obsessions

Today's class got me thinking about all the kinds of things our culture is obsessed with. One we talked about in class is speed. We are obsessed with making the most progress in the smallest amount of time. Constant advertisements brag of the fastest service and the greatest results. We are always multitasking to get things done and the media advertises based on tis need (bluetooths, cell phones with internet). 

Many Americans also are obsessed with pleasure or entertainment. We use our success resulting from our fast paced life-styles in order to gain material things and technologies that give us pleasure. An example of this is on Superbowl Sunday. This day is almost like a national holiday as people gather to be entertained by the game, the commercials, food and friends. Americans are constantly coming together to watch T.V., movies, listen to music, and be entertained in a variety of ways. 

Our discussion of paranoia reveals that Americans are also obsessed with health. This goes further that just buying hand sanitizer. Our culture tells us to not only be as healthy as possible but also that our bodies should be as perfect as possible. A perfect looking body is a healthy body. People put so many chemicals into or on their bodies trying to get healthy and fit, whether its with vitamins, weight loss products or even botox. 

All these obsessions are most likely derived from watershed moments such as the rise of technology or September 11th. In other countries the culture does not have the same demand things like speed and perfection. American obsessive culture is shaped specifically by meaningful widespread events.