Material Goods Cause Violence In American Culture: Your Thoughts?

[Placebo]

I have to write an essay about a specific aspect of the interrelationship between work, material goods and violence in American culture.

I'm at a loss. I have a lot to say but I feel as though I'm not really saying anything substantive. :shrug:

What do you think DU?

[Debi]

1. Shut the F@#$ Up and Get Your Hand Off My Prada Bag!

Only joking.

Wonder, if we didn't have competition over material things wouldn't we still have competition over other things (who was prettier? Stronger? blah, blah, blah..)

Does that help?

[eleny]

2. I thought that lack of work caused violence in families

[Iris]

4. Placebo didn't say anything about familes.

Just the culture in general.

[eleny]

14. Families *are* the culture

[Iris]

15. If you say so.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

3. I think it's the WANT for material goods that cause violence

if everyone had access and the ability to have the same goods, people wouldn't have to want what others have and try to kill or maim to get it. Its not that having a nice car is bad. Its being the only person in the town to afford the best car that makes people jealous and envious and want what you have. Some may work harder to try and get it, while others would just use force (violence) to do it. just mho...

[proud patriot]

5. IMO

The aquisition of Material goods leads people
to fear Violence . The media shows us lots of
Violence on T.V. at an increasing rate . Whether
crimes decreasing or not people are led to that
it is increasing .

People who fear their neighbors will steal
their stuff , make assumptions of others
and react according to their assumptions
and not reality .

[sandnsea]

6. material goods = self value

That's how we measure our value in this country, by our material goods. If you are pushed to the bottom of the pile due to a lack of material goods, your value as a human diminishes, you value others less, making it easier to attack them. :shrug:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

7. thats a really good point n/t

[Ready4Change]

8. Why ask us?

It's YOUR essay. What do YOU think about the subject?

[el_gato]

9. violence is a necessary element of capitalism in general

as well as the requirement of ever expanding markets which predicates the violent takeover of non-commoditized areas physical and mental.
Capitalism is about accumulation for the sake of accumulation which
necessitates ever expaning markets.

[On the Road]

10. It May Help to Get More Specific

Here's how I would approach a paper like this:

(1) Choose one reason or one situation in which possessions may trigger domestic violence. Doesn't have to cover every situation -- the more specific the better in some ways. In fact, materials good do NOT always cause violence. Your theory should identify how your situation is different from those that don't.

(2) Focus on the psychology of the person causing violence. Priorities, goals, frustrations, values, thought processes, sense of self.

(3) Include others in the situation -- spouse, kids, neighbors (important in keeping up the Joneses), marketers (are goods marketed towards the psychology of people who commit violence?)

(4) Get as many supporting studies as possible and footnote thoroughly.

(5) Discuss other ways of understanding the issue you wrote about and why you think your explanation is better.

(6) Finish by relating your finding to a broader understanding of human beings or culture. But don't do this until the end.


That's not what you asked for, but that's how I would approach it.

[Placebo]

11. THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE...

who responded. :)

I'm going to go write it now, I've been inspired.

[Taxloss]

12. Material goods do not cause violence. Desire for material ...

...goods, manufactured by corporations that sell those goods, does cause violence.

Adverts create a sense of entitlement to a product ("you deserve it!"), of exclusion resulting from not having a product ("all the cool people have it!"), of a panacea sense that your problems will be solved if you have a product ("girls will hit on you if you buy this!") and of responsibility for the consequences if you don't have a product ("you and your family will be less safe if you don't own this!").

These messages, with associative images, bombard us constantly. For those who cannot afford the products in question, this creates frustration and anger. And that creates crime.

QED.

[datasuspect]

13. i think you could make an argument

for the relationship between work/materialism and how this relates to identity, and how components of identity can manifest in violence, but i don' think there is a really good connection.

material goods, the acquisition thereof, and the advertising surrounding it all are more narcotizing than anything. i think they make us more docile really.