What Is Consumerism
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What is consumerism? Its a way of life in which people value material goods. Now, consumerism is more widespread than before. Doing the 18th century, what you produce determines your class and your place in society. As people earn more, they consume more. I feel because of consumerism, this is the reason for we have the terms open and closed societies and social mobility.
” It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevent us from living freely and nobly (Henry David Thoreau)”. Open society is when people are able to move from one class to another, more less saying everyone can participate. An example of open society is freedom of religion. In the United States, the religious civil liberties are guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
In a closed society, people arent allowed to move from one class to another. Islam is a closed religion because they have been institutionalized. They have caused division and taken away their rights away as human beings.
Social mobility is coming from one social status to another that is either higher or lower. Education is a big factor, because if a family doesnt have the wages and earnings to send their children to college, most will most likely not get a higher education to move up in society. Gender and race come into play. History shows that women and minorities have a disadvantage in getting promotions and moving up in status; being a woman or minority is one of the main determinants in hindering status mobility within the labour market. Women and minorities hold jobs with less rank, authority, opportunity for advancement, and pay than men and many whites.
Beyond a threshold of poverty, money doesnt buy happiness. Wealth may seem like a solution to your problems, but often it simply replaces the ones it solves. As paychecks increase, lifestyles usually match those increases. This results in the same financial worries and budgeting problems, just with more stuff.