Consumerism in the United States - 1461 Words

Executive Summary Defining consumerism can be complicated. Consumerism is a term used to describe the effects of equating personal happiness with purchasing material possessions and consumption (Fritsh). In other words, consumerism is the wants and needs of people based upon standards that are set in a given society and how those people acquire wealth. Throughout history, consumerism has evolved drastically since the first records of civilized society were recorded. The evolution of consumerism in the United States can be understood by dividing it into three basic components; trade, monetary policy and the digital economy. These types of economies can also be described as the agricultural economy, the industrial economy, and the†¦show more content†¦A culture that has a high amount of consumerism is referred to as a consumer culture (Fritsh). Its the basis upon which our economy has been established. The reason people founded North America was to locate a new trading route for India. Europes intentions when investing time into North America was to generate some sort of profit for themselves. The reason the North American colonies became a self sustaining society of the United States of America was when there was a need for a free enterprise economy. According to the Funk and Wagnalls Encyclopedia; there are, of course, major differences between American consumerism and global economics. These differences concern the personal ownership of factories, farms and other enterprises (Phillips, 24). Before the Revolutionary War, there was nothing that could compare to American Consumerism. A free trade based agricultural society was the foundation of capitalism as we know it today. People trading each other goods and services for what they want or needed with minimal government interference. This was the beginning of American consumerism. The Civil War in the United States was a huge turn for the American economy. Before the Federal Reserve System, people relied mainly on gold and silver for trading if they did not wish to trade something else of value. The Federal Reserve System is regulated by the United States Treasury. It provided security for paper currency thoughShow MoreRelatedConsumerism Of The United States1411 Words   |  6 Pagesthe clothing line from the new designer that everyone hypes about? Consumerism is something that flues the fire, also known as the 21th century disease of materialism. Although an alarming issue everywhere today, I believe none is more precedent that of the United States, a society in its own right whose consumerism is as staggering as it is worrying. Why the United States? Because it is a symbol of the Western society, the consumerism capital. Further this is in conjunction with the generation of todayRead MoreAmerican Consumerism And The United States Environmental Protection Agency Essay1608 Words   |  7 Pages Regardless of what one thinks about American consumerism or our high levels of production, it is a fact that we live in a throw-away society. What that means is that we produce a lot, throw away a lot, and most things are planned to become obsolete within a few years. Recently, there has been an unprecedented effort to correct these negatives habits of our society, seeing as they can’t last forever. This effort, aptly called sustainability, is one of the most grandiose undertakings in American societyRead MoreAnalysis Of Coca Cola And Coco Frio By Martin Espada856 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican Consumerism in â€Å"Coca-Cola and Coco Frà ­o† by Martà ­n Espada In today’s world, every person in every country has a similar image in mind when they think of the United States. Common words that come to mind are ideal, lazy, superior, and consumer. These words are associated with the United States due to American consumerism, or the practice of an increasing consumption of goods. In Martà ­n Espada’s â€Å"Coca-Cola and Coco Frà ­o,† he criticizes American consumerism by relating the people of PuertoRead MoreThe Problem Of Extreme Consumerism926 Words   |  4 Pagesextreme amount of consumerism, but why exactly? What are the possible causes of extreme consumerism? Some of the few possible causes contributing to mass consumerism would include: the want for consumption, the need for consumption, and possibly even hoarders. Although many of the possible causes listed above tie together, it’s quite interesting exploring these causes of extreme consumerism and being able to shine a small light on the subject. 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