Success In America

Americans seem to share a relatively concrete idea of what constitutes success throughout society. I have even noticed that some Americans may even voice that they do not share this definition of success, but their actions and concerns definitely suggest otherwise. For many Americans, success seems to be measured by a combination of factors, which include relationships to material objects, socioeconomic factors, and social class lifestyles. Numerous sociologists have highlighted the excessive rates of consumption among Americans, which some refer to as hyperconsumption. With the emergence and availability of credit in America, Americans can easily obtain material objects that they may not be able to currently afford. It is well known that many …show more content…
It seems as if these objects symbolize something of significance in many American cultures and the larger society overall. I think many Americans equate material possessions with the idea of success because of the symbolic meaning that is carried by material objects in our society. It seems rather commonplace for Americans to create perceptions of success that are based directly off of observing what another owns. For example, if someone that you did not know moved into a large, extravagant house that was recently built in your neighborhood, it would be typical for many Americans to immediately begin assuming that this individual is probably successful. Next, imagine if this individual was always seen dressed in expensive designer suits and also owned several luxury cars, such as a Mercedes, a BMW, and a Cadillac. I think it would be safe to say that many people from the neighborhood would immediately perceive that this individual is successful based of observations of his or her material possessions …show more content…
I probably acquired this from my family because my family has taught me to suppress my desire for material objects and strive to live within my means. They taught me the difference between “needs” and “wants” at a very young age. Considering this, I equate success more with achieving individual accomplishments I have committed myself to, maintaining strong relations with family and friends, and most importantly striving to be the best father and husband that I can be. I could own a mansion, own three Lamborghinis, take exotic vacations every two months, wear designer suits everyday, and be perceived as successful to many Americans. However, I would still consider myself unsuccessful in this scenario if I were failing to satisfy my personal definition for success. This is because I do not think any possessions or lifestyle alone could ever insure long-term happiness for me. I would be lying if I said finances were unimportant to me, but I am more concerned with financial security and stability as opposed to any concerns with presenting an image that I have achieved financial excess. For example, I would rather have an inexpensive car that is reliable instead of paying high monthly payments on a sports car. I believe many American cultures and our society overall has granted relations with material objects and social class lifestyle too much weight. I do not want to