America has become a consumer culture. Do you agree or disagree? (Essay Sample)

America has become a consumer culture. Do you agree or disagree? (Author’s Name) (Institutional Affiliation) America Consumerism Consumer culture is a form of capitalism whereby the economy is focused on the selling of consumer goods and the spending of consumer money (Thompson, n.d.). The social status, activities, and values in a consumer culture are fixated on the consumption of goods and services. America is no longer the economic powerhouse it was a few centuries ago. The 21st century has witnessed the emergence of China and India as economic giants (Smart, 2010). America’s manufacturing is no longer the driving force of the economy, and there is substantial evidence that classifies America as a consumer-driven economy. Consumer spending constitutes the largest part of the American economy. In 2006 alone, consumer purchases accounted for 70% of the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP). The closest country was the UK whereby users accounted for 61% GDP followed by Italy with 59% (Smart, 2010). Once a leader in exporting manufactured goods, America has increasingly become an importer and a ‘nation of shoppers’. Most of America’s products are predominantly produced overseas, many of which are outsourced by American corporations. America’s consumer culture is responsible for the rising personal debts. According to Tepper (2015), household debt has grown 15% faster than income over the past 12 years. Statistics estimate the average household credit card debt at $7281 and the average outstanding balance at $15609 (Johnson, 2015). The numbers are a testimony that American consumers are taking more debts, which in turn is a revelation that they are spending more. Due to the emphasis placed on happiness brought about by material things by consumer culture, peopl...