It seems shocking to ask, but has everybody finally got enough stuff? New survey data hints that America’s culture of materialism may be on the wane. More on that in a moment. First, some background. In 1807, William Wordsworth complained that “the world is too much with us,” lamenting the relentless “getting and spending” of his English countrymen. In 1935, Porgy sang “I got plenty o’ nuttin’” in George and Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, contrasting his own simple contentment with the grasping anxiety of “folks with plenty of plenty.”
To read the full commentary on Ethics Newsline®, click here.
If you would like permission to distribute or republish this resource, please fill out the Permission Request Form.
