The American Pandemic

Stuffed

Writing 110, Paper 5

Cause and/or Effect

October 22, 2013

Abstract

Society leads us to believe that we are worth what we have. This attitude oftentimes results in us becoming enslaved by material possessions. We engage into vicious cycles of revolving credit, chasing after the next buy. Hour upon hour spent maintaining belongings instead of relationships. Ultimately becoming so attached to “stuff” that we cannot bear to part with it.

Stuffed:

The American Pandemic

        Ever come across the bumper sticker that reads, “He who dies with the most toys wins!”? I’m sure whoever came up with it thought it was pretty funny. Sadly, society has a tendency of measuring wealth by the amount of material possessions we own. We live in a country where excess is the way of life. This attitude becomes a problem when possessions possess us. Material possessions- “stuff” can cost us a great deal of money, time, and despair.

The desire to own stuff oftentimes results in spending more money than we make. We often succumb to the constant bombardment of television commercials enticing us to buy the latest and greatest gadgets. The advent of the internet has made it very convenient to feed the insatiable appetite to acquire material possessions. With more and more debt at hand, the perpetual cycle of credit card charges becomes inevitable. This monetary burden can potentially lead to economic instability and credit demise, shunned by financial institutions. Ultimately this leaves us with a sense of failure and frustration by, no longer having the ability to quench the urge to buy more stuff.

Maintaining amassed goods requires a great deal of time and dedication. Those cherished possessions may require cleaning, organizing or servicing. We sometimes spend weekends working on recreational vehicles we only use once per year, if at all.  Hour upon hour spent organizing the garage which resembles an auto part store or home improvement center. The time spent caring for goods means we have less time to foster relationships with family and friends. We slowly become detached from society and enter into a world of seclusion, surrounded only by mere belongings.