Last Essay.MMC 1000

Do you think U.S. culture is overly materialistic. Why or why not? If you do, what role do you think advertising has had in creating this state of affairs?


The U.S culture is overly materialistic. People think that all the material things such as,
expensive clothes, nice cars, and having a lot of money will make them happy. The truth is that money is not everything and having all the nice things its just a way that makes people think they are better than others. Wealthy people do not appreciate what they have and they are the ones that some of us look up to. For example, when teenage girls listen to Paris Hilton talk about her Manolo shoes and how pretty they are, girls will want to be and look like her.

What I mean is that people who don't have a lot of money, will still buy expensive things just for the fact that they want to imitate the rich and they want others to see that they too can have whatever they want. Also, people buy things they don't necessarily need. People say they will use whatever they buy, but the truth is that they really don't need it. I've seen people who wouldn't eat because they want to safe money to buy new rims for their car. People really do this and it just show us that U.S culture cares more about material things than what is essential for their life.

The role that advertising has done in creating this state affairs is that they persuade people to buy whatever they are promoting. For example, they would make something look really good and they will tell you it will work just because they want your money. A good example is Proactive. Proactive is an acne product and they give this commercials with Hollywood stars saying that they used it and that it really works. When you think you think about, they just want you to buy their product because stars already have their skin clear. I think that advertising has a lot to do with how people act. People just want to be better than others and they want to show it buying things that others can't afford.