What makes the American society American? Is it our big cities? Our adaptations to new technology? Our extravagant shopping opportunities? Is it the convenience of our society? The fast food opportunities? The drive-thrus? It is our emphasis on personal travel and transportation means? Or is it our desire for wealth and success? Many Americans focus on these aspects of our society to be happy in their lives. Americans strive to be the best and often little will stop them on their way. There is an emphasis on money, success, and owning the newest and most popular items. This want and desire for the best material goods can be described as materialism. Moreover, another damaging aspect of American society is the media portrayal of what is seen as “acceptable” for teens to practice. The media glorifies the idea of using one’s body for pleasure. It makes it seem as though it is okay and acceptable to participate in the very acts the church teaches are wrong. Moreover, when people try to back their faith and beliefs, they are shot down. Sometimes it is easier for teens to hide their faith, than profess it to others who will criticize them. Two main aspects that undermine our faith are materialism and the media. Materialism is a plague sweeping the nation. People seem to value things more than they value people. They judge how successful they are by the type of house they have, the car they drive, the amount of money in their bank account, the clothes they are wearing, or the size of television they are watching the big game on. Simply put, many Americans base their happiness on material goods. Americans are given the idea that it is acceptable to buy, buy, and buy our way to happiness. As Matthew Carver of Horton Chapel Church of Chri... ... middle of paper ... ...ous other ways someone can live their life other than watching television or spending time online. One does not have to completely eliminate the media out of their lives to live a life of faith. He or she just needs to know the difference between what is right and wrong and how to respond to it in the Christian way. People need to get out of the material world and move to the God-filled world. Works Cited Carver, Matthew. "Challenges to Faith in 21st Century America." Horton Chapel Church of Christ. Horton Chapel Church of Christ, 2014. Web. 6 May 2014. . "Impact of Media Use on Children and Youth." National Center for Biotechnology Information. Canadian Pediatric Society, May 2003. Web. 07 May 2014. .
“I rather would be blind than then see this world in yellow, and bought and sold by kings that hammer roses into gold.” (King Midas Pg.462 Para.10) Many think that if they got what they wanted they would be happy, but if the world was all based on malterlistic things and everyone got what they wanted there would be chaos and no feelings just want and people would do crazy things to get what they want. Now a day’s people mistake malterlistic things for happiness. “The necklace”, “Ads may spur unhappy kids to embrace materialism”, And “Thrill of the chase” illustrates examples of materialism and show some base their happiness on it.
Moore does not devote much of his attention to religious ideas. Instead, he examines several different instances of the blending of the sacred and the profane in popular American culture. Moore narrates the direct and indirect effects of the public display of religion for both sacreds and seculars. History, lifestyle, work, education, government, music, sporting events, marketplace, literature, and womanhood influence people. He also brings up how religion can influence racial militancy and terrorism that threaten equality, domestic security, and national identity.
Tocqueville wrote that Americans are inherently more materialistic than European peoples for three reasons. First, Americans have freed themselves by rejecting “a territorial aristocracy” of hierarchical societal structures on the “soil of America.” By doing so, “the distinctions of ranks are obliterated and privileges are destroyed,” therefore causing “the desire of acquiring the comforts of the world” to haunt “the imagination of the poor, and the dread of losing them that of the rich.” Second, in an egalitarian society, where every citizen has an equal opportunity “the most marked inequalities do not strike the eye; when everything is nearly on the same level, the slightest are marked enough to hurt i...
Strasburger, Victor C., Amy B. Jordan, and Ed Donnerstein. "Health Effects of Media on Children and Adolescents." Pediatrics 125.4 (2010): 756-67. Ebsco. Web. 26 Jan. 2011.
A common opinion of the people of Sweden is that America is country controlled by a group of Christian fanatics. I wish to showcase that Americans different views on religion in comparison to Europeans are mainly due to historical reasons and that its diverse religious views does not necessarily affect their political views. A common misconception is for example that both abortion and homosexuality is illegal and generally opposed by a majority of the American public due to religious reasons, I believe that this is simply not true and wish to bring forth evidence for this.
Have you ever wanted something, an item or material so badly that you would do anything or give up anything for it? Well, guess what? Materials are not a necessary thing in your life. Materialism is ruining people's lives to the point where it is their occupation. In today’s society materialism take part in every person’s life, no matter where they are from or what social class they are.
...hat materialistic attitudes are harmful to one's well-being. “The psychological perspective attributes the development of materialistic values to family circumstances that create stress and self esteem issues that promote materialistic values,” (Hung Vu Nguyen.) Many people in our culture attribute material goods to personal achievement. Truth rings true with Bertrand Russell’s statement “It is the preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else that prevents us from living freely and nobly.” Even at young ages children are competing and bragging to one another of who has more possessions. Past studies by Rindfleisch say that materialism developed over time as a response to stress due to family issues such as divorce, separation, and loss of loved ones. Materialism leads consumers to put a disproportionate amount of their resources into acquiring goods.
Strasburger, V., & Donnerstein, E. (1999). Children, Adolescents, and the Media: Issues and Solutions. Pediatrics, 103(1), 129-139.
Pitman, S. (2008, August). The impact of media technologies on child development and wellbeing. Retrieved from http://www.ozchild.org.au/userfiles/docs/ozchild/research-papers/ImpactOfElectronicMedia.pdf
All over the world the United States is recognized as a land full of opportunity but it is also recognized as one of the most materialistic countries in the world. Americans through the years have always determined their self-worth by how much stuff they have, how much money they have. Americans also tend to be the most materialistic because of where they live. They live in a country full of riches and where the standard of living is so high those are partially why Americans are materialistic the other part is that it is just human nature. We not only live in a country of riches but we are sad having about everything we need. Unlike other countries a lot of Americans are not in a bad economic state and this from the perspective of another person in a low economy country may be seen as being materialistic. Based on various accounts we can say that Americans are materialistic but they are materialistic to an extent, the U.S is a country where now we define our self-worth by how much we own.
How TV Affects your Child? Kids Health. October 2011. Web. The Web.
Parents need to know when their child is exposed to media parent involvement that includes positive guidance on appropriate use of all media that includes internet, music, television, and video games. All media has the possibility to develop positive and negative effects on children and adolescents. Depending on the child’s developmental stage determines if the effect will be
...ut on the effects of materialism. Regardless of its origins, in America materialism works against happiness.
..., DF (2010). Generation M2: Media in the lives of 8-18 year olds. Merlo Park CA: Henry J Kaiser Foundation
Material goods don’t make us happy. Acquiring things like houses and cars only have a transient effect on happiness. People’s desires for material possessions crank up at the same, or greater rate, than their salaries. Again, this means that despite considerably more luxurious possessions, people end up no happier. There’s even evidence that materialism make us less happy.