The Economy

Focus on Materialism in American Culture

Write on prompt 5 on page 539 (PDF) of our textbook. You need to use at least 3 sources from the conversation section on pages 512-538 (PDF) and at least 2 outside sources. Those can be ones we've read or seen in class, or ones you find on your own.

Other foci you may wish to pursue include the benefits of different economic systems or the impact of income inequality in America. The point is, you may choose the more guided prompt above, or find your own focus and enter the conversation occurring around that issue.

Additional Sources

A note of the following sources: The sources that follow contain a variety of perspectives and issues. They are by no means exhaustive of the issue or conversation.

Is the American Dream Becoming Too Materialistic?After living in a collectivist society (Pakistan) for more than 18 years, I moved to the US, a country that prides itself on its rugged individualism and...

What Causes Materialism in America? The geography of consumption.

Can There Be a Less Materialist American Dream?The scholar and cultural critic Juliet Schor argues that the once-niche opposition to hyper-consumerism is becoming more mainstream.

Materialism: a system that eats us from the inside out | George MonbiotGeorge Monbiot: Materialism is associated with depression, anxiety and broken relationships. It is socially destructive and self-destructive