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Analysis: The Parable Of The Democracy Of Goods

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1. Shames makes multiple connections between America’s frontier history and consumer behavior, or the attitude of most Americans that “More is better”. These connections quickly become obvious for, in order to have “more”, growing is required. First, America’s means of growth was land, particularly the unexplored land of the West. This abundance of land gave people opportunities to achieve better lives. Once all of that was taken when the frontier was claimed, Americans then turned to the economy as the new vehicle of growth during the twentieth century. And so, consumerism stemmed from this hunger for more. Americans equated having more goods and services to happier, fuller, and better lives. 2. I disagree with Shames’ opinion that the “More Factor” is unique to Americans. I believe that the entirety of mankind has the natural tendency to always want more, want something bigger and better. I also do not think that the concept of “more” is such a bad thing, while Shames shines a rather negative light of the American desire for more. Shames says that the hunger for more is detouring people …show more content…

The "parable of the Democracy of Goods", as described by Marchand, says that "the wonders of modern mass production and distribution enabled every person to enjoy the society's most significant pleasure, convenience, or benefit." In other words, anyone, even the lower and middle class, can enjoy the same products and experiences that the richest Americans enjoy every day. This was a tool that advertisers used to make their products appealing to all crowds, showing that anybody could relish in the same lifestyle as society's rich and famous. As persuasive evidence to support that parable, Marchand employs advertisements from the early 20th century. For example, the ad for the Cream of Wheat shows a wealthy family feeding their child Cream of Wheat for breakfast, something that is just as affordable for a lower class

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