Consumerism, in America, is certainly a sociological issue. First, buying things is considered normal behavior. Following September 11th, for example, the mayor of New York did not want people to stay at home with their families, instead he urged Americans to shop. This illustrates the power that the economy and specifically shopping has over our personal identities. What we buy, where we buy it and how much is costs, all shape how others view us and how we view ourselves. My own interest in this stems from two places. First, after spending a term abroad in England, it became clear that Americans shop even more than those in England, another powerful and wealthy first-world country. Furthermore, I have always felt a bit detached from American culture because for the most part, I am not a shopper. People have always wondered why I do not find great satisfaction in shopping. I have always wondered how

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