Introduction
The introduction of the automobile in the American world brought a total change in the lives of the citizens. Both the private and the corporate consumers regard the car invention as a monumental breakthrough in the economy of this vast nation. Every innovation brings with it brilliant opportunities on one hand and challenges on the other hand. In the interest of posterity, the innovators need to embrace the positive side of their success in a bid to fight the challenges for the satisfactory fulfillment of the intended goal. The motoring industry in the American soil has been vibrant for more than a century and it is getting even more dynamic. Several factors contribute to the ever unquenchable desire of the people to spend lots of money on cars and related services. However, the growth of automobile industry in America has had diverse impacts on car consumerism. It is prudent to conclude that, the complex consumerism touching on the automobile has totally changed the American socioeconomic dynamics of the 21st century (Gen 8)
The Background
The American motoring can be traced back to the 19th century. However, the majority of the citizens embraced the automobiles in the wake of the 20th century. The raised demand by private and corporate consumers necessitated the Federal government to pave the road network so as to meet the emerging viable innovation. The concerted efforts by the merchants and the hefty funding by the government influence the consumption of this motoring convenience and the overall mood of the general populace. The breakthrough of the car consumerism pooled a lot more players in a complementary manner. As a result, the petroleum industry got in the market as the supplier of the operational fuel. This motivated the oil refineries with a booming business. The petroleum established its own chain from the extraction refineries and the distribution chain up to the consumer gas stations.
The car consumerism has over the year been attracting various more business associates in order to impress more and more consumers. Various models and diverse makes have gone through the markets. Some have been faced out within a few years of trading while others have married for quite a long while. The taste of the general populace has been the driving force of innovation and variant packaging. The ability for the manufacturers to capture the taste of the clients has made people spend heavily on the various brands in the market.
Different classes of people attract different makes for different tastes and prices. The appetite of the people and the different categories of the entire citizenry saw a great and relentless innovation. Since the influence of the industrialization in the 1800s was the main trigger of the car industry, the initial automobiles were a simple and relatively fair priced. This is due to the fact that the main purpose at hand was to move workforce and the industrial materials from one point to another. Perceived to be a good idea it was imperative that every serious businessman ought to have some added mobility (Mirza 349).
The Unquenched Crave for Mobility
The progressive and relentless desire to have more and more of the car Consumerism has evolved over the years and the yearning is growing every single day. Under the influence of demand, car merchants are discovering more appealing models shrewdly customized to capture the appetite of the ever growing customer base. It has been the perception of the market analysts that the complexity of the market trends has been steady growing in the interest of the main beneficiary of the products, the consumer. The American consumerism can be termed as unquenchable because there is no single moment that has failed to have new brands or improvement of the already existing. The improvements have over the years been made on the body works among other parts (Seiler 58).
Different persons have the preference of certain body sizes and shapes in the interest of the kind of use they purpose. The other consideration that majority of the consumers have been taking into consideration is the engine power. Those that are keen on the engine power also would reflect the kind of use they intend for their cars. Efficiency has been a central motivation and, therefore, everyone would love to have the right choice to make the work achievable and in the shortest time possible. The desire for efficiency has resulted in the manufacturing of high-speed automobiles. The higher the speed, the lesser the time spent to connect from one point to another.
Therefore, manufacturing companies have taken advantage over the craving of the clients throughout the history of the motoring industry. They appear to thrive under the perceived class and pride of the clients who would not be comfortable to be seen driving the old model when the new is on the market. Through the customer quest for pleasure, old cars are not fashionable and everyone craves for the new car in town. In the recent past decades, other demands have been discovered with more care demands. These specific brands are the leisure and recreational auto cars. Car sports have captured great interest, especially for young adults. The sport has caused a sharp demand and the manufacturers are working relentlessly to meet this demand (Constable and Bob 128).
The Burden of Motoring Consumerism
The burden of consumerism gripped the economy of the Americans without the awareness of many. Before the Second World War cars were purely a necessity and fewer cars were on the streets. In the 1920s, the number of cars was at the ratio of one car for six people. After the World War two, the turn of events was that a consumer is the best citizen and a great percentage of the population was out to acquire and spend on car acquisition. The high demand and supply subjected the entire country to the mandatory cycle of consumerism. This cycle dictates that the demanded product has to be extracted, produced, subjected to distribution chain, consumed and finally disposed of (Lipin 107).
This rigorous process is highly detrimental to the environment and the population specifically. These activities would require displacement of persons who are in the environs thus affecting their daily activities. On the other hand, the industrial activities in the American world have resulted in environmental perils.
It has been the perception of the environmentalists that man is his own enemy. This perception would be traced down to the cycle of motoring consumerism. Importantly, the effects of the entire cycle on the environment are highly hazardous. The effects of the same have been seen to work against the global wellness. The industrial carbon emissions have done a great harm to the environment.
Global warming and climate change are a real burden to humanity. This menace has been necessitated and amplified by the constant urge to more and more consumer goods cycle.
The excessive consumerism in the American markets and the eminent cycle has been fanned by the obsolescence both actual and perceived. Although one can avoid quick obsolescence, the manufacturers bear the blame for the simple reason that their products are crafted in a way that the consumer would wish to dispose of them in the span of time. Every car is perceived to bear a lifespan after which one would wish to buy a new one, and the cycle goes on. The disposal of the motoring waste is not human-friendly either. This situation is both economically and health wise detrimental. It is in the general public interest that the federal authorities would resolve this menace once and for all (Hodson 100).
American Motoring Consumerism and the Environment
The negative effects of the automobiles have triggered an alarm that all is not well. It is evident that the global environment is speedily changing with unpredictable rain season as well as mountain glaciers and the sea water level changes. Scientists link this to motoring and associated products. One of the serious causes of this problem is the air pollution. It is evident that the carbon emission from the motor vehicle contributes to high percentages of not less than 40 into the atmospheric space. The emitted carbon compounds pose a serious threat to the environment and the world climate in general (Hvattum 135).
Serious problems call for serious intervention measures. The menace of the American consumerism left without alleviation mechanism is likely to result in detrimental consequences. It is evident that the negative effects are so many to be left unaddressed. Each one of them requires a deliberate move to curb the demerits for a healthy nation. Many people may think that it would be costly to alleviate the negative effects but, on the other hand, it would be more expensive to manage the environmental degradation. As discussed above, the troubles of motoring consumerism range from the dangerous disposal of the obsolete vehicles and body parts to noise prolusion, gaseous emissions, traffic jam to mention just but a few. These man-made problems require deliberate human effort to obtain a permanent solution.
American Motoring Consumerism Solutions
Recycle Mechanism: the obsolete materials of the car waste are too many across the country. The government, therefore, ought to take a firm measure in regard to the same. This would attract a well-formulated policy to identify, collect and recycle the car used parts. Such an approach will not only clean the environment but also will serve as an economic mitigation process. The creation of old car disposal points would help consumers to recover some money from their old time wasting cars. Customers will also manage to top up from the compensation they receive from the recycle pay (May 76).
Non-carbon Emission Policy: In the wake of the 21st century, it is clear to the general population that there has to be less carbon in the environment. If the car industry would omit the much carbon they emit to the environment, then only 60% will be left. This means the carbon from the car industry is the major threat to the environment and more specifically to human life. The harm is thriving through human ignorance. The government, therefore, ought to set a policy to govern this problem. The first way how to do this is to educate the general public on what really happens with the hiked consumerism. After the people have understood the truth of the carbon issue, then the manufacturers are the other key players to be addressed.
The policy should outline the requirements how the engine mechanism ought to be fashioned to minimize the carbon emission. Hefty fines should be stipulated to this policy against individuals or organizations that would fail to adhere to the regulation. Old worn out vehicles constantly experience mechanical breakdowns and thus should be considered in the policies. Engine age will more often than not lead to malfunction and probably begin to emit more carbon; thus, the age limit of use would be stipulated in the policy.
Corporate Social Responsibility: The motor vehicle manufacturing industries have been instrumental to the rapid growth of the American economy. Since the industrialized era, the contribution of these firms to the growth and the establishment of the economic power can be traced down to this industry. Negative effects of a high number of automobiles have been felt and measures of mitigating these effects need to be prioritized. It is better to act today than being sorry tomorrow; thus, the motoring companies are indebted to act today than later.
It is, therefore, imperative for the car manufacturers to employ environment-friendly activities. Firstly, the forestation activities are highly recommended. Forests are known to reverse the severe effects of the carbon and refresh the environment for human habitation. A well vegetation-covered ground not only favors humans but the entire ecosystem. Secondly, drought and desert expanse would be minimized with this kind of effort. This would not be viewed as a punishment to the corporate organization but rather as to empower the would-be clients for the posterity of the same companies.
Robust Road network: The main theme of efficient participation in the economic growth is highly challenged by the road inconveniences. The fact that the car human ratio is getting smaller and smaller every day is replicated in the American roads at present. This requires a deliberate move to ease the roads for the uninterrupted economy. The traffic snarl-up in the roads today is losing millions of every single day. This can be mitigated through a revised traffic control system. The traffic system and network flow have been there for too long. The system that was effective a decade ago may not work today since the number of the cars served then is not equivalent to the ones that are there today (Schadschneider 404).
The government ought to restrict most of the intense business centers to allow private cars beyond some limits. This will promote mass transport system thus overcoming crowding in the central business environs. Roads with less commotion of vehicles would mean swift and convenient movements. The same move will save a lot of time and money in terms of fuel and man-hours. The decongestion of the main city centers will also minimize air pollution as well as noise interruptions.
Conclusion
The growth of automobile industry in America has impacted differently on car consumerism thus The complex consumerism touching on the automobile has totally changed the American socioeconomic dynamics of the 21st century. The motoring consumerism would be located down the theories of economics as the progressive higher levels of automobile utilization that is geared to benefiting the client. The car industry has highly benefited the American people granting the general economy to grow to a super power. What is to be observed is that the good report from the unquenchable motor consumerism is headed to the disastrous end. The disaster is ranging from environmental degradation to economic effects. Mitigation process is, therefore, the only alternative.
Get Your Custom Paper From Professional Writers. 100% Plagiarism Free, No AI Generated Content and Good Grade Guarantee. We Have Experts In All Subjects.
Place Your Order Now