Mark Edmundson Consumerism

The Arising Effects of a Consumerist Society In the article “On the Uses of Liberal Education,” written in 1997 by Mark Edmundson he argues how colleges are getting into the consumer habit of overspending on goods. Instead of the money being invested to the liberal arts, a vast amount is spent on the consumer lifestyle. In today 's day and age, it is typical for people to be a part of the big consumerist society. Over time, consumerism has arose throughout the nation, and some more than others. Since the roaring twenties, the United States has progressively steadfast to the consumer lifestyle. Moreover, the controversy with consumerism has lead Mark Edmundson to expound his opinions about the wary effects of a consumerist society on colleges;

Colleges propagandize their ads, websites, emails and letters to get students to attend their college, Mark Edmundson asserts “Universities need to attract the best students in order to survive in an ever more competitive market”(43); however, when students attend, their expectations are not like the media shows. Colleges are prioritizing more of their time and money to attract students, rather colleges should prioritize their time and money towards bettering the students education. An earnest student would pay less attention to how the university looks like, instead an earnest student would look into which universities offered the best programs and classes. For students, college has become a place where they can kickback and chill in, preferably it should be a place for students to experience and find new discoveries. Although it is important to have a college that provides a warm atmosphere, it is also equally as important to provide a college that offers variety of classes and programs which students can choose

He is a hypocrite when he describes his students lack passion, but as an educator and model he flaunts to show the passion himself. Although Mark Edmundson’s personality may be a bit vague, some of his points are factual. Ultimately colleges are changing, and the consumerist society is partly to blame. Money has become the central connection to almost everything and much of life is devoted into making and earning money. Instead, society should consume less and focus on the better things in life. That given, it only takes one small action to get closer to the problem, as Mark Edmundson expresses “Those who do as much, trusting themselves against the weight of current opinion, will have contributed something to bringing this sad dispensation to an end