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Materialism In Society

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Materialism is a problem in American society, everyday people go for the next best thing just to show off their possessions. People show off what they have, and once they get tired of it, they begin to go for the latest, cellular devices, clothing’s, cars etc. According to Tim Kasser, “People develop ideals looking at the lives of their friends, neighbors, co-workers, and relatives” (Kasser52). What he is trying to say is, instead of every person helping each other expand in life, everyone is in rivalry with one another. In order to make an attempt in fixing the American society, making it less materialistic, people must become and think correspondingly of a minimalist. The American society is a materialistic system, causing self-destruction, …show more content…

This is usually considering objects, which has more value than experiences, personal relationships and beliefs. In American society, people have been trained to think that; they are “required” to have more material things in order to be happy. According to Tim Kasser, “The more materialistic values are at the center of our lives the more our quality of life is diminished” (Kasser14). What Kasser is articulating is, if people keep focusing on material things and how they are rumored to make them happy, they are going to self-destruct. It is not the materials that shape their life, it is their personal values, believing in the one above to give them peace. When a person perishes, they cannot bring their possessions with them. A mass number of people has to learn to be adequate with having less in order to build their self-esteem, feeling bad just because they do not have the next best thing to show off, shows how it affects them mentally. That is why there is a Minimalism Movement to assist those in need of a healthy …show more content…

There are people who buy expensive accessories to make themselves feel more valuable. Attire Club argues, “They [American society] end up being owned by the things they buy” (Attire Club). Instead of them taking the time to determine the reason behind buying these expensive, but useless items, they think with their emotions. They let their emotions drive their decisions into buying fancy things in order to show themselves off. People are affected mentally because they think buying material items will boost their confidence within themselves, making them feel more comfortable. The feelings people have motivate them and when they feel motivated they consume more. It is not just adults that are slaves to their materials, it is also teens in the American

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