Chapter 3: Consumption and Materialism

Question 1

What does Maslow’s theory of the hierarchy of needs not account for?

Answer 1

Why we consume more material stuff than we need.

Question 2

Affluent society

Answer 2

One in which all the people’s material needs are easily satisfied.

Question 3

Poverty is a social status and the invention of civilization.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

________ ________demonstrates social power and vice versa.

Answer 4

Environmental power

Question 5

Conspicuous consumption

Answer 5

Visible displays of wealth, such as expensive cars, clothes, computers, boats, as well as a sheer volume of consumption.

Question 6

Conspicuous leisure

Answer 6

the nonproductive consumption of time, an indication of distance from environmental needs — from productive needs.
Things like social refinements that need time to master.

Question 7

Conspicuous waste

Answer 7

the using of excessive amounts of goods or discarding something rather than reusing it or repairing it.

Question 8

All modern materialism can be reduced to just ________

Answer 8

conspicuous waste

Question 9

Consumption and waste are generally much more conspicuous than leisure.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

Positional goods

Answer 10

Goods whose desirability is predicated at least in part on short supplies, limited access, higher prices, and consequent social honor or position.

Question 11

Theory of rational choice

Answer 11

people are motivated by personal self-interest; A close parallel is the theory of the selfish gene in evolutionary biology.