Consumerism in AmericaAn example of American
Consumerism during the Roaring Twenties is the purchase of cars. In the Roaring Twenties nearly 60% of all Americans purchased their cars on credit. Credit was never an issue - people thought that America, and therefore the Stock Market, would always be invincible. It is ironic today that the same people who so loved buying cars in the twenties are now the most anxious to buy credit cards. Their anxiety and desire for things such as the latest model automobile is based mostly on consumerist ideas rather than on real needs.
How does this compare with the European model? In Europe there is no real "mass" culture. Citizens do not live in huge houses or drive expensive imported sports cars. Instead, citizens tend to live in small apartments and they generally own very little. The idea of thrift, which goes hand in hand with American consumerism, is also very absent in continental Europe. Do I have enough stuff? Visit this website to get more information.
The difference between American and European thrift is not just a matter of mindset. In America, individual consumers have the initiative to control consumption. If a consumer cannot afford a particular product then he can choose to go into business for himself and thus buy his own product instead of having it forced upon him. This is how the major corporations of the world have survived and continue to thrive - they follow the will of the consumer.
European consumers do not tend to control their purchases like Americans do. They allow businesses to dictate the price of their goods and services. For example, if a consumer is dissatisfied with the price of a particular good and does not like the brand then he has the option of buying something else, of going into business for himself, or of refusing to buy that particular good at all. Because Europeans are large buyers, they have plenty of excess commodities that they do not use, whereas Americans tend to have a problem storing their excess commodities. You can get more info. here about American consumerism for a better understanding.
In fact, another hallmark of the American spirit is thrift. Americans tend to be thrifty and they like to save money. Many of them attend thrift stores where they purchase goods in great big bulk, usually purchasing things that they use once only, such as books or television sets. Because Europeans are so rich and relatively affluent, there is no need for an American consumer to be thrifty; therefore, the culture of thrift in America is somewhat foreign to the culture of thrift in Europe.
Finally, the last remnant of American consumerism is the notion of "free riding". This is where Americans are able to purchase goods that the government controls, for example the food market. The main difference between this and other forms of laissez faire consumerism is that the goods are sold at a loss. Many Americans believe that it is better to let the government deal with the food market, but the reality is that the government often subsidises the food market in America so that it can remain competitive. So while this might be a form of consumerism in the truest sense of the word, the culture of consumerism in America is far more moderate than most people think. Check out this related post https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Culture to get more enlightened on the topic.
