All over the world, the United States is recognized as a land full of opportunities, but it is also recognized as one of the most materialistic countries in the world. Over the years, Americans have always determined their self-worth based on the amount of things they own and the amount of money they have. Americans also tend to be the most materialistic because of where they live. They live in a country full of wealth and where the standard of living is so high, which is partly why Americans are materialistic, but also because it is simply human nature. Not only do we live in a rich country, but we are sad that we have just about everything we need. Unlike other countries, many Americans are not in a bad economic situation, and from the perspective of another person living in a country with a weak economy, this can be seen as materialistic. Based on various testimonies, we can say that Americans are materialistic, but they are materialistic to a certain extent. The United States is a country where we now define our self-worth based on what we have. America is a country where the idea that money can buy happiness is very often true, which makes this country seem very materialistic. The country is very well positioned for good economic prosperity, but not everyone leads a Hollywood lifestyle, almost no one does. A good example of the ugly side of America comes from the text “On Dumpster Diving”. The text talks about the difficult life in American society from the perspective of a dumpster diver himself. And through this essay we see a worse side of the American dream because Lars Eighner wrote this from his experience. In his essay he writes: “I don’t want to paint an overly romantic picture. Dumpster diving has serious downsides as a lifestyle. When people refer to America, they just... middle of paper ... everything is available to them at a price and society's norms force them to buy those things at any price. We like the idea of ​​buying new things rather than buying the best and this is a sign of a society where possessions determine self-esteem. But we accept it and that is why we are called too materialistic a country. Worse yet, the details that support this argument are all true. But we also have our standards. We are not too materialistic, there are limits after all, we are just coming out of a recession. People in American society take money very seriously because it can either make or break your life and the choices you make. America is a very materialistic society and this must be due to our success and this success, the country's lack of money and the country's need for things gives us our title as a materialistic country..