic society that go hand–and–hand with a materialistic lifestyle. According to the research journal, Personality and Individual
Differences, "materialistic people find it more difficult to be grateful for what they have, which causes them to become miserable". For example,
those who are very materialistic have higher rates for suicide, nervous breakdowns, or mental illnesses compared to a person who is not (1).
Unfortunately, some individuals go through life with the mindset "without materialistic items I cannot thrive and become who I really am". Ultimately,
while incorporating Gerald M. Nosich's elements for critical thinking I will be using a wide variety of examples and research to explain the definition
of happiness, why everyone should believe that possessions cannot supply one with long–term happiness, and the secret for one to experience
everlasting happiness.
2.Happiness... For many, it is simply being able to live freely and do whatever, whenever without having any restrictions that may

Essay On American Materialism
MATERILAISM
The modern day plague of materialism and over consumption is straining our personal lives and families, eroding our communities, and destroying
the environment. brought on by the impact of media, it affects all aspects of your life, buying habits even who you vote for. According to the movie
about Affluenza, materialism is a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than any spiritual values. Also
according to google research the word materialism has been used in modern times to refer to was a family of metaphysical theories, "that can be best
defined by saying that a theory tends to be called materialist if it is felt sufficiently to resemble a paradigmatic theory that will have be called
mechanical materialism" ( Encycloped Britannica materialism philosophy). Materialism often carries negative idea and is frequently applied to people
who believe buying things or owning wealth will make them...show more content...
"They have undermined any personal responsibility by claiming that thought is dictated biologically and by environment. A materialistic society can
be especially effective if it is a governmental tenet as well" according to the movie (Affluenza). The American materialism began over two hundred
years ago. "Growing as the grassy weeds do among the early shoots of wheat. Just as months must pass before one can clearly see the fruitful
difference between the two, so many decades of US history separate that nation's causes of wealth from its enjoyment of it" ( Chapter 2 of what is
materialism). "Materialism can take a toll on your well–being, relationships and quality of life. "Compared with their grandparents, today's young
adults have grown up with much more affluence, slightly less happiness and much greater risk of depression and assorted social pathology," David G.
Myers, author of The American Paradox" (

Materialism, is origin by the word "material", which mean the view of materialism is about the physical object that exist in the life. Materialism takes
part in every person lifetime, no matter what social stratum they are. However, there are various definition of materialism from different beliefs since it
have wide range of understanding. Thither is a line between ethic and personal interest between the idea of being materialistic. An individual whom is
materialistic are more likely often displays conspicuous consumption.
Materialistic have existed naturally in every single human being. However, it began to set off an upsurge when there are influences of modern
technologies and fashion.This study has proven that the materialistic behavior...show more content...
Therefore parents are a very effective role play model to children especially to youth as they are in the stage of learning to become an adult. Parents bear
the responsibility to teacher their teenagers to pursue the outstanding things in their life not only use possessions to measure their happiness. There are
many youth use possessions to satisfy a void within them. Parents can teach their children to credits goals, so that they know the value of their action
rather than pursue on possessions. Furthermore, parents can ask their children to buy expensive product with their own preservation, this is to let
children experience the important between work and

Explain Why The World Is Run By Materialism
Why the World is Run by Materialism Imagine yourself standing in a room packed to the ceiling with riches. Now take it away. Most likely, you
would be sad or even angry. This is a result of being too attached to worldly items. Materialism is instilled into most people whether they are poor or
wealthy. For some, being attached to their possessions may be because they don't have much. Homeless or penniless individuals would react more
negatively if something they owned was taken from them. They have to live with little to no belongings. Children also do not have something that is
only theirs. Usually, children have don't like sharing objects that they have bought or was given to them. Having few items causes people to be more
protective over

The High Price Of Materialism Analysis

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The High Price Of Materialism Analysis