Materialism could be summed up as the belief that possessions and tangible objects are the most important things in life; thus making spirituality and moral values less important. I have seen countless advertisements stating that if you buy this product it will make your life easier as well as if you buy this other product you will be more attractive and so forth. We live in a society where the quantity of goods you own apparently determines the quality of your life. Anthony Burgess says it best in Is America Falling Apart? when he mentions “new appetites are invented; what to the European are bizarre luxuries become, to the American, plain necessities” (236). This has created a society of individualism and an era of ‘use and throw away’. This has shifted to the entire landscape of the country. There is another side of this argument as there always is. Having nice things and living comfortably is what people strive for. Many people do consume in moderation. However, living in the advanced nation that we do, we have more access to different amenities that many across the world do not. I have seen a recent shift towards a goal of becoming ecologically sound which gives hope for the
Materialism could be summed up as the belief that possessions and tangible objects are the most important things in life; thus making spirituality and moral values less important. I have seen countless advertisements stating that if you buy this product it will make your life easier as well as if you buy this other product you will be more attractive and so forth. We live in a society where the quantity of goods you own apparently determines the quality of your life. Anthony Burgess says it best in Is America Falling Apart? when he mentions “new appetites are invented; what to the European are bizarre luxuries become, to the American, plain necessities” (236). This has created a society of individualism and an era of ‘use and throw away’. This has shifted to the entire landscape of the country. There is another side of this argument as there always is. Having nice things and living comfortably is what people strive for. Many people do consume in moderation. However, living in the advanced nation that we do, we have more access to different amenities that many across the world do not. I have seen a recent shift towards a goal of becoming ecologically sound which gives hope for the