2008 Woodie Awards
Caught in the clutches of U.S. consumerism
By: Chad Puterbaugh
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Forum
A chicken in every pot, a car in every garage, an iPod for every outfit, three pairs of shoes for every day of the week, and therapy for every dog. There is no question about it: Consumerism is the new American dream.
And who can blame us? From the moment I wake up, the BBC, the TV, NBC and even MTV are all shouting at me, "economy, economy, economy, spend, spend, buy, buy, more, more, more."
Our American instincts have never been sharper.
But what if consumption is not the route to happiness?
Suppose that there is, perhaps, some alternative to buying the stairway to heaven. How would you ever know it? How would you ever come to such a realization despite all the commotion suggesting the opposite?
Maybe today is one of those days where you question your assumptions. The BBC released a report Tuesday suggesting the Brits have had no general rise in satisfaction for their current standard of living in nearly 30 years.
This seemingly innocuous piece of information is deadly when you consider that their household income has risen by 60 percent and household wealth has at least doubled in that time period, according to the story.
If you're asking yourself what that has to do with the price of tea in China, sit back and consider what these figures really represent.
In the U.K., the average household's income has risen 60 percent. This is no small number; indeed, it is more significant than that last increase in Ohio's minimum wage.
Think of all the extra things you could buy with an extra 60 percent added to your paycheck every two weeks.
Yet, despite having a general trend of increasing wealth in the U.K., we're not seeing any increase in general satisfaction with that standard of living.
Translated: More money has not led to more satisfaction with life.
Perhaps the English are unusually melancholy. And maybe you're thinking, "Hey, Chad, that's not the way I roll; I know more money would make me happy."
And who can blame us? From the moment I wake up, the BBC, the TV, NBC and even MTV are all shouting at me, "economy, economy, economy, spend, spend, buy, buy, more, more, more."
Our American instincts have never been sharper.
But what if consumption is not the route to happiness?
Suppose that there is, perhaps, some alternative to buying the stairway to heaven. How would you ever know it? How would you ever come to such a realization despite all the commotion suggesting the opposite?
Maybe today is one of those days where you question your assumptions. The BBC released a report Tuesday suggesting the Brits have had no general rise in satisfaction for their current standard of living in nearly 30 years.
This seemingly innocuous piece of information is deadly when you consider that their household income has risen by 60 percent and household wealth has at least doubled in that time period, according to the story.
If you're asking yourself what that has to do with the price of tea in China, sit back and consider what these figures really represent.
In the U.K., the average household's income has risen 60 percent. This is no small number; indeed, it is more significant than that last increase in Ohio's minimum wage.
Think of all the extra things you could buy with an extra 60 percent added to your paycheck every two weeks.
Yet, despite having a general trend of increasing wealth in the U.K., we're not seeing any increase in general satisfaction with that standard of living.
Translated: More money has not led to more satisfaction with life.
Perhaps the English are unusually melancholy. And maybe you're thinking, "Hey, Chad, that's not the way I roll; I know more money would make me happy."
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