The Invasion of Consumerism into the lives of a Post-Modern Family

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley depicts a future world that has mechanized and removed all sense of life to being human. In this world, people work for the common good of the community and are conditioned to dislike what, today, we would consider common and healthy relationships with people and environments. The story follows a man, John, not born into the culture and his struggle with the unfamiliarity with the “Brave New World”. Published in 1932, Brave New World often leaves roots back to the world Aldous was in when he was writing the novel. I believe the genius of Huxley’s writing was his ability to effectively select the traits of 1930’s society that would later become a staple for Americanism in the coming century and, in time, allowing for a relatable story to the modern day while giving us warning to the future.

The citizens of the United States of America are known for their strong sense of freedom. Take that freedom away, and there would be a prodigious riot that traverses across the country. However, the same freedom that Americans thrive on, are slowly poisoning the minds of the masses. Consumerism is the name; the plan is to slowly take over the population, and it has. Consumerism is both beneficial and detrimental to society, and freedom would not exist without the need people have to buy new and innovative items.

The economy is a very fragile thing; however it can have an enormous impact on people. Americans especially are affected because they are so greedy, they always want more. Because Americans are very materialistic, they can become overly arrogant and possessive since they are used to getting their way, on account of having money.

Jack posses the ability to influence his peers with his charismatic nature. Although, he does lack leadership by not delegating duties with structural goals attached to reflect the desired outcome. Therefore, he loses sight of the workday operations. It is only then on Christmas Eve that he realizes his team has not entirely understood his vision.

Through the Cold War, America was transitioning in various ways such as the way messages were shared, consumerism, and the constant race against the Soviet Union. During the years 1959-1964, Rod Serling, a New York writer and playwright began using one of the newest inventions, the television, as a way to share his opinion about controversial topics. The rise of the television allowed Serling to access to a larger audience whom he could share his opinion in the form of science fictional episodes in the show The Twilight Zone. Although the show seems ominous and a horror related TV show, it allows us to understand the effects and feeling towards topics such as a possible nuclear war, consumerism, space exploration.

Jack meanwhile is gaining power from Ralph's lack of it. Providing the boys with food and protection Jack is gaining the approval of the littluns who just want to be protected from the

Jack wants to be the leader which shows that he is controlling. He wants to be treated respectfully. He wants all the others to call him by his last name, Merridew, but becomes rude and mean when they call him Jack.

There is a very big epidemic of consumerism within the United Sates and it is a result of the contribution of many factors within our society. It is evident that this is not necessary when one views other communities throughout the world but America has yet to make the changes it needs to solve this problem. A big problem with retailers and producers of products is their use of sweatshops, which are located in and out of the U.S. Sweatshops are a huge problem because they are known for having very low safety standards for their employees and mistreat their employees consistently. The reason they are used is because they can give the company better profits off of their goods.

The rapper Kanye West stated “She don`t believe in shooting stars but she believes in shoes and cars.” Malls, Outlets and online resources are the most common sources for shopping experiences for many people today. There are also the many food outlets and sales that encourage people to purchase items that may or may not be necessary. In her essay, “American Consumerism,” Jamie Bentley reflecting on Simon Benlow’s essay “An Apology to Future Generations” that expresses concern about consumers’ negative impact on the environment reveals this generation’s obsession with materialism, with the hope that people will learn to do more with less. The many options available to purchase items create a problem for individuals who desire to have what they

1. Jack is a dynamic character who undergoes many changes throughout the book. At first he seems to be calm, but by the end he turns to violence.

There is an undoubtedly enormous influence on the world by consumerism. Consumerism and capitalism shape the nation that we live in today. Everyone knows this because they see advertisements all day long on television, on the radio, on billboards and through hundreds of other mediums. Unfortunately, what the world is not exposed to is what goes on behind the marketing and the ultimate final sale. There is a dark side to capitalism created not only by shady merchants, but the worldwide multi-national companies as well. What both of these excerpts portray is the idea that there is more to the products we buy than we are told, or unfortunately, that we bother to ask about. Through the use of interviewing, traveling, and criticism, these

The boys elect Ralph as their primary leader, he is the protagonist in this story. He is athletic, good-hearted, and gives everyone equal jobs. Jack, is violent and very destructive. He wants very badly to become the leader of the group, but does not have enough votes. All along he only wants power and control over the boys. When Jack loses the election to Ralph, he grows insanely jealous. Jack designates himself to be the hunter and thats how he starts his group of savages. Jack then realizes that he can use the hunting to bring the boys back to his side rather than Ralph’s, such as when Jack stands up in front of all the boys on page 149 and says “Has everyone eaten as much as they want?” He says this once more so the boys really hear him, by saying this he shows ownership over the boys. He then bosses Henry to bring him a drink, showing that his control over the boys is growing

Jack, negatively portrayed in comparison to Ralph, tempts the boys with an array of forbidden treats, indulging their most violent, suppressed desires in an attempt to lull them away from the security of Ralph. In a sense, Jack is negatively compared to Ralph throughout the novel, and is often portrayed as confused and violent, very aware of the evil inside of him: “The real problem that arises among the boys involves their own inner nature…” (Johnston 2). When his plan fails, Jack feels as though his seat of power is threatened and therefore resorts to terrorizing, threatening and essentially forcing the boys to join him and align themselves against Ralph, alienating them from their former, comfortable life-style and thus making what they once failed to appreciate all the more desirable.

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

Jack states that there should be lots of rules and that if anyone breaks them, referring to the boys, they will be punished