Redefining The American Dream :: Philosophy Psychology Essays

Redefining The American Dream Consumption patterns portray the dynamic lay out of the American Dream. The American Dream today is significantly different that it was fifty years ago. Today Americans work longer work hours, spend 40% more(prenominal) time watching T.V and 40% less time with their children (AGO 2001). The avarice of mankind is insatiable, claimed Aristotle when describing how the appetite of mankind is never conform to (Durning). As every desire is satisfied a upstart one rises up to take its place (Durning). This is true for all people we want more money, a better job, a new car, better benefits, on and on until suddenly it is clear that we have wasted our lives in search of something that actually never made us happy. A sassy woman always told me never have any expectations and you will always be pleasantly surprised, the same holds true for usage. Imagine a solid ground where consumption was an addiction similar to alcohol or drugs . Over consuming is a crime punishable with jail time and Consumer Anonymous rehabilitation meetings. This was the universe of discourse we attempted to portray during our brief Consumers Anonymous meeting. The opposite is currently happening, the frugality expanded 4% between the first quarter of 1998 and 1999 (Krugman 1999). Consumption grew 5.5% during that period (Krugman 1999) . When the economy toke a down turn after President Bush was elected into office, the federal government urged Americans to do their part by spending. The average savings in the United States during 1970 was 8.5%, which has plummeted to an obscene low of 2.1% in 1997 by 1998 savings dropped even further to less than 0.5% (SLI). The lowest saving rate ever witnessed was in 1933 during the capacious depression at a 2.1% (SLI). By 1997 the total debt of U.S. households had reached 89% of the total household income (ecocompass 2000). The United States has less than 5% of the worlds pop ulation heretofore Americans consume 24% of the worlds energy, 27% of the worlds aluminum and 21% of the worlds beef (SLI). The big shocker is with all of this consumption the happiness levels are not raising (SLI).