What's the story with American Women?

[mawilson 2,133]

A few people have mentioned "materialistic" as a quality that defines "most" American women.

I'm curious -

1) How many American women agree with this assessment (i.e. consider themselves "materialistic"), and

2) Is materialism necessarily a bad quality in a woman / person?

[CarolineM 0]

1. No, I don't consider myself materialistic. Not that I don't have my flaws. I do..I'm an education snob, for example..

but not materialsitic...

2. Depends on how the trait is used...if that makes sense. Is it attractive on Paris Hilton?? No. I know materialistic people that behave in a way that that trait doesn't make them "ugly" or whatever

[Jenn! 918]

A few people have mentioned "materialistic" as a quality that defines "most" American women.

I'm curious -

1) How many American women agree with this assessment (i.e. consider themselves "materialistic"), and

2) Is materialism necessarily a bad quality in a woman / person?

For me,

1. I don't consider myself materialistic.

2. A certain amount of materialism is acceptable. It's not a bad trait in itself, no.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I think American society has probably become very materialistic.

However, I don't think American Women have American Men beat when it comes to being materialistic.

[Welshcookie 17]

Maybe you ask the men who bought foreign wives over and got burned, whether they actually turned out to be somewhat more materialistic than they thought?

[Jenn! 918]

Maybe you ask the men who bought foreign wives over and got burned, whether they actually turned out to be somewhat more materialistic than they thought?

I'd say materialism is certainly at least partially a function of your surroundings.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Until American men start buying used Toyotas because they get good gas mileage, watching 20 year old televisions because they still work and listening to their favorite albums on record players, and throwing away their golf clubs to spend time with their families en masse will they have something to say about American women being materialistic.

I'm pretty sure most of them don't ride their bikes to work or live in a yurt either.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

A lot of us (including myself) are naturalised FROM overseas (in my case, immigrated first to Canada and to US from there) originally.

[mawilson 2,133]

When you say "I am not materialistic", how do you define "materialistic"?

Materialism is usually defined as interest in and desire for material possessions

rather than spiritual or ethical values.

But what about "family values"? If all family members are materialistic,

are material values necessarily antithetical to family values?

[Sheriff Uling 3]

However, I don't think American Women have American Men beat when it comes to being materialistic.

I beg to differ. For example: An American man's version of being materialistic is purchasing a flashy vehicle. Why do American men buy nice cars and trucks? Easy… so they can get the attention of these materialistic American women in order to get in their pants. American women are materialistic out of greed and presumed necessity. LOL!!!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

A lot of men who buy fancy cars are already married

[Sheriff Uling 3]

A lot of men who buy fancy cars are already married

That's so they can cheat on their wives with other materialisic American women. LOL!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

who are apparently chasing an equally superficial and materialistic commodity -- some one younger and better looking

[no name 1]

who are apparently chasing an equally superficial and materialistic commodity -- some one younger and better looking

[mrsushi66 0]

I can understand why people are so facinated by this topic. It is part psychology and part environment and part everything else.

What I find amazing is the broad generalizations. Materialism is relative, when the first cave man actaully figured out an unihabited gave was a great place to live and others saw this they wanted the same thing. Is this materialism or survival. Many say anything that fits in a "basic need" category could not be considered materialism but is that to say a mansion is materialism and a yurt a basic need?

My point is environments change and peoples values change. If all I had was four walls and my family but that is all I ever knew then I might feel like the luckiest person on the planet. Does that mean if I saw the mansion and all of its conviences that I might start to feel cheated? Well that depends on what my fiance calls your inner world. My understanding is that the value we put on various aspects of our lives. Some may place a higher value on family than they do on a nice car. If you really like nice cars but you still very family orienented does that make you a bad person?

I think what people are getting at is the value you place on what many consider extravagences rather than things like family and "basic needs" of that family.

Today there seems to be a societal pressure to conform to a certain life style and it is different in each country because each country has certain set of circumstances that dictate where part their efforts must be placed to provide a basic living. When people shift countries it takes them a while to stop using those ideas the brought from their homeland and to figure out what works in their new homeland. Some will never make the change but that is one of the things I find most appealing about america is that you to a certain extent you can keep those ideas you had from your previous home and accept just enough american ones to blend in.

I look forward to my fiance becoming my wife and providing a unique perspective on life in America. I have already made up my mind to be open to what she says and let her become as american as she wants to and respecting her choices.

Paul