Consumerism In America Essay

Consumerism in America Consumerism has always been a big part of society back in the golden days. In today’s society, the ongoing debate of wants and needs are not justified by an individual’s wealth, but it is rather opinionated by the generalized public. Not only are the consumers getting caught in this mess, but many retailers are being sucked in as well. Retailers, have to stay up to date with the latest trends, to make sure they get their products across. Human identity is no longer determined by how much a person makes an hour, but by the commodities they possess. Consumers are so centralized on the materialistic items, that they forget what is more valuable and important. Unfortunately, the frivolous consumption has taken over the

Retailers are constantly breathing behind consumer’s necks to persuade the individual that their brand is the best. In a result, these retailers are hoping the shopper will give in, buy the product(s), tell another friend about the brand, and push them to buy/show off the name. It is an ongoing and viscous cycle for individuals to keep their self-image updated with society. Moreover, the pressure to be accepted by others is influenced by buying a name brand item to avoid a negative response from peers. Jim Guest, author of Consumers and Consumerism in America Today, explains “In the current economic climate, consumers are constantly pressured to buy expensive, often unnecessary products and serves, and to live beyond their means” (148). A major reason for the overconsumption of brands are due to the popularity of brand ambassadors. As consumerism continues to grow, companies are becoming smarter and smarter; they will hire celebrities to endorse their brands and create an image of superiority for others to follow. To name a few examples, LeBron James, a professional basketball player, is endorsed by Nike; Carl’s Jr., a famous fast food chain, displays ads with beautiful models in bikinis eating their burgers; Kim Kardashian, a famous celebrity and fashion mogul, has endorsed Skechers sneakers. These are a few big named celebrities that

Social networking used to be about updates on an individual’s life, but now, it has become a marketing place. Consumers are constantly trying to fit in and boost their egos with the latest products by displaying a picture or status update on what they just purchased. Linda Kulman, author of Our Consuming Interest states “We no longer measure ourselves against the Joneses next door but against people we know only from the media” (59). As society continues to change, no one cares about what their next door neighbor thinks about what they just purchased. Since social media has expanded across the world, individuals are continuously trying to fit in with their local peers and others abroad. The constant newsfeed that is being displayed, sends a signal that they ought to have the same product or out do their followers. Linda Kulman also states “The piling on of such images gives us a sense that we need more and we need it sooner” (58). This is an indication of how consumerism has sky rocketed, because retailers have social media accounts as well now. The countless pictures of their latest products and hashtags, a word preceded by a pound sign (#) that is used to correspond to key words and pictures, are their new way of marketing. In addition, consumers have the sense of superiority when they show off their name brand products to others, because “Those who have it, often