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Lets face the facts here, the United States is a very materialistic society. Most western countries are to some extent but some places such as Europe are less so for cultural reasons.
Now if we look at two countries such as germany and the USA we can look at the "stereotypical" lifestyle choices so to speak. These are based on my observations so take it with a bit of salt.
People in Germany seem to not care about things people in the USA care about. In the USA people seem keen on acquiring things such as a new car, new house, a new TV or new whatever because it is viewed that this will make life more entertaining. Germans on the other hand, though still purchase some material devices to improve their lifestyle, don't seem to be too focused on things such as needing a brand new TV or car and seem more geared toward things such as travel and leisure time.
So recently I have thinking about our debt problems and our issues with welfare abuse that has become a major problem. Also I noticed people with lower incomes still strive to buy new materials goods.
Could it be that our obsession with gross materialism and inproper lifestyle choices has led us to believe we can have our cake and eat it too. People are viewing materialism as the norm for what is considered "life quality" something that I think will be dangerous to us as a country in the near future.
I personally would prefer to see investment in the public sector to improve life quality but when we are geared so towards materialist ideas such as the need for a bigger car and gadgets are needed for a better life I think it will not work out well at all...
Contemporary Americans are conditioned to behave as consumers rather than citizens. We are morphing from the United States of America into the Corporate States of America. Marketeers are the movers and shakers of American society.
A consumer nation MUST spend and "buy stuff". We must consume to keep the wheels going.
You don't become prosperous by consuming though. And you can't keep consuming if you can't generate income/revenue.
Greg Brown has a great song called Two Little Feet.
He has a few lines: we have no knowledge and so we have stuff and
stuff with no knowledge is never enough to get you there Greg Brown - Two Little Feet Lyrics
Contemporary Americans are conditioned to behave as consumers rather than citizens. We are morphing from the United States of America into the Corporate States of America. Marketeers are the movers and shakers of American society.
Thank you, supreme court.
You have a point, but not because of the SCOTUS but because people in the US are being conditioned to expect something for nothing and for the government to take care of them. They no longer ask what the can do for the country but what the country can do for them.
WTF do you think Porsche's and Mercede's come from? Germany has the 5th most televisions. A little less per person than the U.S. but when you figure that East Germany might still be a little slow in catching up one can not make an argument there either IMO.
Looking for bigger and better is a problem if it takes a person to the point of doing wrong to others. However, it also drives innovation and development and commerce. Our bigger problem is that we want things and no longer are willing to take the time to earn them because if we don't have it, then it must be up to someone else to ensure that we do.
WTF do you think Porsche's and Mercede's come from? Germany has the 5th most televisions. A little less per person than the U.S. but when you figure that East Germany might still be a little slow in catching up one can not make an argument there either IMO.
I never made the argument German's don't have TV's, they do but they don't put emphasis on always needing a bigger/better TV every new year.
This isn't about consumerism. Every developed country has consumerism. This is about gross consumerism, to the point where life quality is linked in with having excessive material goods.
I never made the argument German's don't have TV's, they do but they don't put emphasis on always needing a bigger/better TV every new year.
Because you say so?
Quote:
This isn't about consumerism. Every developed country has consumerism. This is about gross consumerism, to the point where life quality is linked in with having excessive material goods.
So German's done enjoy their new Porsche's and Mercede's?
You can't just take some idea you pull out of thin air and extrapolate it into something factual.
People in Germany seem to not care about things people in the USA care about. In the USA people seem keen on acquiring things such as a new car, new house, a new TV or new whatever because it is viewed that this will make life more entertaining.
High consumer tax rates coupled with overall higher prices for consumer goods has a way of curbing one's demand for non-essentials.
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