American Consumerism and The Personal Identity Essay Example

We feel compelled to buy products to define who we are to others. Typically, this would not be considered a problem, but nowadays I would say it is a problem. People's purchases can serve as identity markers, helping them to develop, express, and transmit relevant information about their own and others' self-images. Consumers do not just buy items, they buy personalities as well. The problem here is that individuals are "persuaded" to buy particular things in the belief that they are identifying themselves and being unique by doing so. A product represents a facet of our identity, which is an issue. It is not original to let ourselves out and be yourself in today’s society.

According to "The Signs of Shopping," shopping has a huge impact on one's identity. “Both malls and catalogs are coded systems that not only encourage us to buy but, more profoundly, help us construct our very sense of identity” (Norton, Anne. 84) Consumption can increase emotions of self-worth, but it can also have a negative influence on consumer well-being. People are reading reviews and making purchasing decisions based on them. Advertisement is a huge way for people to get influenced on what to buy. “Much of it can be credited to massive marketing campaigns designed to convince us that if we only buy this product or that service, we will be happy”( McKevitt, Steve.124) Shopping is appealing to the great majority of individuals in today's culture. Advertisement is only a deception to persuade us that we require a certain thing in order to feel special. That, however, does not make us happy. People use their feelings and intuition to figure out what they need to survive, as well as what individuals want to satisfy any emotional wants. What we require versus what we crave for might manifest itself in different ways due to our distinct opinions and unique character. Nowadays, people do not buy products to identify oneself, brands are frequently employed as symbolic resources for the formation and preservation of identity, and purchasing is becoming progressively meaning-based. Consumer behavior is influenced by brands that align with consumers' "identity." Advertisements depict degrees of happiness and lifestyles that customers desire, and they serve as emblems of the company. There are people who would say that we do not "purchase" our identities with the things we buy, rather, we learn who we are by presenting ourselves to a diverse array of goods and services. I do not agree with that statement because of the fact that people are not buying things to satisfy themselves anymore, but rather to satisfy others. We would like to make them happy since we care about them. Malls or Outlets are places that individuals go to express themselves.

“It is the source of those commodities through which we speak of our identities, our opinions, our desires.”(Norton Anne. 84) Whenever we believe we exclusively fall into one description or whether we believe people identify with ourselves or even when we identify oneself strictly, we lose aspects about ourselves and feel unable to express parts of ourselves that do not match that description. When we assume we are only as complicated as one definition, we restrict ourselves. Sale’s associates would try to convince us that we should buy a product and most of the time it works. That isn’t making us unique in our own way. These people would try to keep initiating a further conversation with you. Whatever form of self-definition we use, it is prone to misunderstanding. Everyone has prejudices, and those prejudices will influence how someone understands our identity. Human behavior may only be fully comprehended if it is considered to be impacted by others, either directly or indirectly. We change our actions when we are around people rather than alone. These findings suggest that people have an impact on our ideas, feelings, and actions. This just proves that we do not really have our own identity because we as humans are easily influenced by others.

Do people in the U.S. define themselves by what they buy? Yes they do and it is a problem. We change our actions when we are around people rather than alone. Purchasing can act as representations, allowing people to build, express, and convey information about their own as well as others' identities. We now, more so than ever, utilize a person's purchasing habits to determine their personal identity, even our own. A product represents an element of our identity. Allowing oneself to be themselves is not unique anymore. People have an influence on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, according to these results.