IndexHistorical Context for American Consumer CultureCauses of Consumer CultureThe Extra FactorEverything Works Now CitedConsumerism is always considered the center point of the culture of Americans. They tend to have a confusion between their needs and their desires. With increasing technological advancement and the help of advertisers, Americans have simplified access to brand-new and essential products in everyday life, despite having gone so long without them. The three main basic needs are food, clothing and shelter. No one can live without these. Most people have to work to survive. Unless you work from home or within walking distance, you will have to deal with transportation costs and other expenses. As such, this article should provide precise clarifications and explanations in the form of an argument, in an attempt to compare the idea of NEEDS with that of WANTS. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayHistorical Context for American Consumer CultureConsumerism is always classified as an economic theory that states that a gradually higher level of consumption is beneficial to consumers. Since the early 1800s, accompanied by the Industrial Revolution, global consumption has reached a higher pace than ever recorded in world history. This revolution led to increased allowance of productions of huge quantities. Due to the unheard of low cost, there has been basic availability of products to consumers at an increased rate. Mass consumption was born from unlimited access and competition. It soon turned out that everyone wants to own the latest appliance. A new philosophy was born: "Why adopt the old model?" Was the new one more efficient?' it drove people to purchase appliances and products at a faster rate as people considered appearance more than function. Therefore, consumption continued to grow. Compared to the overall total, the amount of consumption of goods from the 1950s onwards was greater than at any time in global history. History records five main phases of the consumption cycle. Extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. As such, planned and perceived obsolescence fuels excessive consumerism in today's American world. Causes of Consumer Culture There are two main causes that could have led to the possible consumer culture. The first is that the possible revenues were so huge that they participated in the surreal, as to generate a climate in which ordinary reasoning and foresight seemed to have no application. In such prosperous territory, when the road sank, what seemed worth it were the long shots that might pay more than a hundred thousand dollars. The second cause is that it was assumed that America could continue to prosper, if not forever. existing thing, so at least long one to give a sense of concern. As always, there could be another Homestead Act, another gold rush, another oil strike. The next generation could always uncover possibilities that would be consistently more outlandish than anyone else experiencing the same thing. America was these possibilities. This article was based on strategy and not just faith, as many claimed. When you bet on the coming windfall, you could bet on your hopes and your self-esteem. As such, this led to a nationwide mental shift that this could usefully be assumed as the habit of having more. The plus factorLaurence Shames makes clear that the fascination of Americansso they want everything as much as possible has helped a lot in building the character of the nation and this has been seen in the history of America. Shames argues that the so-called “ethic of decency” has been replaced by the “ethic of success” in the American world. As right as Shames is, the lack of emphasis on decency and contentment in America should be given great consideration. Shames suggests that the American love of possession and desire was born in the 1800s. The Wild West was a frontier that shaped possibilities that gave rise to something more. Shames uses the idea of expansion, the Wild West, as well as the border as a means to have blame in the creation of a backward philosophy. A philosophy in which Americans have developed a mentality that does not stop at “Embracing values, hopes, ambitions that have to do with things other than something more. Shames continues to argue that the coming border was economics and may even be the latest version of the Wild West. By this statement, he simply means that Americans are running out of more to have. This causes the shameful to think and develop the reasoning that, with the lack of more, Americans may be forced to limit their expectations and develop an “ideal of contentment” with what they already have instead of seeking that something in more, the more. As such, Shames simply condemns the idea of wanting and considers needs as the first voice. All Now Steve McKevitt in his article “All Now” states that “The Hunger for More” has a driving fact that “our needs have been met and therefore, for the first time ever, we have an economy almost entirely dedicated to the satisfaction of our desires.” This statement is strong, but he believes that there are stronger things to do in the world than simply satisfy our desires. Psychologists Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a commonly discussed theory regarding human needs and desires He generated this theory in an attempt to provide an understanding of people's motivation outside of unconscious desires or rewards, he states: "Visit your local supermarket and you will find about twenty different types of toothpaste to choose from. ... The same goes for every category, from soups to soap operas... hundreds of virtually identical products." (hugging himself) Many people in the United States lack basic needs. In 2013, the Feeding America Organization website provided findings that 45.3 million people in the United States lived in poverty and 49.1 million lived in food-insecure households. In a speech given by Housing and Urban Steve McKevitt subsidizes the public's desire to give way to psychosomatic deceptions, marketing companies make us believe that our WANTS are actually our NEEDS. By selling the idea that these items are useful and necessary, consumers convince themselves to purchase desires NOW for happiness LATER. Maslow's chart of human development provides a description of how our major inappropriate concerns have shifted. Individual contentment was ranked at the top of the list and our basic needs (food, shelter, water), at the bottom. This change leads to the fact that people today no longer need everything, so we place our emphasis on desires. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, have the Having two topics in mind, it is clear that the most important factor is to consider the idea of NEEDS more than WANTS according to the two authors. Wishes should be:.
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