The Real American Dream: Consume, Consume, Consume
By: Mick, September 6th, 2006
From time to time in my daily wanderings, both physical and mental, I get overwhelmed by the constant inundation with product advertising that surrounds us and the consumer mentality that sustains it. I usually reach my breaking point when I catch myself getting sucked in by to the evil machinations that drive the American consumer. Almost every one of us has fallen victim to it at some point and I’m starting to realize that the whole consumer mentality runs in direct opposition to any true pursuit of human happiness or fulfillment. I was flipping around Technorati when I saw a great blog post from And, Yes, I DO take it personally (this is an excerpt taken from the context of a political commentary — although there is no political reference in the quote below, it stands on its merits without any direct political reference):
one additional point… we cannot and must not forget that, in addition to all the things thom hartmann cites in his alternet article, the middle class is also being screwed by its devotion to the insidious and destructive “consumer mentality…” the idea that we somehow must always possess new and better “stuff” and spend our weekends at the mall or walmart keeps those bills coming in… i’m not arguing that the middle class isn’t under attack… it certainly is… but we had also better take a look at our media and corporate-inculcated beliefs that stuff = happiness…
As I drive past countless new McMansion communities on my way to purchase my new Pottery Barn furniture, I sometimes stop and wonder what the hell I’m doing. What the hell are we doing? The vast majority of people work their asses off so that they can spend and consume just slightly - and often well - beyond their actual comfort level, whatever that may be. Expensive houses, cars, electronics, furniture, and countless trendy anythings are all must-have items. True, this doesn’t necessarily apply to the top or bottom few percentage points of the American population, but if you’re reading this, you are probably one of us. The Consumer Age will almost certainly outlive everyone alive today, but I’m really getting sick of it.
Tags: american dream, consumerism
Entries
September 6th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
[…] Mick made a point of great interest to me in his very recent blog post about the American fascination, or obsession, with consumption. He didn’t mean food consumption, though given the expanding waistlines of ‘Muricans that may be a valid point as well. What he was talking about is the “work to consume” mentality that has imprisoned many middle class folks in this country (metaphorically speaking, of course - I’m not talking about the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus or the return of debtor’s prison). […]