The Teenage Materialism Complex in America Alex Reese
Encouraging Future Financial Success There is an ambition for members of society to become financially successful individuals. This concept is stressed in schools and families across the nation and is one of the leading foundations of education. One of the first things a child is asked when they enter school is about their aspirations. Teachers, administrators, and even parents continue to guide the child towards a path that they believe will be beneficial to their future. This method has been proven to backfire. One study showed that “the more people valued materialism, the less they valued ‘warm relationships with others.’” And furthermore, this is “demonstrated in three samples that late adolescents evidenced lower well being (e.g., more depression, lower global adjustment, and self actualization) with aspirations for self-acceptance, affiliation, or community feeling,” (Kasser, Ryan, Zax, and Sameroff, 1995, p. 907). Therefore, the more the concept of financial success is forced upon a child, the less likely they are to actually become financially stable in the future.
Saving In the United States, it is common for an average teenager to pay at least a portion of their first car, luxuries, and their college education. In order to make these payments, it is crucial for the teen to save money for a significant amount of time. A common misconception about teenagers is that they are simply unable to save their money. Many studies show that adolescents save money with surprising greatness. Unfortunately, it is suggested that they only “reflect short-term savings for big-ticket items such as leather jackets, sound systems, and so on. In the United States, many teens save to buy their first car or raise money for car insurance” (Moses, 2000, p. 30). This means that young individuals have the capability of saving their money for short lengths of time in order to save up for luxuries such as computers, sound systems, pieces of clothing, etc. Teens often have a skewed perception of saving because they have simply been misguided.
A New Approach America is a land of opportunities a land built upon an economic foundation of consumerism and interdependency. The country has developed a system of reliance where we buy and sell goods from one another perpetuating a cycle of industry throughout our nation. Although it is important to keep this fluid motion, it is also important to remember good economic practices. These practices should be instilled at a young age. Currently, it is expected for children to learn these habits through schooling and textbook knowledge. Although it is important to learn the basics of economics through finance classes, this method is not always effective, especially when used alone. To reinforce these classes, endorsements by celebrities and other influential figures is often beneficial.
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