Abstract
Consumerism involves encouraging consumers to purchase more products on the basis of the strength of the economy. It shows the consumers that it is good to continually acquire goods and services. A number of scholars have criticized this idea. They argue that it is not good for the consumers and for the economy. In this paper, the author analyzed the attitudes of wealthy and educated and poor and uneducated Americans towards consumerism. The aim was to analyze the group reporting higher levels of consumerism in the society. Two sociological theories were used in discussing the differences between the attitudes of these two groups. They include the conflict and functionalist. Information from eight peer-reviewed American journals was used in this paper. It was found that rich and educated Americans support consumerism more than their poor and uneducated counterparts.
Key words: consumerism, educated, uneducated, wealthy, poor, sociological theories
Introduction
Background Information
America remains to be one of the most developed societies in modern history. The economy is characterized by high income per capita and increased growth. Consequently, consumerism has emerged to be one of the defining attributes of the American society. The concept is controlled and determined by the society the individual lives in. In America, inequities with regards to wealth are evident. There are those who are wealthy and those who are poor. It is noted that the rich continue to amass more wealth as the poor become poorer. Different factors are responsible for the levels of poverty reported among people in America. One of them is unemployment. According to Oorschot (2007), most of the unemployed people in this country lack the necessary qualifications required by employers. Such qualities include experience, skills, and education.
Lack of proper education is the main cause of unemployment among Americans. The impacts of these inadequate qualifications are reflected in the society and in the economy of America. As such, it is important to determine how these qualities are related to consumerism in modern American society. Many people do not understand the reason why attitudes towards consumerism differ between the wealthy and educated and the poor and uneducated Americans. In this theoretical foundation paper, the author is going to analyze these discrepancies.
Research Question
The paper will be guided by the following research question:
Are there any variations between the attitudes held by wealthy and educated Americans and those associated with poor and uneducated Americans as far as consumerism is concerned?
Theories Used
According to Migone (2007), the match between education and job readiness is only optimal among individuals from middle and upper classes. The reason is that these persons have the financial support that is a prerequisite to success in relation to the two attributes (Migone, 2007). Young adults from lower class backgrounds lack the knowledge and training required to acquire well paying jobs.
To address this issue in relation to the research question posed above, conflict and functionalist theories will be used. The latter explains that groups in the society are always in competition over limited resources. The rivalry leads to conflict (Migone, 2007). On the other hand, functionalist theory explains that the society is made up of various components. Each of the components has a specific function.
The author of this paper will focus on the various economic factors that create a division between the lower and the upper classes (Diener & Seligman, 2004). The factors will go a long way in explaining the differences between the attitudes held by the two groups regarding consumerism. In addition, the author will analyze the major causes of consumerism and how these attitudes can be avoided to protect the economy. Furthermore, an explanation as to why the gap between the rich and the poor in America continues to increase instead of reducing will be provided.
Literature Review
Consumerism among the Rich and the Poor
Attitudes towards consumerism between the rich and the poor vary significantly. A number of studies have analyzed whether or not consumerism is stronger among the wealthier and more educated Americans than among the poor and less educated members of the society. The ‘inequality’ gap in the country is wide. The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing on a daily basis. The development affects the economy of the nation in different ways. For example, the rich have access to a number of things that the middle class and the poor cannot afford.
Many rich people in America are influenced by commercial advertisements (Charmaz, 2011). In most cases, these individuals are highly educated and employed. The increased exposure to television and other media outlets encourages them to buy things that they may not necessarily require. Consequently, they end up spending a lot of money on unnecessary items. The situation leads to consumerism. It is one of the reasons why materialism is high among the rich in the society.
The social lives of both the middle and the lower class persons are limited. The people in this bracket have little resources to spend on luxuries. Most of them have to make choices between what to purchase and what to put aside. A good example of this decision involves the choice between food and clothes. It is noted that people in the middle and lower classes will go for food first before making other choices regarding clothes (Johnston & Baumann, 2007). Consumerists or people who have enough to spend tend to use their money on things that are not important. Most of the items purchased are the latest in their line. However, it is important to note that some of the items purchased have personal importance.
Scholars, theorists, and analysts have made efforts to explain the reason why the gap between the poor and the rich in America continues to increase (Charmaz, 2011). The stakeholders are in agreement that the society is divided into groups. Employment opportunities are few. Individuals from the various groups have varied access to these openings. The inequalities evident in America mean that equal access to these opportunities is not realized. For example, schools that are regarded to be for the rich are very expensive. It is in these schools that one is likely to have access to all the facilities required for proper learning. It is not easy for the middle and lower class people to fund education in these learning institutions. The children born to individuals in the lower classes of the society have no other choice but to attend local schools that only offer basic education. What this means is that the individual who attended the elite school and the one who went through the local establishment will never be equal. One of them is exposed to what the job industry requires. In case of an interview, the graduate from the upper social background will be in a better position to clinch the job compared to the student from the lower class (Johnston & Baumann, 2007). Bearing in mind that job opportunities are limited in the nation, the chances of the graduate from the lower class getting a job are very few. At times, employers are biased when offering these employment opportunities. The rich are favored as the poor are left out. Consequently, the wealthy members of the society continue to rule big companies and institutions, while the poor remain in the same position in the society. As a result, the differences between the two groups increase. As the gap widens, attitudes towards consumerism shift.
Theories Explaining Consumerism and Social Behavior: A Case for Conflict and Functionalist Models
Many theories have been used to explain the social behavior of people in the society. Many Americans identify with what they have as opposed to what or who they are. As such, identity is pegged on material things. The situation leads to a conflict between the self and the reality, as well as between the individual and other persons in the society. The conflict theory clearly explains this situation. The theory defines the role of power and superiority in creating social order in a society or a country (Oorschot, 2007). The theoretical framework is largely associated with Karl Marx. In his writings, the scholar tries to explain intra-conflict and inter-conflict among groups in the society. The various groups tend to compete for the available social and economic resources. The conflict theory explains that the wealth of the society is under the control of the stable individuals. The wealth is analyzed in terms of power, social, and economic resources (Chancellor & Lyubomirsky, 2011). Inequality results from these conflicts in the society. The theory clearly explains why there is a difference between the rich and the poor. The rich people in the society try to prove themselves by acquiring more properties. In the process of this acquisition, they spend unnecessarily, leading to consumerism.
The wealthy seek respect and recognition by showing off their wealth. The situation brings the concept of consumerism. For example, an individual may seek to acquire an expensive car due to consumerism. They continue accumulating more cars to prove their identity. Such individuals will do anything to defend their property. The conflict theory explains that inequality in the society occurs when people who have control over resources defend them to ensure they continue to enjoy the benefits associated with their exploitation (Migone, 2007). The theory is applicable to the American society. Most of the rich people in America fight to retain their positions in big companies or institutions. It is the main reason why major and influential positions in the country are held by old people (Edgell, Gerteis & Hartmann, 2006). Even though they are old, they still want to defend their positions to continue benefiting. The actions of these persons deny the poor and the young the chance to advance in life. The social life of the rich continues to prosper. At times, this influence is inherited and, meaning that it stays within the family. Greed for power and money is one of the factors that facilitate consumerism. The rich continue enjoying the resources, while the poor wallow in poverty.
The functionalist theory is another theoretical model that can be used to explain the attitude towards consumerism between the wealthier and more educated and the poor and less educated Americans. The theory explains that the society is composed of different parts. Each of these components depends on the others for survival and stability (Ferraro, Pfeffer & Sutton, 2005). A country can achieve economic and social stability when all the parts are working together. The theoretical framework also explains that the economy thrives when people are given equal opportunities in the various institutions (Diener & Seligman, 2004). A case in point is how people pay taxes to the government. In return, the taxpayer expects the government to offer high quality services, such as healthcare and education (Edgell et al., 2006). When the various functions work together to accomplish the set goals, productivity is enhanced.
However, consumerism may tamper with the balance between the functions of different organs of a society. Social problems occur when institutions fail to treat individuals equally. Most of the establishments controlled by the wealthy continue to function without offering other people in the society a chance to uplift their status. America is one of the societies where the different organs are not functioning as required. The gap between the poor and the rich is increased by the fact that the social institutions are controlled by few individuals (Oorschot, 2007). The people at the top of the socio-economic ladder are wealthier than those at the lower echelons. Access to money among the rich allows them to spend extravagantly. As such, consumerism emerges.
Consumerism, Inequalities, and Social and Economic Instabilities
People occupying different social positions manage situations for their own benefits. Their activities may lead to social and economic instabilities. What this means is that the economy is not fully supported by the pillars of the society. The rich and the poor belong to the same social setup. To avoid conflicts and establish stability, a balance should be established between the rich and the poor people (Ferraro et al., 2005). However, this equilibrium is threatened by a number of factors. The main problem is that those in powerful and influential positions have more to spend than the poor. In addition, they tend to neglect their duties in the office. Most of them like owning imported and expensive items as a way of showing what they are worth. By so doing, they fail to support the local society. The situation is evident in America where the economy is deteriorating due to lack of support from the local market (Diener & Seligman, 2004). Many Americans value self-indulgence and consumption, which translates to poor economic performance. People in the lower classes are trapped in poverty. They have no option but to remain in their current positions.
According to the functionalism theory highlighted above, the poor form the largest part of the society. As such, upgrading their society can lead to stability of the American economy. The wealthy persons hold stronger and positive attitudes consumerism compared to the poor because they have access to resources. They exploit these opportunities without caring about the status of the economy (Ferraro et al., 2005).
Public education prepares young adults for the labor market. It is the function of the government to enhance this education in efforts to revitalize the job market. If the authorities fail in these functions, inequality sets in (Ferraro et al., 2005). At the end of the day, the discrepancies between the rich and the poor increase.
Conclusion
The major goal of this study was to evaluate whether or not there are any discrepancies between the attitudes held by the rich and highly educated Americans and the poor and uneducated persons in relation to consumerism. To achieve this objective, conflict and functionalist theories were used to analyze the status of consumerism in the society. A literature review was conducted using information from 8 peer reviewed articles. The study revealed that there were differences between the attitudes held by the two groups. It was revealed that the rich and educated persons in the American society have stronger attitudes towards consumerism compared to the rich and uneducated. The research is significant given that the skewed support for consumerism is one of the major reasons behind inequalities in America. The poor and less educated cannot compete fairly with the rich in the job market. The reason is that the rich are more educated. Poor training and lack of job opportunities prevents individuals from the lower classes to ascend to higher positions. The government is responsible for the provision of public education. It is possible for the American authorities to raise the economy of the nation by providing quality and affordable public education. The move will help the less fortunate members of the society to acquire skills that can increase their chances in the job industry.
It is clear from the research that the economy of a nation can be destroyed by consumerism. The study has analyzed the various factors that foster strong attitudes towards consumerism among the rich. The research made it evident that it is possible to save an economy that is floundering due to consumerism. Many developed nations are facing this problem. The challenge can be solved by bringing together the government and other stakeholders.
References
Chancellor, J., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2011). Happiness and thrift: When (spending) less is (hedonically) more. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 21(2), 131-138.
Charmaz, K. (2011). Grounded theory methods in social justice research. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research, 4, 359-380.
Diener, E., & Seligman, M. (2004). Beyond money, towards an economy of wellbeing. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5(1), 1-31.
Edgell, P., Gerteis, J., & Hartmann, D. (2006). Atheists as “other”: Moral boundaries and cultural membership in American society. American Sociological Review, 71(2), 211-234.
Ferraro, F., Pfeffer, J., & Sutton, R. (2005). Economics language and assumptions: How theories can become self-fulfilling. Academy of Management Review, 30(1), 8-24.
Johnston, J., & Baumann, S. (2007). Democracy versus distinction: A study of omnivorousness in Gourmet food writing 1. American Journal of Sociology, 113(1), 165-204.
Migone, A. (2007). Hedonistic consumerism: Patterns of consumption in contemporary capitalism. Review of Radical Political Economics, 39(2), 173-200.
Oorschot, W. (2007). Culture and social policy: A developing field of study. International Journal of Social Welfare, 16(2), 129-139.