![]() ![]() Along with this, advances in technology made more new consumer goods available for consumers to buy, such as TVs, cars, washing machines, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners. ![]() This was mainly due to recovery from the Great Depression, in part relying on stimulating the American economy through consumption, making being a consumer synonymous with being a patriot. This new wave of mass consumerism hit American society harder than before. And thus once again, consumer spending became a symbol of social status, affluence, and power. Soldiers returning from war found themselves with new jobs, higher wages, and families to spend their money on. Wartime manufacturing and New Deal programs helped pull the the US out of the Great Depression and into a new era of economic plenty. However, things took a hard turn back in the direction of consumerism when World War II ended.Īfter the second world war the United States was a very different country than before. During this period, instead of valuing the consumption of goods, many people valued frugality and thrift. This trend died off when World War I, the depression, and World War II caused widespread economic hardship. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, purchasing and owning non-essential goods became a symbol of social status and many philosophers saw consumption as a sign of a countries power and influence the more stuff people are buying shows how much money people have to spend. Human society has always consumed material goods, but the intense consumer culture that exists today is a relatively new concept. However many critics of consumerism argue that this kind of mass consumption exhausts natural resources, creates a tremendous amount of waste disposal, and increases environmental problems at almost every stage in the production process. From the economic perspective, mass consumerism leads individuals to spend more money on goods and services which stimulates the market and creates economic growth. While finding happiness and the concept of ownership are typically rooted more in philosophy, consumerism is also very relevant to economics and the ways in which business practices are done. In essence, consumerism refers to the idea that purchasing and owning material goods is the key to being happy. But understanding what the term consumerism is and where it can be found in the modern world can help us be more aware of the impact of what we buy. The word consumerism may seem like a catchy buzzword that’s hard to understand. Faith Inspired Renewable Energy Project.Interfaith Gathering for Peace in Ukraine.Faith Leader Declaration on Climate Change.Holyland Seminarians Faith & Ecology Project.
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