Materialism and Advertisement

               We have reason to be spoiled, right? I mean you're a product of your environment, that just about justifies it. Youth today are more materialistic than youth in the 1960s because of advertisement distorting the idea of what is valuable in life. We are all aware that advertisement and brand marketing have effects on our society, but just how much of an effect have they had on our youth in comparison to the youth of the 1960s. It is easy to argue that materialism was evident in the 1960s. However, without the technology of today, the promotion of wealth as a fundamental value required to attain happiness was not apparent in the enculturation of children at that time.

Before and Nowadays... Spoiled Brat

               Youth today are technologically savvy and most of all up to date in whatever they deem relevant. Capable of surfing hard and endlessly amidst the millions of websites to find whatever is trendy on Twitter or Facebook. It’s no wonder youth are a target for marketers. An estimated 36 billion in sales annually is earned from youth. That's a lot of cash for kids to be spending. When I was younger I remember when the first PS3 came out, it was all anybody could talk about, so much so that you would feel a sense of alienation if you didn't have the newest - obviously more expensive - thing on the market. Parents thus in turn to keep their children happy give in and this creates the materialistic entitlement that our generation is so often associated with. It has a sort of snowball effect ending with our generation valuing monetary success as an essential to happiness.

Caveman of the 1960s

               In the 1960s besides the obvious counterculture valuing happiness in and of itself, the 60s simply didn't have the technology to develop such advertisements capable of attracting masses of youths, let alone influence them into a majorly materialistic demographic. A study published by Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin showed that when compared to Baby Boomer graduates there is a 14% increase in belief that it is important to have a lot of money (from 48% to 62%). Advertisement itself was coming-of-age during this time and The Boomers of the mid-sixties, criticized advertisements for their exaggerations and deceitful practices. Materialism was still alive and well as a western world trend however it is indefinitely flourishing as technology advances and advertisement improves.