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Consumerism In America

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Why the American culture of consumption is destructive to individuals and society.

Consumerism in America has been at an all time high for years now. Consumerism refers to the consumption of goods and services at an ever-increasing rate. It is one of the many things that America is know for. Our economy is judged by how much people spend, and if it is high then our economy must be well off (Shukla 1). This ideology is purely materialistic and pushes people towards higher consumption than is needed. It transforms others into overly materialistic people who cannot distinguish the difference between wants and needs, and negatively affects those around them including the environment because of the glorification of material wealth. It is highlighted that in a year an American consumes 275 pounds of meat, 635 pounds of paper, energy equivalent to 7.8 metric tons of oil, while 45 years ago, it was once the consumption of 197 pounds of meat, 366 pounds of paper, and energy equivalent to 5.5 metric tons of oil (Goodwin, et al 1). These numbers have nearly doubled within 45 years. That is not to mention the fact that there is a car for every two Americans. Over consumption is very real, and resources are constantly being burned through.
However, consumerism is enjoyed by America, and there are many other countries who wish to consume as we do. David Masci said,“Indeed, more than two-thirds of America’s $8 trillion economy is tied to the selling and buying of goods (1003).”

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