American Consumerism

Groceries or the newest iPhone? Rent or the concert in a week? College tuition or a trip to Europe? Regularly, decisions similar to the ones before are made on a constant basis. In an ideal world, the choices wouldn't seem so difficult to pick from; buy what one needs now and apply the leftover money for pleasurable activities. This adds to the process of consumerism, the basic element that creates a country run by its people buying and selling goods. Then again, the world isn't flawless, and most people don't spend their money that way. In this society, there is a "Want vs. Need" fight raging in the minds of the American population. But, what is a "Want vs. Need" fight, why is it difficult for people to pick between the two, and is it honestly that negative? …show more content…
On the one hand, "Want", is the thought that one needs something luxurious such as imported cars and trips to Europe or even "stuff [we buy] to cheer ourselves up, to keep up with the Joneses, to fulfill our childhood vision of what our adulthood would be like, to broadcast our status to the world, and for a lot of other psychological reasons that have very little to do with how useful the product really is."(Cain) For a handful of middle-class and even more lower-class people, those wants can include attending college and securing a beneficial job. As "… many states and colleges shifted their aid programs to play the rankings game and attract the highest-scoring students, diverting scarce resources away from students with financial need"(Draut) those who want to continue their education