Final Essay 2

[Angus]

Angus Macmillan
Essay 2
11/07/2009

Will the recession rescue Americans from the destructive force of
rampant consumerism?

America’s decline is due to a warped sense of self-gratification
that is based on its consumer-oriented society and its attitude of
damn the rest of the world in pursuit of means by which to maintain
its self-indulgence. Further, America’s attempts to expand have led to
severe problems, including its declining cultural standing in the
world, the financial meltdown, and environmental problems. As Andrew
Bacevich (2009) argued in his book, The limits of power: the end of
American exceptionalism, “For the majority of contemporary Americans,
the essence of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness centers on
the relentless personal quest to acquire, to consume, indulge, and to
shed whatever constraints might interfere with those endeavors “(p.
16).
It can also be argued, however, that the current recession has
altered the consumer binge and brought some sense to the way the
American public pursues its warped ideal of freedom. As Peter Goodman
(2009) noted in his the New York Times article, Reluctance to spend
may be legacy of recession, “The current recession has perhaps proven
wrenching enough to alter consumer tastes, putting value in vogue,”
yet Bacevich’s views are still valid as the current reluctance is only
temporary. Americans will return to their previous ways unless certain
issues are immediately addressed that permanently alter Americans’
views and habits. As Bacevich noted, self-gratification threatens
America, “because it saddles us with costly commitments abroad that we
are increasingly ill-equipped to sustain while confronting us with
dangers to which we have no ready response” (p. 17).
One of the most pressing issues that must be addressed is the
impact that consuming beyond our means has on the environment. Andrew
Revkin (2009) quoted John Sterman in his New York Times article, Are
you on a ‘hedonic treadmill’?, “We have been consuming natural capital
far faster than it regenerates, whether it’s fossil fuels, fish,
forests, wetlands, or the capacity of the oceans and other sinks to
take up greenhouse gases.” Arguably, the American Clean Energy and
Security Act of 2009 proposed by Rep. Henry Waxman, recently passed in
the U.S. House of Representatives, is the right move in countering
many of today’s current environmental problems resulting from the
consumer mindset of the public, and the bill should be passed by the
U.S. Senate as well. As noted in John Carey’s (2009) article in
Business Week, House passes carbon cap-and-trade bill, “For the first
time, a Congressional body passed legislation that would place
mandatory limits on the emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause
global warming.” Carey also notes, this bill is a movement in the
right direction, but there is still a long road ahead for the
legislation as environmental groups have accused “the house of
orchestrating a massive corporate give away,” as utilities
successfully lobbied for exceptions to compliance with requirements in
the bill.
The Cap-and-Trade bill is not without controversy, as the bill
will allow companies to earn pollution credits for being ‘green’. This
will include credits for those companies who are already operating
environmentally without tax credits. It will allow other companies to
continue to pollute as long as they are willing pay for the privilege.
Such a bill, along with other bills that address the credit crisis
brought on by America’s over-indulgence, will not be enough to reverse
almost a century of unchecked consumer mindset that began in earnest
after World War II. One may only need to look at the current over
supply of once hot hybrids now currently clogging the new car lots
since the price of gas dropped from all time highs of last year. This
is a clear indicator of how Americans will go back to their old ways
by returning to gas guzzling cars once a temporary inconvenience like
higher gas prices resolves.
Analysis of the environmental issues connected to America’s
decline cannot be viewed in isolation without examining the financial
crisis as well. As Warren Buffet (2009) states in his New York Times
article The greenback effect, “the United States economy is now out of
the emergency room and seems to be on a slow path to recovery,” after
actions taken by both the Bush and Obama administrations kept the
financial system from a complete collapse into a severe depression. As
Buffet notes, bills passed to ease the financial crisis may have been
temporarily beneficial, but there are long-term effects that need to
be dealt with now or else America will continue to be in an economic
decline. If we do not address the current deficit, America, “will lose
its reputation for financial integrity,” and the means by which we
finance that deficit by relying upon that reputation will be
destroyed.
Further, the efforts to promote US values in other countries in order
to sustain America’s consumer habits such as obtaining access to
foreign oil have led to an erosion in the way the US is viewed in the
world. As Bacevich stated, “…the foreign policy implications of our
present-day penchant for consumption and self-indulgence are almost
entirely negative” (p. 16). America cannot continue to over-extend
itself by fighting wars that many argue are a cover for America’s
seeking to control oil reserves in other countries. Instead, America
needs to learn to live within its means and reduce its reliance on
foreign resources in order to support its self-indulgent consumer
habits.
Bacevich’s ideas regarding American foreign policy are sensible
and a final means by which America can act to reduce rampant
consumerism and self-indulgence in order to reverse its decline. He
proposes a more modest foreign policy, educating Americans so that the
need to reduce their consumption of world resources becomes second
nature which will lead to a huge transformation of America’s declining
cultural, environmental, and economic positions. It is essential that
America reign in its sense of entitlement and realizes that its sense
of purpose and freedom should not be bound up with consumerism. While
the recession seems to have, temporarily, abated America’s rampant
consumerism, “The unanswered question is how much of this will stick
once the economy recovers and people find themselves feeling a bit
flush.” (Goodman 2009). As Revkin notes, “Will people keep riding the
bus once they can afford gas again? Will they trade that Ford Focus
they bought under Cash for Clunkers for a big new SUV?” The answer
seems to be a qualified yes. While a permanent reduction in
overconsumption maybe the current lesson that America learns because
of the recession, there are signs that once the recession is over that
pent up consumer demands will bring back over overindulgence. However,
it is essential that the lessons learned during the recession are
carried forward and never forgotten as any return to the full blown
over-indulgence of the levels prevalent before the recession will
continue to drive America’s decline rather than allow America to take
the lead in solving environmental issues and regain its financial and
cultural standing in the world.






References
Bacevich, A. 2009. The limits of power: the end of American
exceptionalism. New York: Holt.

Buffet, W. 2009, August 19. The greenback effect. New York Times.

Carey, J. 2009, June 26. House passes Carbon Cap-and-Trade Bill.
Business Week.
Goodman, P. 2009, August 28. Reluctance to spend may be legacy of
recession. New York Times.

Revkin, A. 2009, August 31. Are you on a ‘hedonic treadmill’? New York
Times.
Waxman, Rep. Henry. 2009. American Clean Energy and Security Act of
2009. U.S. House of Representatives.