Why Americans Consume So Much More Than We Need? Essay

But despite this, Americans are more miserable, depressed and unsatisfied then ever before. So many Americans are being sucked into consumerism and follow it day in and day out. Consumerism goes in a cycle. Fashion trends and commodities are all temptations of consumerism. The endless cycle of trends seems never ending and are intentionally flowing because of consumerism. Countless goods and resources are being wasted and thrown away because of consumerism. Shamefully, the United States is responsible for less than 5% of the world’s population but uses 33% of the entire world’s resources (World Resources Institute). The average person living in the United States also uses 300 shopping bags of raw material every week on average. In John 6:12, Jesus says “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” This verse is a key hint to us that God does not want us wasting his resources that he supplied for us. As Americans, we waste so much food that could be going to people who actually need it. We gorge ourselves on big meals and end up throwing half of it. Steven Miles says “Consumerism appears to have become of the very fabric of modern life. Consumerism is arguably the religion of the late (twentieth

"Economics is the science which studies human behavior as a relationship between given ends and scarce means which have alternative uses"(“Supplementary sources for college economics,” n.d.). It is all about making choices. The United States economy has experienced many ups and downs in its journey with decision making and realizing its economic power. In 1865, when the civil war ended the United States’ economy experienced extreme development as a result of urbanization and industrialization. It is apparent that the United States’ economy boarded a difficult journey to ultimately achieve the power it has today (“Industrialization, Urbanization, and Immigration, n.d.). This essay is going to take an in-depth look at the seven course objectives which include, the basic economic problems that face the American Society, how businesses make economic decisions, ways people invest money to save for the future, how economic policy affects the individual state, nation, and world, define concepts of macro and microeconomics and how theories relate to current economic issues, explain the economic theories and how they apply to the global economy, and lastly how they enhance managerial decision-making processes and abilities.

Individual choices are responsible for debt and out-of-control consumerism. To begin with, credit cards have raised new issues as a result of people spending money they do not have. Using a credit card is fine if one pays the monthly credit payment in full, however, if they pay only the monthly minimum, it may take months to years to pay off the credit card debt. Additionally, we live in a materialistic society where what possessions we own reflect on our social status. This leads to out-of-control consumerism now that people are constantly trying to prove they are better than others even if it is out of their budget. In short, these actions are ways in which one can implement their free will. They are not required to buy expensive items nor

I recently watched a documentary titled “Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things ”. I learned a great deal about what is appealing about the mentality and lifestyle of the minimalist and how our society has become enamored - or even obsessed with an endless quest for possessions, seemingly all to the detriment of the family unit. How do material possessions now translate into happiness, self-worth, and success? Why did bigger become better, and how did it replace the less is more mindset? Moreover, how did the American dream become defined by the size of our homes, the number of vehicles we possess, or the latest and greatest in technological advances? The unquenchable thirst for these “inanimate objects of desire” has unfortunately become a replacement for the personal interaction and relationships with other people, especially family.

Over consumption is a harmful part of American society, ‘’Even though American comprise only five percent of the world’s population, in 1996 we used nearly a third of its resources and produced almost half of its hazardous waste.’’ Also ‘’The average North American consumes five times as much as an average Mexican, 10 times as the Chinese, and 30 times as much as the people in India’’.( citied: Affluenza diagnosis 1997 documentary).

Materialism is the act of considering tangible possessions to be more important than other values in a person’s life. Some believe that Americans are too materialists but others argue that there is a more significant meaning behind a purchase. In a Conversation about materialism in the American culture, Henry Thoreau, John Galbraith, Juliet Schor, and Wendell Berry defend the position that Americans are too materialistic while Phyllis Rose, Joan Smith, and Virginia Postrel argue for the opposing position. After reading each of the author’s articles, it can be concluded that there is some truth in both arguments, but alone none are completely true. Superficially, Americans are materialistic. This is due to three different reasons and being

We all know we live in a highly materialistic culture in which conspicuous consumption governs much of our lives. We strive to acquire goods which will define us to ourselves and to others and somehow satisfy our human need to justify existence. At the end of the day, we also all know that there’s a trap built into the system: the more you consume, the more you are pressed to consume more because whatever satisfaction possession of things brings us is always fleeting thus driving us further and further down the material path of life seeking nirvana around the next corner at the mall.

s & World Report emphasize that “American household still save far less than those in a host of other developed countries across the pond, including Italy, Spain, and France.” The American household doesn’t think in saving money because they are compulsive

Compulsive consumption in the United States is becoming second nature. We don’t ask ourselves is it needed or wanted. To many times Americans go to the mall or to a store and see something that looks really cool and don’t think twice on it. We put a price tag on what we wear to show that it is “so much better” than the other products around it. In other words, I’m saying we are greedy I want this, I want that. No one is thinking anything but how will I look in it before they buy. They are not thinking like a down shifter becoming simple with they’re choices. You don’t need to buy the 60 $ pair shorts when you have 5 that fit just the fine and are still in good condition. People are buying with their eyes not their brains. If the united states

A huge issue with mass consumerism is the amount of waste it creates. This increasing demand for consumables is creating unnecessary pollution and byproducts. With the latest advances in technology being produced at such an alarming rate, products eventually get cast off and people are pressured to keep up with the supply of new, more luxurious items. Much of our waste problem is to be accounted for by the intentional flimsiness and unrepair-ability of the labor-saving devices and gad­gets that we have become addicted to (Berry, 1997). Unfortunately for us, this leads to bigger and bigger piles of trash. Additionally, our lack of recycling is astonishing and

This is America, home of the brave, home of the wealthy, rich and paid. In America, we have an excess of food, water and materials. Americans live in a very privileged nation compared to other nations; however, we ae never satisfied. We let advertisements influence our life choices. Also, we compete with one another with our materials and let society pressure us to consume in things that would make us “fit in”. Over-consuming has become such a big problem with advertisements being thrown in our face, greed and society pressure.

In the book by Zimring, I identified several points that are relevant to overconsumption. First, defining the word “consumption” as a “way of living” implies that it is part of our behavior. It is a habit of the most Americans to overconsume, therefore, individuals do not see the seriousness of the issue. Second, the evidence used portrays the problem of overconsumption in the past years and the misuse of the world’s resources. Third, I found very interesting how the book shows the economy as a contributor to overconsumption. Moreover, his argument is based in a capitalistic economy such as the one in the United States. In other words, we as a capitalist nation are the cause of overconsumption. Although Zimring argument is convincing, his solution and call for awareness will not be enough to solve the problem. We need more action to stop overconsumption.

“They have undermined any personal responsibility by claiming that thought is dictated biologically and by environment. A materialistic society can be especially effective if it is a governmental tenet as well” according to the movie (Affluenza). The American materialism began over two hundred years ago. “Growing as the grassy weeds do among the early shoots of wheat. Just as months must pass before one can clearly see the fruitful difference between the two, so many decades of US history separate that nation’s causes of wealth from its enjoyment of it” ( Chapter 2 of what is materialism). “Materialism can take a toll on your well-being, relationships and quality of life. “Compared with their grandparents, today’s young adults have grown up with much more affluence, slightly less happiness and much greater risk of depression and assorted social pathology,” David G. Myers, author of The American Paradox” (

Idealism is the belief that the mind and ideas is the primary structure of reality and that physical or material reality is secondary. Idealists believes that everything exists in the conscious mind such as our mind, the mind of God or the mind of others. Materialism, in other hand, sees the matters as the primary reality and every other things including thoughts as the products of interactions of matter. During the class discussion, Dr. Haney mentioned his view on the “Hidden Philosophy of U.S. America” as the idealism materialism. More specifically, he indicated the U.S. struggling with “cash values” on weekdays, but “ideal value” during weekend. I, personally, strongly agree with this proposal. Many Americans nowadays has possessed with

The U.S. economy has proven to be a power force among competing nations, as it is the largest and most important economy in the world. The domestic challenges in addition to the rapidly transforming global landscape have not withered the strength of the United States, as it represents approximately 20% of total global output. The U.S. economy maintains its powerhouse status through a plethora of characteristics, which includes access to abundant natural resources and a sophisticated physical infrastructure. These elements, along with the strong and well educated workforce, benefit the economic status of the nation and contribute to the economic stability of the environment. The United States, with the world’s largest and most diversified