Consumerism In America

Consumerism for Americans has eaten up the life of people in our world today. The movement of the modern society seems to call for greater accessories to life rather than more beneficial things. The intake for anyone has become much easier due to the ways the word can be spread such as television, music ads, videos and so much more. However, not all of these accessories are handy to one's life in the aspects of happiness, attitude towards others and the will to accomplish in the present and future. Consumption around the world has grown into habits, problems and just a getaway for some people.Despite the continuing flow of it all, some would have to ask whether it’s better to be caught up in it all or simply do what would help in real life

In the article “Consume Less and Be Happy”, it mentioned on page 7 that “these studies show for example that money can buy happiness only up to a certain point”. Happiness in a life comes from within and the surroundings of an area one sets themselves in. For example, being at the beach or around a lake can fill a person with happiness that money can't necessarily buy. In the article “Stuff Is Not Salvation”, Anna Quindlen comes across a family that mentions having less means more happiness and more meaning behind it all. Sure, happiness could be filled with buying an expensive bag or name brand shoes, but the happiness won't linger long because eventually what's new becomes old. The meaning behind having less is greater than having it all and still feeling empty. Therefore all the consumption of the people around the world is just a great disadvantage to a growing life. All the money in the world wouldn't make the richest man pure and happy. With this as well, problems such as the attitude towards consumption gets caught up in this urge

Those who could have it all seem to focus more on materialistic things that only fill a space of happiness and urge for a second while those who were less advantaged really go out for something that will benefit their goals and what they'd like to do. In the article “Anti-Consumption, Materialism, and Consumer Well-Being”, the authors mention that “Studies also find that materialism inherently shifts a person’s focus onto extrinsic rather than intrinsic goals…”(pg. 22), which goes to show that the higher productivity of intake can come between goals while trying to achieve in life. Consumerism has a way to show the difference between those who would rather have it all just to show and those who would rather work for something real and for things that would benefit them more. Some people would rather have a super awesome car with a nice house and the whole nine yards while others would rather have something more realistic and ethical in life. In some way it’s like who would rather focus on realistic things rather than just be full of materialistic things that just make you known for what you have.There's no right or wrong, but there's different levels to this ring of