Saturday, October 2, 2010
Television's Influence on American Materialism
Following WWII, consumerism greatly increased and people began using credit more casually in order to attain the household necessities that were so heavily advertised by the media through television. This again relates back to Americans' dependency on this medium to virtually "tell them" what was commonly accepted and what was needed to attain this "American dream" of a picturesque, modern lifestyle. This dependency infiltrates through different targeted audiences today, in order to alter their views of the norm. For example, the new hit drama Gossip Girl provides teens with an artificial idea of how to attain dignity and respect through standards held by affluent households/communities in upper east-side Manhattan. The clip provided is an example of a pool party which supposedly demonstrates a typical Friday night experienced by this elite group. We often can wonder...is it this form of media that has altered the youth's actions today, or vice versa? Which came first? Which is reality? And which is the reflection?
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AAAHHH THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG? Lol, I personally am a fan of Gossip Girl, but it does bother me that my peers are portrayed as such superficial floozies. The characters of this show are pretty much exactly like the stereotype I would have held of privileged Upper East Siders' whose biggest dilemma was which gala to attend wearing what designer and deciding which superficial floozy to go home with--all the while clad in the latest couture that costs more than what the average American brings home in a month (I'm assuming this, of course).
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that shows like this are effecting the young people that watch them, it's inevitable. But it's human nature to want what you don't have. And since the majority of us aren't on TV, it's "logical" to assume that mimicking those who are will bring you some semblance of what they have. 'Tis a sad, sad reality we live in.
The sad thing isn't only that our society wants to mimick these behaviors but that they are acceptable. This is something that happened so subtly, this American Materialism started with transmitting the message that "credit will help you achieve the American dream", people would go out and buy items they didnt need just to be able to live the "American Life"
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY, it was made too easy. I remember when I went to Belize one of our tour guides was explaining why so many of the houses were half built-- the people would save and do it little-by-little because the loans were so outrageous that no one in their right mind could afford it or would bother.
ReplyDeleteBut HERE, no one thinks twice about taking out a HALF MILLION DOLLAR loan that's going to rope you in for THIRTY YEARS. That's crazy talk if you ask me, but America is all about bigger and more.
This website is retarded!!!!
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