Value Judgment and Consumerism: Evaluating American Consumer Culture

This essay argues that American consumer culture is largely driven by the economic, social and psychological landscape of consumption- which blurs the distinction between needs and wants of American consumers. Values of goods and products are therefore judged on the basis of how they satisfy personal wants instead of the intrinsic value of the products or services. However, while this is the case, American consumers have become more demanding and particular with products and services.The irony shows that Americans are driven by a consumerist culture; consumption and value judgment are made based on the personal and aesthetic value of products but competition is making consumers more knowledgeable in choosing their products. American Culture of Consumption Consumption in American society has been regarded as a standard of living and a way of life- the bulwark of which is fuelled by a commodity culture that emanates from the abundance in production and from a sociological point of view , a way to distinguish and create bonds with each other (Friedman, 2).Consequently, it is not only the economic and sociological value that determines how Americans values goods and services- to a large extent, the psychological impact of consumption particularly the emotional gratification which has been celebrated and integrated in popular culture drives the value of goods and services regardless of their true meaning to the American consumer.Significantly, American consumer culture rests on the principle that people work because they want to have the material things that they think they need- things that their social circle has or even people in mass media. To a large extent, American consumer culture is fuelled by big businesses which seek to make consumerism of every American a trend rather than a pursuit of better value. Fundamentally, this hastens the ability of American consumers to draw the line between what is needed and what is wanted thus, making mistaken valuation of pr oducts and services.First, consumerism in American society is largely driven by mass media which largely dictates the value of products and services. Consumers’ belief in the value of an object is a construct that is driven by companies seeking to attain profitability- with the aid of mass media, companies capitalize on value creation consumers are made to want a product and are made to need them regardless if they really need the product or service (Plaster and Alderman, 2).The control of companies on the perception of the consumers on the value of the product and services in turn alters the psychological and social acceptance of a product- the more popular a product is, the higher the value it has according to the society. Thus, popular culture becomes more than an individual construct but rather, it becomes a social construct to which valuation of products and services are manufactured in the media and consumed by the American public. For instance, the I-pod by Apple is no w considered by any American youth to be a necessity.This is not the case for countries in Africa and to several countries in Asia. However, due to the massive influence of mass media, owning an I-pod is now considered as a necessity instead of being a fancy product. This is because American popular culture has accepted and embraced the trend thus, making its way into the lifestyle of the people. Essentially, the value of an I-pod or a product for that matter becomes prominent. This is regardless of whether it is needed to survive.Second, inability of American consumers to value products based on its intrinsic merits emanates from the materialist-fuelled society. Essentially, American consumer culture emerged from the association of materialism with that of the family, sexuality and the individual- realities that have given the essence of existence and in order to be participants within the American culture (Agnew, 4). The association of social status and importance has been related to consumerism- the more one consumes, the higher the social standing one attains.Thus, the belief of consumers that getting or buying the most expensive brands would make their social standing better is again fuelled by the business environment and mass media. Due to societal pressure which can come from the family and one’s social circle, American consumers become susceptible to the creation of needs and in the process, disregarding their personal perception or valuation of a product. For instance, while mainstream society values affordable products, the need to get the latest models and the best brands drives competition to create brand names that precedes their reputation.This is the reason why surplus goods are abundant and midnight sales are frequent. The insatiable drive to get the new products that neighbors or relatives have further blurred the accurate valuation on the real value of the product. However, while mainstream American consumers neglects the intrinsic va lue of the product they are purchasing, another group of American consumers have emerged in recent years- those who have been advocating ethical and pragmatic consumption.Valuing a product or service according to Cohen, Comroy and Hoffner (67) necessitates the consideration of ethical consumption when making ordinary purchases in order to lessen the exploitation of the environment and the natural resources as well as the indiscriminate use of cheap labors to produce affordable and quality goods. This stream of consumers’ advocates for the vigilance and empowerment of the American public in choosing the products or services those are basic and fundamental to survival.While this has yet to receive much support in the society, this movement is gradually taking ground. Finally, with the advent of internet and technological revolutions, consumerism in American society is further heightened. The easier access to products and goods oftentimes, without looking at the products further diminishes the ability of consumers to make an accurate valuation of the products. Conclusion Essentially, American society values consumerism and materialism and in the process, the distinction between consumer needs and consumer wants have become indistinct.To a considerable extent, the inability to distinguish between the two has propelled the inability of most consumers to value products and services. Thus, while there are segments of the society that has opposed this type of consumer culture, the predominant and mainstream American culture continues to consume and spend on products that they may know little or nothing about. Works Cited Cohen, Maurie, Comrov, Aaron and Hoffner, Brian. â€Å"The new politics of consumption: Promoting sustainability in the American marketplace.† Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy. 1, 1(2005): 58-76. Plaster, Gary and Alderman, Jerry. â€Å"Customer value creation: A platform for profitable growth. † Charter Consulting. 1 (2006): 1-7. Friedman, Monroe. â€Å"The consumer culture research landscape. † The Journal of American Culture. 30, 1(2007): 1-5. Agnew, J. C. ‘‘The Consuming Vision of Henry James. ’’ The Culture of Consumption. Eds. R. W. Fox and T. J. J. Lears. New York: antheon, 1983.