The Biological and Psychological Drives Behind Consumerism Essay

The chosen article is Two Cheers for Consumerism by James Twitchell. In this article he talks about consumerism, commercialism, and materialism. He argues the stand point of consumers and the role they live by every day. In other hands the critics, Academy, gives the consumers and overview description to their consumers.

Today, people consume for necessity and pleasure. The act of consuming goods may allow one to fit in, feel confident, or participate socially in shopping culture. Consumerism has become a universal behavior amongst most people and

In this essay I will be outlining consumerism and claims that a consumer society is always a throw-away society. Consumption plays a big part in our lives and causes us to live in divided societies. It may make us feel like we fit in buying new gadgets and clothes and also give us that sense of belonging but we don’t take into account what happens to the old items and packaging. People do not want to look at the problems caused. I will use this essay with the evidence I have read

One’s consumerist habits often times seems innocent enough, like buying a new phone to keep up with everyone else or splurging money on new clothes because it is fashionable. But to what end? Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical “All of us experience firsthand the sad effects of this blind

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley depicts a future world that has mechanized and removed all sense of life to being human. In this world, people work for the common good of the community and are conditioned to dislike what, today, we would consider common and healthy relationships with people and environments. The story follows a man, John, not born into the culture and his struggle with the unfamiliarity with the “Brave New World”. Published in 1932, Brave New World often leaves roots back to the world Aldous was in when he was writing the novel. I believe the genius of Huxley’s writing was his ability to effectively select the traits of 1930’s society that would later become a staple for Americanism in the coming century and, in time, allowing for a relatable story to the modern day while giving us warning to the future.

Even though people that children trust can have a big influence on their lives the media can also. One of the ways the media affects children are with images. Even though

Americans live in an era of out of control spending that is driven by materialism. Children at a young age become well acquainted with the idea that owning the newest and best puts a greater amount of value into one’s life. Unfortunately, for many, this negatively translates into adulthood. Materialism is the root of millions of American citizen’s insurmountable amounts of debt. People have the desire to appear to their family and friends as though they are living lifestyles of luxury, when in reality, they are simply digging themselves a hole of debt they will never escape. But not only is trying to keep up a wealthy persona costly, it also entails a vicious, draining cycle that constantly leaves the consumer

Consumerism is the center of American culture. Americans tend to confuse their wants with their needs. With new advances in technology, as well as the help of advertisers, people are provided with easy access to new products that seem essential to their everyday life, even though they have survived this long without them. People cannot live without food, clothing, and shelter. But realistically, according to people's different lifestyles, more than food, clothing, and shelter are needed. Most people need to work to survive. Unless a job is either in their own home, or within walking distance, a means of transportation is needed. Whether it be a vehicle, money for a taxi-cab, or a token for a ride on the subway, money must be spent

As we are constantly exposed to mass media and popular culture in our modern society, the insidious nature of consumerism has allowed it to penetrate into every aspect of our lives, dictating our very beliefs, values and wants. Nearly every individual in our society subconsciously conforms to the shallow and superficial mindset that characterises our consumerist culture. This idea is highlighted by the following texts; the poem “Enter without so much as knocking” by Bruce Dawe, an extract from the sermon “The Religion of Consumerism” delivered by Peter House, the poem “Breakthrough” by Bruce Dawe, and the

Twin studies provide evidence that bipolar disorder is linked to genetic component. A research study published in the Epidemiology for Behavioral Neurosciences asserts that “twin studies demonstrated that there are strong genetic factors involved in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder, which also influence white matter, which in turn is involved in brain connectivity” (Squarcina, Fagnani, Bellani, Altamura, & Brambilla, 2016). From the above research, it is obvious that there is correlation between bipolar disorders and genetic factors.

The economy is a very fragile thing; however it can have an enormous impact on people. Americans especially are affected because they are so greedy, they always want more. Because Americans are very materialistic, they can become overly arrogant and possessive since they are used to getting their way, on account of having money.

Figure 3: Lush label states "Fresh Handmade Cosmetics" and "Bring back 5 Pots and Get a Fresh Face Mask Free"

We as humans find ourselves in a constant pursuit of a life stable enough to provide a certain degree of control and self-sufficiency while also remaining open to the possibility of circumstances which are not entirely under our control, such as love. To recognize the beauty of the mysteriousness and uniqueness associated with love, a force we cannot control, while also maintaining a certain degree of self-sufficiency may possibly allow us to live a good life with a love immune to tragedy. The idea of what constitutes the “good life” can be categorized in two contrasting perspectives: a life of goods or a life of self-sufficiency. A life of goods including wealth, reputation, and honor proves itself to be seriously vulnerable to circumstances beyond the control of the agent. For example, the agent cannot control the social or economic class they are born into. Similarly, they cannot control the way others view them. Although one may seek the approval of others, they have no control over whether or not they actually receive it. On the other hand, a self-sufficient life revolves around wisdom, truth, and the best possible state of one’s soul. The self-sufficient “concern [themselves] with the pleasures of learning, and adorn [their] soul(s)… with its own ornaments, namely, moderation, righteousness, courage, freedom, and trust” (Phaedo, 114e-155a). Whichever version of a good life one chooses to live by, love undoubtedly serves as a component of the flourishing life. The

Consumerism is a description of society’s lifestyle in which many people embrace to achieve their goals by acquiring goods that they clearly do not need (Stearns, 7). The idea that the market is shaped by the choice of the consumers’ needs and wants can be defined as a consumer sovereignty (Goodwin, Nelson, Ackerman, Weisskopf, 2). This belief is based on the assumption that the consumer knows what it wants. Contrary to this logic, marketers convince us that the consumer does not know what they want. The consumer has to be told what they want or be persuaded by advertising items in a matter that demonstrates the reason a product makes their life easier or will improve their life instantly. As one of the most successful entrepreneurs,

In the book Macbeth by William Shakespeare it will be explained the reasons why Macbeth’s choices caused his downfall. Macbeth caused all of these events by his free will because he never listened to the signs that were given to him. He murdered, tricked, and destroyed people that he thought would get in his way.