FREE America and Mass Consumerism Essay (original) (raw)

The fact remains that while materialism may be the most shallow of the 20th century's various -isms, it has been the one that has ultimately triumphed" (Twichell, 1999). Many big ideas have battled over the centuries to dominate the planet. Countless wars, deaths, and conquests have arisen in the name of spreading religion. Inspired by the ideas of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin organized the Soviet Union in an attempt to convert the world to the ideals of communism. To the dismay of others, the United States constantly dwells in the plights of warring nations in an attempt to spread the ideas of democracy. All of these ideas have been unsuccessful, but there is one that has achieved total supremacy. Its compulsive attractions rob its followers of reason and good sense. It has created unsustainable inequalities, and is constantly scratching away at the very fabric of our society. At the heart of all these problems is mass consumerism. Every day we consume. Everybody must find a way to nourish him or herself. In our quest for nourishment, we are faced with choices. Although we need to eat, we choose what we want to put in our mouths. Our wants then take over our innate needs. The beliefs in what one needs and what one wants has been gradually coalescing into a single mass. Much of modern society has been collectively ruled by the individual's personal id. Morality has been slowly fading away from our culture, and has been replaced by impulsive desires. The world was not always like this. The functionality of a product used to be the primary reason for purchasing it, and not the esthetics and social perception of the product. Why have we devolved into such primitive cognition? How did our culture come to be the way it is today? Our society started with a needs-based consumption, but with the development of modern advertising, we changed into a society ran buy desires which has ultimately caused us to be fueled by material things.

1. Black stereotype in the mass media

Black Stereotypes in the Mass Media In the decades since the civil rights movement, overt stereotypes of blacks in the mass media have largely faded from view. ... The U.S. mass media is dedicated to selling products through advertising. The most targeted consumer of mass media advertising is still the white consumer. The current mass media's largely positive portrayal of blacks is well received by most white consumers, but the reason for this is controversial. ... Most studies of stereotypes in the mass media concentrate on entertainment programming. ...

2. A Look at American Consumerism

Stewart Ewen, in his essay "Chosen People" addresses the topic of consumerism in the middle class of America and suggests different negative effects. ... Morgan in "Citizenship, Consumerism, and the Pursuit of Excellence" and Jill Bickford in "Consumerism: How it Impacts and its Presence in Library Collections" further expand his claim, the consumerist and mass-production effects on the middle class. Ewen's purpose is to inform the reader of the materialistic rise in the American modern middle class. ... He quotes, "to be a good citizen, one who believes...

3. Advertising

The traditional cultural values of Western society are deteriorating under the influences of corporate politics, the commercialization of culture, and the impact of mass media. ... The American pubic has been numbed by the unending parade of fabricated television illusions that keeps it preoccupied with the ideals and values of consumerism. ... While consumerism offers the goal of owning a product, it lacks the fulfillment of the typical American citizen. ... The public has been easily swayed onto the path of consumerism through the deceptive and clever advertising of mass media. ... As ...

4. mass communication

Mass Communication Defined: Messages communicated through a mass medium to a large number of people such as newspapers, radio, and television. ... The four functions of the Mass Media 1. To Entertain: Entertainment is the biggest service of the mass media. ... Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, within a ½ an hour 66% of all Americans knew of the event and by early evening 99.8% had heard the story. 3. ... v The boom in economic growth, in that the consumer market needs a big base to get there product information out to the public through advertising support. ...

5. Advertising and Consumerism

Consumerism, therefore, is perceived as the definition of progress. ... Past consumers, and consumers today, are purchasing subjective effects rather than a mere product. Consumption has become the American way of life as brands and products not only shape the social environment in which we live, but also the very goals and desires that control the trajectory of our lives and everyday behavior. Mass production of advertisements and commercial imagery represent the ideology American material culture, tapping into the depths of desire for the typical American, like Bernays' women and their ...

6. Why America Should Avoid Mass-Produced Foods

Since then, mass production has been the most effective means of manufacturing. Mass production is defined as the production or manufacture of goods in large quantities, especially by machinery ("Mass production" def. 1). ... If these additives in our food cause harmful effects to the body, then American consumers should avoid consuming these foods. ... American consumers need to know both sides of genetically-modified foods so they can make better decisions about what food to consume and feed their children, so every American can be healthy. American consumers should take advantage ...

7. American prosperity in 1920

Women soon became America's greatest consumers. ... It was then that the thought of mass production was adopted. Mass production was "the carrying of the American system on to its logical extreme." ... The flip side of mass production was mass consumption. The speed in which the public was consuming the products of mass production was amazing. ...

8. The process of individual decision-making

The role of advertising in American society has its good and bad contributors. ... It helps people realize and get in touch with fashion as well as the current consumer needs in the society. However, it often contends information about its products for the purposes of promoting them rather for good intentions for the consumers. ... With the conveniences of modern technology, I watch American TV shows such as MTV, CNN news, and soap operas etc. ... The American media did not play such an important role in my decision of downloading the Chinese song. ...

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question