Why is america so materialistic?

Answer 1

I don't think we're that much more materialistic than the British with their fancy clothes and antiques and everything (at least that's the impression I got through watching Frasier). I think any successful nation eventually takes things for granted. In the US's case, I think the clash of cultures has lead to a lot of bickering about racism, social class (the downside to our right of speach), and basically all of the unique problems derived from our unique government and economy.

People of today grow up in an environment where fights and feuds are constantly occuring. As they've lived through it, they have gotten an unsettling impression on people -- especially as they grew up as kids. They spent their childhood in an environment where the other kids experienced the same kind of hate and rage that they have. Some of those kids used that experience along with other similar experiences (disfunctional families, less fortunate and/or mistreated families/people, rough neighborhoods, etc.) in social life, and reiterated the behavior they learned from those role models which lead to fights. And fights can have powerful affects on the ones involved or even witnesses.

The victor sees the incident as an efficient way do vent his anger, and especially when returned to his previous environment, he will want to use that technique again, which can eventually lead to bullying, which gives him a false sense of power. This false sense of power can cause damage in several ways. He can become arrogant and, later in life, expect other things to be as easily solved that way. The false sense of power can also lead him to a situation (like another fight) where he is confident that he will succeed, but ends up failing. When this happens, his previously high confidence becomes instantly shattered and he experiences a sudden uncertainty about himself and become in the loser's shoes. He may feel guilty and try to change his personality or learn to hate himself. This could make him emotionally unstable or develope a low self-esteem. Overall, he will most likely have a lot of trouble adapting to this major change in social status among his peers.

The loser of the fight can see it as an emotionally and/or physically painful result to this situation of high emotion. He may decide to avoid these situations in the future and if he fails to do that and finds himself in another similar situation, either he will succeed this time and then suffer the consequences, which could affect him in a similar way that it affected the previous victor (not exactly the same because these events happened in the opposite order). He would become in the victor's shoes. His sense of self worth could very likely rejuvinate, but make him overconfident (due to this victory being similar to revenge) about his limitations and encounter big let-downs; or he could become dependent on second chances, but I think that is unlikely. And depending on how long he had had a low self-esteem, he may want to change his personality, which could lead him to a new, deeper feeling of uncertainty (meaning any hope he had of this day might have been in vain with a series of failed attempts) and lose his sense of identity (however that is also rare) and/or become socially disfunctional. Although, the loser of the fight may take a different direction and be looking to even the score, which would just keep the chain reaction going and going.

I think that sex is also partially resposible (especially under America's freedom of speech). The media has progressively enforced the issues of sex over the past decades. These frequent exposures eventually have a profound influence on the public's attitude about sex. When the media mettles with sex, it's like playing with fire. Sex can have one of the greatest affects on a human's psychy. It has the great ability to manipulate. It has become so common that people are use to it and doesn't seem near as significant. All it has left is the ability to provoke desires. And when exposed to kids going through puberty can cause a lot damage. In some ways, it's like handing out an addictive drug. People will always want more. Since everyone reacts different, this creates a lot of different ways for a problem to start. Some will become obsessed and find themselves stalking someone or raping someone. How do think pedafiles came about? Sex was probably so heavily introduced to them while they were kids, that it sparked a flame way too early. They became so obssessed with the idea of sex that they started associating everything with, because it was always on their minds. And who do kids hang out with? -- Other kids. So especially when they saw another human (especially one of the same age), which is what sex was intended to be used with, the idea of sex became the most significant to their brains. And it had such an influence on them, that whenever they look at people that age, they immediately associate it with sex, because prepubescent bodies is what they preferred whenever they thought about sex. And when they actually started to go through puberty, it will have a completely different effect because the timing was way off. Now the pedafiles are hated by the public because are naturally compelled to do the same thing to their kids. The attitude of sex is what used to be what separated humans from the animals. But humans understand too much of the obvious (basic experience of what happens) and not enough of the rammifications (the wider scale of what can happen) of life. What the hell did we excpect would happen? And this is just one ways that sex has been perverted. It has lead to marrital disfunction because the relationship is tainted by one or both person's interrupted biological development process(es). And people are constantly feuding with each other partially because of an underlying resentment toward those who hurt them in any way. During puberty, everyone's emotions are amplified, so damage during this time is the worst damage.

All of this is a big mess self-created by humanity and will probably keep doing it as long as self-attainment is strongly desired by any human being. This leads me to why I think American's are so materialistic. We are looking for something pure. Something untainted. It is getting harder and harder for people to look at someone without subconsciously associating it with sex, and whenever sex is thought of, the damage done during that time is uprooted either subconsciously or consciously. For those of us that are more likely to remember our pain, we are more likely to feel hate for a specific group of people. Those of us that are more likely to remember our pain subconsciously, are more likely to deal with repressed memories and possibly develop and emotional disorder (such as sociopaths, sex addicts, pedafiles, homosexuals (not necessarily a disorder), etc.) Ironically, we are forced to pay for the sins of our fathers and our sons will most likely to pay for ours, which appear to be getting worse and worse.

(Keep in mind that the outcomes of these scenerios are pessimistic, but only because they are used to support a reason for a pessimistic question.)

Answer 2

For so many their lives are equated to a dollar figure because they feel that if they did not have this or that material thing, they are nothing. Then that just evovles to everyone wanting to have it so they are not seen as someone left out of the loop. Companies bank on people being so vain that they know they can charge whatever amount they want when they release a new product because people will spend it to just be the first to say they have it.

Example...the PS3, who in their right mind would spend $699 for it the first day of release when in about a year or two, the PS4 will be released? But a bunch of people did it just so their kids could feel special cuz they have the new Playstation and can brag at school.

Bottom line, none of those things can get you into Heaven and material things don't bring happiness in the end. All it does cause more drama cuz the people around you are there for what you have and when it is gone, so are they.

Answer 3

Humans in general are materialistic, not just Americans. Americans may seem more so then others, however this is merely because they have a greater access to goods then most people. A tribe in the Amazon might be just as materialistic as any american, however you will see more evidence of this the US then the Amazon.

Answer 4

I think that it has a lot to do with our pervasive advertising and growing up with television and watching "perfect" families with "perfect" cars, houses, clothes, etc..

It also has to do with the fact that credit is easy to obtain and that makes it simple for people to indulge their need to "keep up" with others who are perceived to be successful.

One of the other reasons is that people feel depressed, anxious and empty and buy things to fill themselves up.

Also, what about the parents who want their child to have every advantage, but feel guilty for spending too much time at work or socially, so they buy, buy, buy for their kids to replace their time together. These kids grow up having everything and DOING nothing for it. They're the ones who then go out and ring up massive amounts of personal debt buying things because they feel entitled to have what they always have had.

Lastly, in the USA we can obtain ANYTHING fairly easily if the money (or credit) is there. Everything in the world is available to us and we're spoiled by that.

Answer 5

materialism comes from the fact that owning materials or purchasing items or taking vacations or traveling all boost dopamine levels in the brain, this neurotransmitter is responsible for feelings of self worth and pleasure, and also motivation. so when you acquire something you are rewarded with a release of the neurotransmitter in your brain, and at the same time motivated to make more money to get more things.

Answer 6

Because we, on average, live much better than a lot of people around the world. We are a spoiled society and when people don't have real problems to attend to they fill up their dull days with the endless cycle of acquistion to give their meaningless lives some empty illusion of purpose.

Answer 7

That feature certainly isn't unique to only the United States. However, I think we stress business greatly and a keeping up with those around you mentality. These things allow both easy access and easy consciousness of our "need" for the latest thing.

Answer 8

u . s . a . of america? Materialistic? Does the solar fuse hydrogen to helium? Is the water interior the sea blue? of route that is...individuals worship the Almighty dollar (so do us Canadians too...)

Answer 9

We're SPOILED, we have all the conveinences a man could want, but always looking for more. We have been condition to think that way! The more we have the more people seems to think of us as a succes & that means power to some. And we LOVE POWER!

Answer 10

Compared to whom or what? The real question is, 'why are 'human beings' so materialistic?' Materialism is not exclusively American.

Answer 11

because it feeds the economy by keeping currency moving at all times instead of sitting in a bank. If more people put their money in the bank to save the economy would crash.