Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts.
Think of consumerism like an all-you-can-eat buffet. The more you consume, the more satisfaction you're supposed to get. But just like overeating at a buffet can lead to discomfort, excessive consumerism can lead to societal problems such as waste and debt.
Material Culture: This refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. These include homes, neighborhoods, cities, schools, churches, synagogues, temples etc.
Capitalism: An economic system where private entities own the factors of production. The four factors are entrepreneurship, capital goods, natural resources and labor.
Disposable Income: The amount of money that households have available for spending and saving after income taxes have been accounted for.
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