Consumerism and Happiness Essay

Life, liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness were once considered the core values of the American Dream. These values upheld the idea that anyone from any background could become someone; that they would be able to live freely and leave behind a legacy that would be carried on from generations to come. In the 50’s, the American Dream prospered with the goal that every family would be able to own a home, be debt free, and be able to raise a family. However, with the rise of consumerism in the past six decades, this American Dream has been harder for middle America to reach. The American Dream has slowly become just that; a dream only the few and affluent can achieve. In America today, it is harder for the average American just to rent an apartment, much less consider buying a home to raise a stable family. Consumerism is to blame for this. Consumerism has had a drastic and lasting effect on the American Dream and has led to its’ downfall. Life is defined by the idea that from birth until death, you are in control of it and your destiny is yours to choose. However, consumerism and money play a…

state of well being and material wealth leads primarily into the first reason why consumerism may be linked to the mental and emotional issue of many people in American society, and that is that it gives false hope of greater life expectations. Devoted consumers, are often enslaved to this illusion of a life of grandeur being brought to reality by material wealth. They declare unrealistic expectations expecting some sort of positive outcome, however, unfortunately, this notion remains only an…

still a serial entrepreneur, and his relationship eventually ended, but Hill feels that living within his means and having a small carbon footprint bring him happiness that money can’t buy (213). IV. Pattern of Organization: Exemplification: This, using examples to prove a point, appears to be the main style of organization that leads to the author’s thesis. Hill doesn’t directly argue against consumerism, but rather he argues about how consumerism is negative in his life, about how consumerism…

current economy favors increased production and consumption regardless of the social costs. Rather than favoring the happiness of the populace, this economy seeks to maximize gains in any manner possible, so long as it can justify the social costs with increases in production. This creates a paradox of economic benefit and social benefit, and while economic benefit is favored in the current day, the two are not mutually exclusive. The irony in this is that all actions on the economics side…

II. Important Information: 1. The main idea is that owning stuff is not the key to happiness and that consumers today own more than they need and it also impacts the environment. Hill demonstrates this by showing statistics of global warming due to consumerism. Hill also claims that most of our stress comes up when we are managing our own personal belongings, whether it be moving to a new house or selling stuff, and that he is personally happier in life owning less items than the average…

Consumerism generally plays a major role in the lifestyles of people in today’s society. Often, people value consumerism over religion due to the secularization of society. Society today has prioritized consumerism before religion, though not to the extent as seen in the novel Brave New World. Religion is entirely banned, and in replacement is the figurehead Henry Ford. Society is built on the notion that consumerism is necessary for the function of the World State. The citizens of World…

science-fiction book in which people live in a futuristic society and a place called the World State. In ‘Brave New World’, Aldous Huxley used the idea of consumerism to describe the behaviors and lives of the citizens of the World State. The practice of consumerism by the people of the World State fulfilled their satisfactory and happiness. However, it also blinded purity and truth among its people. Different classes and different genders of people practiced different acts of consumerism such…

more stuff = more happiness. Children and teens are especially vulnerable to this kind of commercialism, and begin a habit of overspending at a very young age. Because brands are using such forceful marketing to young adults, the Diderot effect may cause a lifetime of spending that doesn’t necessarily lead to happiness. For teens, creating an image that seems “cool” is an indisputable part of growing up. Peer pressure, fitting in,…

You’re walking down the street, and a glint on the side of the road catches your eye. You walk over to the area where it’s coming from. The source is a shiny new iPhone, displayed in a window case at the nearby Apple store. They released a new iPhone? you think to yourself. I wonder what new features it has? The next week, you buy the phone right after you get your paycheck. If this particular occurrence hasn’t actually happened to you, you’ve probably experienced a similar situation, perhaps…

The documentary “Shop ‘Till You Drop: The Crisis of Consumerism” was quite effective in proving that consumerism is more than what it seems at first glance. It was a shocking reminder that our actions have consequences that might not be immediately evident, but they will be witnessed some time, some way and by someone. Our society’s materialistic mindset is spiraling out of control and unless we do something to rein it back in, Earth’s inhabitants will be facing dire consequences which may…