Patience, Forbearance, Acceptance, Compassion, Modesty

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Final Project
The present American society is depicted as one with increased intrinsic value of materialism and possessions linking the value of material objects to intangible values, as put by Hammerslough, such as “patience, forbearance, acceptance, compassion, modesty, thrift and self-restraint.” Through the power of technology and advertisements, producers are skillfully putting the worth of their products to the consumers’ linking purposely influencing the level of their purchases. Through the incorporation of technology and catchy advertisements, society has adopted a new definition that can be analyzed by society’s purchasing choices and behaviors that best describe the values and morals they possess.
In the wake of selling with emotional intelligence, producers are incorporating catch-phrases that link intangible values, to material objects that can easily be purchased. Hammerslough (2001) gives an example of a poster, “at least some things last forever..”, suggesting the level of materialism that is linked to love. The value of love has been reduced to the level of a piece of clothing that can be bought, and suggestively indicating that the jeans lasts longer than love. Linking the very basic values in humanity has been reduced to material possessions by giving it a price. Instead of creating lasting and meaningful relationships, the society is embracing the quick fixes that temporarily quench the human thirst and hunger for real intangible values. Lasn (2009) notes that “you watch TV. It's your sanctuary. You feel neither loneliness nor solitude here” (p. 52). Instead of creating human contact that will rekindle love and reduce loneliness, television has become the new companion, with a simple push of button indicating increasing materialism that replaces the intangible values with material objects easily bought.
The inherent need to belong and remain in the mainstream has contributed immensely on the society that has embraced the disillusionment provided by producers, influences, and advertisements. As depicted by Hammerslough (2001), “ the fact that young Kennedy was captured on film pulling on his mother’s fake pearls when his father was in office pushed their sale price up to over $300, 000. The inherent value of the product is no longer associated with its real worth but rather its association with rich and famous people. The expensive price tag notwithstanding, the society has forged a new meaning of “value” based on nature and advertisement.  Lasn (2009) also contends noting that “Michael Jordan goes up on your bedroom door. He is your first hero, throwing a glow around the first brand in your life- Nike. You wanna be like Mike.” Any product associated with the “hero” automatically becomes valuable. Future and present consumer decisions become influenced by notable famous people depicting the products as valuable and consequently raising their prices.
Materialism has continued to plague the American consumers reducing them to mere objects of control. Through modern advertisements meant to increase the purchasing power of consumers, advertisers hav...