Consumerism As An Engine Of Change - 3258 Words

From the 1914 Ford Model T to the 2014 Mercedes S-Class: Consumerism as an Ideology and an Engine of Change In no century did consumerism play a larger role than the twentieth century. How Americans spent their money affected the nation, and how the nation reacted affected the consumer. This established an incredibly cyclical, yet dynamic environment with long term implications. John Lucaks starts his book, A Short History of the Twentieth Century, by writing that the twentieth century was the American century (3). Gary Cross starts his book, An All-Consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America, by saying that the twentieth century was not the American century but a century that belonged to the ideology of consumerism (1). Regardless of what characteristic or nation defined the twentieth century, the United States emerged from this century as a nation of consumers. How it got there may seem puzzling when one considers that the United States spent most of the past century focused on wars abroad, both direct and proxies. These international wars, from the beginning of World War I through the end of the Cold War, catapulted the American people into becoming compulsive consumers. This was not the intended result of the actions of the United States. Cross writes that the United States entered the twentieth century with â€Å"visions of a political community of stable, shared values, and active citizenship,† but emerged from it with a â€Å"seemingly passive societyShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons1042 Words   |  5 PagesDevelopment (OECD) warns that, given the current trends, energy-related emissions will increase by seventy percent by 2050† (Rogers). At this rate our planet is doomed to become a wasteland. Investigations have shown that inconceivable catastrophic changes will take place if the global temperature continues to rise. The polar ice caps are already melting, which can lead to rising sea levels. In addition, extreme wea ther such as droughts, floods, and storms will become a huge problem. The world willRead MoreAmerica in the 1920s729 Words   |  3 PagesAmerica in the 1920s, also known as the Roaring 20s or New Era, was a time of great changes and huge growth. America was being a more modern nation, and a return to normalcy was being seen after the Progressive Movement and First World War. Politically, the American government was seemingly conservative, but experimented with different approaches to public policy and foreign diplomatic policy. Economically, it was a time of tremendous growth and new forms of organization. Socially, the American popularRead MoreHistorical Analysis of The Industrial Revolution 1006 Words   |  5 Pagesdownsides and consequences that, in retrospect, painted the time period in which they arrived in an overall negative light. It is with these downsides considered that we must ask ourselves: overall, was The Industrial Revolution a negative or positive change in the way the world works? Through itemizing three key issues and/or breakthroughs that arose in this morally questionable time period, itemizing a progress, problem, and promise that arose from said issue and/or breakthrough, and supporting my reasoningRead More How did pop art challenge beleifs in consumerism Essay1361 Words   |  6 PagesHow did pop art challenge beleifs in consumerism Introduction: In order to discuss pop art I have chosen to examine the work and to some extent lives of Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol who were two of the main forces behind the American movement. I intend to reflect the attitudes of the public and artists in America at this time, while examining the growing popularity of pop art from its rocky, abstract expressionist start in the 1950s through the height of consumer culture in the 60s andRead More The European Expansion and its Effects on the World Essay1260 Words   |  6 Pagesfactories and machines for the industrial revolution.† (p. 409) The industrial revolution began in the late eighteenth century with the invention of the steam engine by James Watt. Thanks to the steam engine, people were now able to harness the power needed to run pumps, locomotives and eventually machines used in factories. â€Å"It (the steam engine) provided a means for harnessing and utilizing heat energy to furnish driving power for machines.† (p. 412) The British quickly moved to the forefront ofRead MoreEssay on The Effect of the Industrial Revolution on the Wider World2016 Words   |  9 Pagessystem gave rise to socialism. In addition, it will be evaluating how the Industrial Revolution was the precursor to the phenomenon of consumerism and the resulting globalization. The Industrial Revolution was a period from 1750 to 1850 where agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and technology went through a period of significant change. These changes had a profound impact on the social and cultural conditions of the time, beginning in the Untied Kingdom and spreading throughout WesternRead MoreEffects Of The Columbian Exchange1121 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Agricultural Revolution, there was the First Industrial Revolution, it took place in Britain. Textiles were the first widely mechanized industry and soon the steam engine was invented. Thomas Newcomen came up with the first design, which was originally used to pump water out of deep mines, James Watt then redesigned the steam engine in 1769. Transportation was another big thing that came about with the Industrial Revolution, there was a time known as â€Å"the golden age of canals† which was 1760-1830Read MoreEarly Puberty : Puberty, Consumerism / Complex Shift, Peer Pressure, And Technology17 25 Words   |  7 Pagesorder to understand why our children are blossoming at an accelerated rate, we must examine the sources of the issue. In the following I will expand on four main reasons that I believe are the reasons for children developing earlier; early puberty, consumerism/complex shift, peer pressure, and technology. Early Puberty Early puberty has been observed more in young ladies than in young gentlemen. The typical age of a girl beginning puberty has declined. In the early 1900s girl started their periodsRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution Of Europe1553 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The most important of the changes that brought about the Industrial Revolution were (1) the invention of machines to do the work of hand tools; (2) the use of steam, and later of other kinds of power, in place of the muscles of human beings and of animals; and (3) the adoption of the factory system† (Industrial Revolution). The Industrial Revolution was a big event that happened in Europe. Those three main changes impacted everything in a huge way. The Industrial Revolution in Europe was a positiveRead MoreMe Against the Media2375 Words   |  10 Pages† The few students who have actually done the reading chuckle because they know that today’s class is about the pervasiveness of consumerism in popular cultur e and in the schools. Over the years, I’ve resorted to lots of gimmicks like these in my quest to teach students about consumerism. I try to make my students more aware of how the media naturalize consumerism through advertisements, product placement, and especially through advertiser-friendly programming. You might be surprised to hear