Consumerism

American poets, novelists, and other writers often write about the topic of American identity. In this lesson, you have read excerpts from two texts, “Response to Executive Order 9066” by Dwight Okita, and “Mericans” by Sandra Cisneros. Determine a common theme that both authors establish about the topic. In response to the first sign of American identity I noticed by the sort of stories in the classifications of relatives in style tradition Americans names such as empty and uncle. The next thing I noticed relates to young American identity, regarding childhood. As a result of American culture a couple things that could be experienced and childhood during this period, the narrator tries to avoid falling victim of. For example, the grandmother

The American is a selfish individualist that wants to do things his way and only lives to please himself. The

‘Americanized’ is, as the title suggests, a poem about American influence. It is an extended metaphor, where the mother in the poem is America, the child being Australia, and their relationship which is not built on trust or love but rather need and fear. This basic human relationship has been twisted by Dawe to show that the consumer lifestyle America brought to Australia is taking away the Australian identity. The poem starts with “She loves him…” and although this emotive language makes the

The American family is modeled as being happy, calming, and cheerful but for many it is the opposite of that In the novel, Until They Bring the Streetcars Back, by Stanley Gordon, he doesn't romanticize and make the characters life beautiful and perfect. He chooses to give the characters major difficulties in their lives that set them back. Based in St.Paul, Minnesota in the late 40's and early 50's, the difficulties the main teenage characters go through our different then what teenagers go through today. Cal deals with his Fathers disconnection with him. Steve is dealing with always feeling pitied and guilty. But they don't compare to the hardship Gretchen is going through in her household. These characters go through many problems in the book but somehow find a way to relieve their pain.

The American is a new man who is neither a European, nor his direct descendant. He is a strange mix of blood which cannot be found in any other country. The American is described as a person whose grandfather was an Englishman, his mother was Dutch and who has married a Frenchwoman. The American is a person who has left behind all his ancient manners and prejudices, and has received new ones from the mode of life he has embraced, the rank he holds and the government he obeys. A person becomes an American after being received in the broad lap of the great Alma Mater, and he becomes melted down into the new race of men whose posterity and efforts could transform the world in the days to come.

In An American Childhood by Annie Dillard, Dillard reminisces on her many adventures throughout her childhood living in Pittsburgh. Her stories explain her school, her home life, her family, and growing up. Dillard also talks about changes in her life, and how they affect her, and how she felt about others around her. One’s childhood is a crucial part of life, because it’s a time of learning more than any other time of life. Childhood is a time of curiosity and realization. What you learn in your childhood has a big impact on how you make decisions and act as an adult.

In the novel there are many Americans that depict the “American Myth,” for example Ann she was typical of the low wage working people ( Shipler, pg. 24-25), but the thing is Ann did not point fingers of blame at anyone, she excepted that she got herself into the situation that she is now. Even though she knew that the credit card companies rates were high she made the option of using them, but that is not because she had a choice or not but only because she had to. The lease on Ann truck was about to expire and her ex husbands child support of $100 was about to stop because her daughter was about to turn 18. Ann only had one option left which was bankruptcy but then she found

“I read American books because America is the future” (Adichie 70). They are envious of America; they believe the literature and learning are better. The more American you are the better your life is.

In the early years of America’s foundation, a powerful air of uncapped potential, the desire for expansion and individual identification enamored the American people. Progress was inevitable as was cultural definition. But as time progressed, the feeling of unlimited strength, time and space transformed into something that, for better or worse, was no longer shared by later poets. Those of the “New World” came to realize that their world never really managed to leave behind the faults of the “Old.” Societal tension rose as different poets and authors struggled to pin down the direction of American culture and its ideals. When no solid idea was able to capture American culture adequately, the concept of an ever-evolving American identity

In the beginning of her essay, she declares that consumerism is a “pernicious problem, an addiction to consumption so out of control that it qualifies as a sickness” (Quindlen 159). The author’s statement could easily offend anyone who is a part of America’s consumer culture and seems very vague in her statement. What qualifies as out of control consumption; buying toys or clothes or is there a limit where it becomes out of control? Quindlen also states that “now much of the country is made up of people with the acquisition habits of a 7-year-old, desire untethered from need, or the ability to pay” (160). This is a very generalized statement that cannot be effectively given because, again, she does not verify exactly what she means. Are the acquisitions of a 7-year-old the desire to buy everything you see? Maybe they are the desires to own every fun new gadget, regardless of need. She also says “much of the country” but leaves her remark at that; how much is “much”? Without any sources, it can easily be assumed she is using her own personal relationships to come to this conclusions which is a biased group and does not represent the country as a whole. Shopping and consumer consumption is a necessary part of the American economy, and Quindlen’s arguments regarding a majority of the country and their reckless spending may only be extreme in a few cases, and reasonable in

Recently I heard a story about a mother and child walking through a retail store when the child says to her mother “I want those shoes!” The mother asks “Why do you want those shoes?” to which her daughter responds “Because everyone else is wearing them.” The Mother asks, “Wouldn’t you want to get something different and be more original?” and the child says “No, then I wouldn’t be original like everyone else!” Between the 1920’s and the era of World War II America saw some of its most dramatic cultural shifts since the country’s beginnings. This story of a mother and child expresses the changes that took place in the early half of the 1900’s which made a lasting effect in creating the consumer society we know today. This consumer-centered society that we know was developed by multiple shifts in the American economy and lifestyle. In this essay I will discuss how each the “Roaring Twenties,” the “Great Depression” and the World War II Era each contributed in the way of accelerating or stalling the process of creating an American consumer society.

When foreigners think of America, they think of McDonald’s, the Statue of Liberty, Hollywood film stars, and the list goes on. In terms of Americans, people associate Texans with cowboy boats, Californians with surfboards, and New Yorkers with a snobbish grin on their face. It is true that all these things represent America in one way or another, but what exactly is American identity? Erikson’s analysis on American identity has drawn attention to four topics: Mom, adolescent, boss, and machine. He links all four topics together by using the myth of John Henry Hero. Goffman, on the other hand, develops dramaturgical analysis to understand human behaviors. He sees men as actors with different roles and these actors have to perform to

There are many different types of worldviews that that are held among the countless people of this world. Consumerism is one that is very prominent in this day in time. “Consumerism absolutizes consumption by believing that we can find fulfillment by accumulating wealth and everything that comes with it.” (Wilkins &Sanford, 2009). There are many different elements of consumerism I will discuss, along with how this worldview of consumerism compares with the Christian worldview, and lastly, I will express how knowing what the Bible says about consumerism affects my life personally.

Consumerism is the center of American culture. Americans tend to confuse their wants with their needs. With new advances in technology, as well as the help of advertisers, people are provided with easy access to new products that seem essential to their everyday life, even though they have survived this long without them. People cannot live without food, clothing, and shelter. But realistically, according to people's different lifestyles, more than food, clothing, and shelter are needed. Most people need to work to survive. Unless a job is either in their own home, or within walking distance, a means of transportation is needed. Whether it be a vehicle, money for a taxi-cab, or a token for a ride on the subway, money must be spent

Consumerism is a phenomenon that has been dominant in all societies for an extremely long time. It causes people to excessively purchase goods and consume things excessive to their actual needs. “A consumer is a person or thing that consumes” (Dictionary.com). Consumerism can be defined as a belief that an expanding consumption of goods is an advantage to the county’s economy. Today people are practically brainwashed to buy more than what they need in order to keep the economy afloat. No one thinks twice about why they are buying things or maybe even what they need. Consumerism has a big impact on our country, good or bad.