Essay On Materialism In The 1920s

Materialism corrupted the wealthy people of 1920s which led to the negative modification of the American Dream. As the tempo of city life quickened, more materials were desired, so it was all about being bigger and better. The result of this was the loss of the original American Dream, the pursuit of happiness, to the accumulation of possessions. In the 1920s, ideas were sprouting and inventors were creating machines and materials to make living life more suitable in the city. People, commonly immigrants and the lower class, gravitated towards factories within cities looking for jobs, but the rich were also drawn in because of the production of materials. “Automobiles were relatively new technology,” and so they were booming among

People would rather have what's new and trending, and then believe they were happy. Women had just earned their right to vote and felt “a new sense of freedom and acceptance,” and decided to express their freedom through these fashion trends. (Standards Focus...12) Flappers, as these women were called, were linked to the materialistic ideal, they “were known for their trendy “boyish” short bob hairstyles, tight mini dresses decorated with fringe, and bright red lipstick.” (Standards Focus...12). The media expanded to new inventions like the radio, and movies were adored by the people. This was another way materialism was influenced upon the people (Standards Focus...12). Young people of the ‘20s only knew that the fancier materials they owned, the more accepted they would feel in the upper class. Materialism not only kicked out the American Dream from within people, but also became part of their lifestyles, like back to the automobile which would become a necessity for the majority of people within America. Radios would eventually be owned by all people, and the next trending material would be next up. Americans would pick up the new trend and then throw it away as soon as died down. They “substituted their pursuit of happiness for a pursuit of wealth, believing that wealth would satisfy their dreams and lead them to happiness, however their lives were lost in the process instead.” (The Demise of the