Running Head: SANCTIONS OF UNNEEDED POSSESSIONS

Sanctions of Unneeded Possessions Jamar Turner WRT 1020 Madonna University

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For a while now people have felt the need to buy things that they dont really need just for some type of self satisfaction or even to impress other people. By doing this people are only continuing to spend money that they could use for something else that may be important. There are some people who arent even fortunate to spend the money that these people spend so they appreciate what they are capable of getting. Instead of trying to keep up with the latest products Americans should focus on real necessities in life. Why Stuff Is Not Salvation by Anna Quindlen is an article about the arguable conspicuous consumptions of consumers in the United States. Anna argues that the consumers of todays society do not think before buying. They buy goods in bulk that are not a necessity of life. She feels that we as a society have turned this spending not only into a habit, but into an unbearable sickness. She even provides insight by using an example that in 2010 a man was killed during a stampede, in which the stampede were costumers who were still trying to buy items after the store was to be cleared! While Americans spend, they dont even think about the durability of an item, but about the most recent and popular items of the month. And then, just as soon as the consumer purchased the item, they are buying yet another to outdate it. Anna also stresses that consumers do not appreciate anything anymore. Years back, people were happy with home goods and even food as gifts and today Americans devalue these things. While they are worried about nondurable and unneeded goods, people are losing jobs, homes, going in debt, and the country is in an economic downfall. And our weakness to this is a plastic square, we call a credit card. Virtually, consumers couldnt even answer the question of why they buy the things that they have. Thats how bad our sickness has become. As we spend more money, the demand for

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public services like homeless shelters, soup kitchens, welfare and food stamps rise, and the public wonders why. Anna thinks that consumers feel that unneeded items bring us salvation, because of the many people that choose to buy these unnecessary items. Now it is arguable that some people may actually think that a 30 inch flat screen television is a necessity to their life, but in reality when consumers are down to their last and have nothing it is almost always a definite that they will regret these spending habits. It is amazing how Americans care so much about materialistic things. It is also devastating that a man was killed due to the fact that people wanted to purchase things so bad. Americans fail to realize that the things they are spending their hard earned paychecks on are only wants but because of the media now days people feel as if they need everything that they see on the television. Americans should really stop trying to keep up with the latest products that are advertised on television and focus on real necessities. The article stated that some real needs are college tuition, prescription drugs, rent, food, and water. All these things are absolutely needs and it is shocking because some people will miss out on things such as their rent in order to get the latest pair or Jordan sneakers or Samsung Galaxy phone. Most of the material things that people purchase are only for the moment which means that they could have spent money on something important instead. As children it didnt take much to satisfy needs but for some reason as people grow older they feel the need to just want more. Im sure a lot of people are aware that the things that they purchase wont bring salvation but they are so committed to keeping up with people who are capable to purchase things as they please. What was really unbelievable from the article was that

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by 2010 Americans will be a trillion dollars in credit card debt. People need to understand that the conspicuous consumption is getting out of control. There were a lot of eye-opening things stated by Anna Quindlen in this article. Having less means more is appreciated and a lot of the things that are being bought arent even being appreciated most of these things are only purchased to show off to others. One day Americans will put aside this desire of every new thing that is shown on television and go back to the old days where things that were purchased get valued.

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