User:Amb8675/Throw-away society

All of this is just what I've written. the article didn't really have any history to it

The rise of mass consumption in America

Following the end of World War 2, America experienced a boom in mass consumption. There was a large increase in suburban life, disposable packaging, and convenience goods. During World War Two there was a mentality that was spread that in restricting how one lives during the war by closely following the rationing, will help the wartime effort and help America to win and that the effort that is put in during the war will be rewarded with luxurious goods after the war. Once the war ended, manufactures held true to those sentiments put out during the war. This is when American society saw a large increase in what helped America become a "Throw-away Society", when the term was first coined by Life Magazine, it was used in a positive manner; one that depicted a life that was easier and still economically for the the home's caretaker. This led to thrifting being viewed by some as being "un-American" in a stark contrast to how life had been lived prior to the war. This rise in consumption led American society is what played a role in what allowed America to become a throw-away society. The practice of creating products to need to be replaced shortly thereafter became highly present and products would be slightly changed on a yearly basis to encourage people to purchase a newer version, even when not necessary.

Women's interaction with the start of American throw-away society

The pushing of a throw-away society also ties in to how women interacted with consumerism. Women had long been the primary shoppers for the household and many of these ads that were promoting these disposable and convenience goods, were also making women their target audience. In the aforementioned Life Magazine article, it specifically mentioned that "no housewife need bother" in regards to extensive household chores because disposable products will cut down on the cleaning time required

Women in these middle class homes began earning an income in order to be able to purchase more of these convenience goods. Some did this through the means of finding a more traditional job, but many also turned to Multi-level marketing businesses such as Tupperware to supplement their husband's income. This increase in Tupperware sellers helped to further contribute to the increase of this mass consumption as it was a product that was being sold in large numbers, so the sales contributed to an increase in consumption itself. Outside of direct sales, women who sold through Tupperware also were offered incentives of household appliances once they sold a certain amount of products.

Early forms of pushback

Despite it being initially viewed as a positive attribute to strive for, at least early as 1967, there was pushback forming against it in American advertisements. In a 1967 edition of the New York Times, there was an article discussing plans for expansion by the company Mark Cross and used a slogan from a then newly published Mark Cross Advertisement as follows, "It's a throwaway society, man. Buy it. Break it. Chuck it. Replace it. Do you believe that? Mark Cross is not for you." Making it a growing company that was trying to grow off of long-lasting products.