1. CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) In 1933, FDR created the New Deal, aimed to strengthen
government's control of what?
2) What American corporation provided the Nazis with
tabulation machines used by them to track records in their
extermination & slave-labor camps?
3) What was passed by Congress in 1952 to ensure coal mine
safety?
4)What does MSHA stand for?
5) In the mid-1970's the Supreme Court extended First
Amendment constitutional protection to corporate financing
of what?

2. IN AMERICA’S ECONOMY, WHO HOLDS THE MOST POWER?
THE CONSUMER

3. WHAT POWER(S) DOES THE CONSUMER POSSESS?

4. 1) PRICING OF PRODUCTS/SERVICES
• PRICE NEEDS TO FIT THE REALITIES OF THE
MARKETPLACE
-THE VALUE OF A PRODUCT/SERVICE IS
DETERMINED BY WHAT SOMEONE IS WILLING TO
PAY FOR IT.

6. 2) FINANCIAL SUCCESS OF ORGANIZATIONS
•IF WE (CONSUMERS) DON’T BUY, THEY (CORPORATIONS)
DON’T MAKE MONEY.
2012 MLB ATTENDANCE STATISTICS
101.4% 44.4%
TOTAL % STADIUM CAPACITY
3,565,718 1,559,681

7. WHY DO WE (CONSUMERS) SO INFREQUENTLY EXERT OUR
POWER?

8. CLIP: CONSUMERISM IN AMERICA

9. CONSUMERISM
“A SOCIAL & ECONOMIC PRINCIPLE THAT IS BASED ON THE
SYSTEMATIC CREATION & FOSTERING OF A DESIRE TO PURCHASE
GOODS/SERVICES.”
*CORPORATIONS MAKE THEIR LARGE PROFITS BY CREATING &
FOSTERING A DESIRE FOR CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE MATERIAL
ITEMS RATHER THAN NECESSITIES.
MATERIALISM:
-IN PHILOSOPHY: “THE THEORY THAT PHYSICAL MATTER IS THE
ONLY REALITY.”
-IN BUSINESS: “THE THEORY THAT WORLDLY POSSESSIONS
CONSTITUTE THE GREATEST GOOD & HIGHEST VALUE IN LIFE.”

10. CONSUMERISM

11. American consumerism has seen a shift away from values of
community, spirituality, and integrity, and toward
competition, materialism and disconnection.

12. MONITORING THE FUTURE SURVEY
-AN ONGOING STUDY OF THE BEHAVIORS OF ADOLESCENTS & TEENS
THAT STARTED IN THE MID-1970’S
-MATERIALISM IS AT HISTORICALLY HIGH LEVELS IN THE 2000’S
-IMPORTANT TO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY?
-48% 1976-78
-62% 2005-07
-DON’T WANT TO WORK HARD FOR MONEY?
-25% 1970’S
-39% MID-2000’S

13. MATERIALISM & EDUCATION
•PRE-1990’S: THE MOST FREQUENT REASONS FOR
ATTENDING COLLEGE GIVEN BY STUDENTS WERE:
-BECOMING AN AUTHORITY IN A FIELD
-HELPING OTHERS IN DIFFICULTY
•1990’S-PRESENT: THE MOST FREQUENT REASON FOR
ATTENDING COLLEGE GIVEN BY STUDENTS IS:
-MAKING A LOT OF MONEY