Economy and Materialism

Economy and materialism are concepts that come up every day in the life of Americans. Those who are not from America may think the way Americans live is strange and wasteful and they’d be right in their thinking that. Americans are consumed by consumerism and the need to buy things because there is always some new and improved version of what was purchased two weeks ago. Although it is said that Americans are too materialistic, the truth is that materialistic does not quite cover the near obsession with the latest and greatest that Americans have.

In America it is more common for a nine year old child to own the latest cell phone than it is for them to own a book. Americans are obsessed with the “labor-savers and gadgets that [they] have become addicted too” (Berry). Americans take upgrading to a whole new level; in America one could go and buy a fancy new cell phone and in just a few short months that phone is out dated and old because there is a brand new one already out. It has also become a competition of who has the best or the latest in technology.

It is not just technology that people compete with but other goods to be bought like clothes and houses and even furniture and appliances. People as a whole are consumed by and possessed with the need to buy things and have better than their neighbors because it makes them feel superior and better than others and no one wants to feel lesser than someone else. People need a better approach to life, it was put best by Thoreau who said “it is necessary that we be troubled, or, at least, careful” (Thoreau). What he said could be interpreted as people need to be mindful of what they are doing lest it turn out badly, this can be implemented to the obsession of consumerism and materi...

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...one wants to be outdone by another thus the reason to have the latest and greatest in everything including cell phones, tablets, houses, cars, and clothing. People will even get competitive about whose kitchen appliances are newer and more state of the art. It all comes down to the fact that people are too materialistic for their own good.

Works Cited

Berry, Wendell. "Waste." Language of Composition. Boston; New York: Bedford/St. Marten’s, 2008. 481-483. Print.

Galbraith, John K. "The Dependence Effect." Language of Composition. Boston; New York: Bedford/St. Marten’s, 2008. 477-479. Print.

Rose, Phyllis. "Shopping and Other Spiritual Adventures in America Today." Language of Composition. Boston; New York: Bedford/St. Marten’s, 2008. 479-481. Print.

Thoreau, Henry D. "Economy." Language of Composition. Boston; New York: Bedford/St. Marten’s, 2008. 474-477. Print