THE HERITAGE OF ABUNDANCE For millions of people throughou' this world, during the past three centuries, America has symbolized plenty, wealth, and abundance of goods. David Potter (1910-1971) How did the abundance of natural resources affect the development of American values and how is abundance being redefined today? The Heritage of Abundonce 99BEFORE YOU READ Preview Vocabulary A. Read the following sentences from the chapter and notice the words in italics. These key AWL words will help you understand the chapter. Use context clues to help you figure out the meanings. Then choose which definition is best for the italicized word. 1, In the aristocratic European nations the settlers left behind, the material wealth and comforts of the ruling classes were guaranteed by their birth. ertain to happen. D. unlikely to happen 2. Unlike many countries where the love of material things was seen asa vice, a mark of weak moral character, in the United States it was seen as a virtue, a positive incentive to work hard, and a reward for successful efforts. @encouragement . discouragement 3. Itwas not until the twentieth century that Americans began to think of themselves more as consumers than producers. @someone who buys and uses products and services . someone who makes things to sell 4, Advertising techniques were so successful that over time they began to be used to change Americans’ attitudes, behavior, and beliefs. new products and inventions special ways of doing something 5. Technological devices that can engage us 24 hours a day have increased the pace of life in the United States, and they have changed the way receive and exchange information. Qonss on modern knowledge abaut science and computers expensive, old pieces of equipment 6. Big Data is an extraordinary knowledge revolution that is sweeping, almost invisibly, through business, academia, government, health care, and everyday life. QDacomplete change in ways of thinking, methods of working . avery expensive action that people do not like 7. Imorder to be valuable and useful, Big Data has to be managed. One way is to rely on experts to analyze large amounts of data and then tell us what is important. @people who have special knowledge or skills . people who enjoy using the Internet 8. Diamandis, Kotler, and others detail the ways that Americans can join with individuals around the world to find innovative solutions for providing clean water, enough food, and adequate shelter to everyone. a. methods that have been used successfully for many years new, different, and better methods 100 % Chapter 59, Americans viewed the material wealth and abundance of the United States as an ever-expanding pie that would continue to grow so that all people could get a bigger piece of a bigger pie. @ becoming larger b. becoming smaller B. Read the quotation by David Potter at the beginning of the chapter. Find the words with the following meanings. Write each word next to its meaning. 1. periods of 100 years 2. represented an idea or quality 3. products enough, or more than enough 5. alarge quantity of something Preview Content A. Think about the David Potter quotation and discuss the questions with your classmates. 1. Do you agree with David Potter? Why or why not? What is the source of, American abundance? 2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having abundance? List the positive and negative aspects in the chart. ‘American Abundance Plus + Minus ~ 3. Think about your daily activities. What do you throw away every day? 4, How do you use the Internet? How many communication devices do you have? B. Read the headings in the chapter and look at the illustrations. Write three topics that you predict will be covered in this chapter. 1. a The Hertage of Abundance x 101A HISTORY OF ABUNDANCE 1 Although the population of the United ‘States accounts for only about 5 percent of the total population of the world, Americans use up more than 20 percent of the world’s energy per year, generating about four and a half pounds of trash and garbage per person each day. WHAT HAPPENS TO STUFF We THROW AWAY? ‘Combusted for energy, 17% Recycled or composted, 34.1% Based on the 2010 Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Report Only a country that has great abundance could afford to throw so much away. America has sometimes been criticized asa “throw-away” country, a land where there is so much abundance that people are sometimes viewed as wasteful. Scholars like David Potter, an American historian, believe that the abundant material wealth of the United States has been a major factor in the development of the American character. 2 This abundance is the gift of nature. In ‘what is now the continental United States, there are more than 3 million square miles of land. When the European settlers first arrived in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, much of this land was rich, fertile farmland, with an abundance of ‘trees and animals, There were relatively few Native Americans living on this land, and they had neither the weapans nor the organization necessary to keep the European settlers out. Never again can human beings discover such a large area 102 % Chapter 5 of rich, unfarmed land, with such a small population and such great undeveloped natural resources. But it would be a mistake to say that the abundant natural resources of North America were the only reason why the United States became a wealthy nation. ‘The beliefs, determination, and hard work of the early settlers were equally important. In the aristocratic European nations the settlers left behind, the material wealth and comforts of the ruling classes were guaranteed by their birth. Therefore, as Tocqueville said, the wealthy took these things for granted and assumed they would always have their wealth and social status, The poor people in those aristocratic nations also did not concern themselves with wealth, since they knew that they had little hope of becoming wealthy or changing their status. In the early years of the United States, however, wealth and social position were not permanently determined at birth. The idea of equality of opportunity in America made the level of material wealth of both the rich and the poor much less certain. Atany time, the rich might lose some of their wealth and the poor might increase theirs. Therefore, all classes in American, society thought about protecting their ‘material possessions and looked for ways to acquire more. Tocqueville believed that this was not so much a matter of greed; rather, it was a matter of their insecurity. People might be naturally insecure if their material wealth, and that of their children, could change so rapidly either upward or downward during a lifetime, or even a single generation. Tocqueville concluded that it was extremely important both to rich Americans and poor Americans to increase their personal wealth and materialcomforts, Therefore, the entire population joined in the task of increasing the nation’s material abundance as quickly as possible. 6 Tocqueville visited the United States fifty years after the nation had won its independence from England. He was impressed with the great progress made in such a short time. Although the country ‘was still in an early stage of development, and there was not much money available for investment. the United States had already made great progress in both trading and manufacturing. It had already become ‘the world’s second leading sea power and had constructed the longest railroads in the world. Tocqueville worried, however, about the effect of all this material success. In such a society, materialism could be made into a moral value in itself rather than a means to an end. 7 Tocqueville's concern, to a large extent, became a reality. In the process of creating aland of abundance, Americans began to judge themselves by materialistic standards. Unlike many countries where the love of material things was seen as a vice or a mark of weak moral character, in the United States it was seen as a virtue, a positive incentive to work hard, and a reward for successful efforts. 8 Traditionally, the people of the United States have been proud of their nation’s ability to produce material wealth so that they could maintain a high standard of living, This helps to explain why Americans use materialistic standards not only to judge themselves as individuals, but also to judge themselves as a nation. And the opportunity to share in the good life has attracted immigrants to the United States for generations. From Producers to Consumers 9 The emphasis on producing wealth and maintaining a high standard of living developed over a period of time. In the 10 1700s and 1800s, most Americans thought of themselves more as producers than consumers. As farmers they produced food and many of their own household goods, and lator ac factory workors thoy produced manufactured goods. It was not until the twentieth century that Americans began to think of themselves ‘more as consumers than as producers, This image change is probably due to the coming of mass advertising, made possible by the beginning of radio broadcasts in the 1920s and the spread of television programming in the 1950s. In the 1920s, businesses agreed to pay for, or sponsor, radio programs that would run short commercials advertising their products. Companies were able to reach large numbers of Americans at one time to convince them to buy their products; the emphasis was now on consuming. ‘The development of mass advertising continued with television, and by the end of the 1960s, scholars had begun to study the effect of mass advertising on American society. Historian David Potter observed that mass advertising in the United States had become so important in size and influence that it should be viewed as an institution, such as the school or the church. One effect of advertising was that sponsors had some control over the content of television programs. If businesses did not like the content, they could withdraw their sponsorship. A second effect was that advertising techniques were so successful that over time they began to be used W change Americans’ altitudes, behavior, and beliefs. For example, the government ran ads to urge teenagers not to use drugs; charities had ads to ask for donations; and politicians paid to advertise their campaigns. In the 2012 presidential election, candidates spent a total of more than $900 million on TV ads alone, with most of the money spent in states where the race was competitive. The Heritage of Abundance % 10311 Advertising money follows the consumer as well as the voter. Today, almost all homes in the United States have at least one television set (the average household hhas more than two), and the family TV is in use about eight hours a day. Some estimates are that the average American sees about 50,000 commercials a year. When popular events such as the ‘Super Bowl are on, mass advertising may reach 50 million or more viewers during a single program. In addition to radio and television, there are ads in magazines and newspapers, and marketers try to reach people outside their homes with ads everywhere. By 2007, many Americans felt mass advertising was out of control. A New York Times article, “Anywhere the Eye Can See, It’s Likely to See an Ad,” talked about the (then) new video screens in New York taxicabs and public elevators, and the new, ever-changing digital billboards. New York City’s Times Square {s the best-known and most spectacular example of American outdoor advertising, ‘with its huge digital billboards that have ads showing 24 hours a day. 12 And then came the Internet. By 2008, more than 75 percent of homes in the United States had a computer, and over the next few years, Americans abandoned their desktops for laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Over 80 percent of adults 48 and older now use the Internet, and ‘the numhers continue te grew This use of digital media has had a profound effect on advertising: it has changed the emphasis from mass advertising to target 104 4 Chapter 5 Times Square, New York—the city that never sleeps marketing. That is, advertisers are now creating ads for individual users on the Internet, using digital information about their use of digital media. Perhaps mass advertising has reached the point when most consumers simply ignore most of the ads, and businesses have learned that they can reach consumers better by appealing to their individual buying habits and other aspects of their lives. Some aspects that target marketers consider are geographic location and climate, gender, age, income, and education, as well as people's values, attitudes, and lifestyles. What American Consumers Like 13 14 People in the advertising business, and others who study American society, are interested in the question: What does the American consumer ike? Max Lerner, a well-known scholar who has studied American society, has said that American consumers are particularly fond of three things: comfort, cleanliness, and novelty. Lerner believes that the American love of comfort perhaps goes back to the frontier experience, where life was tough and there were very few comforts. This experience may have created a strong desire in the15 16 pioneers and their children for goods that would make life more comfortable, Today, the Americans’ love of comfort is seen in the way they furnish their homes, design their cars, and travel. ‘How Americans choose a new mattress for their bed is an example of the American love of comfort. Many Americans will go to a store where beds are set up and lie down on several mattresses to see which is the most comfortable. Cleanliness is also highly valued by Americans, Perhaps their Puritan heritage has played same role in their desire for cleanliness. The Puritans, a strict Protestant church group whose members were among the first settlers of America, stressed the need to cleanse’ the body of dirt and of all evil tendencies, which for them included sexual desire. The saying “Cleanliness ts next to godliness” reflects the belief of most Americans that it is important to keep not only their bodies, but also their clothes, their houses, their cars, and even their pets clean and smelling good. Indeed, many Americans are offended by anyone who does not follow their accepted standards of cleanliness. Marketing to American consumers requires an awareness of their desire for cleanliness. In his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, Charles Duhigg tells of Proctor & Gamble'’s (P&G) experience marketing Febreze, a spray that makes things smell * cleanse: o make something completely clean 47 Bath time forthe family dog g00d. Febreze actually destroys the molecules of odors, and P&G was sure it would be a great seller. Their ads focused on how their product could eliminate, not just cover up, bad smells—even pet smells. To their shock, the product didn't sell, After analyzing the behavior of potential customers, they discovered that people didn’t want to be reminded that their houses smelled bad and therefore needed Febreze. P&G changed their ad campaign completely. Instead of marketing itasa cleaning product, they presented itasa reward for when the cleaning was finished: “Who wants to admit their house stinks? . .. On the other hand, lots of people crave a nice smell after they've spent thirty minutes cleaning. ... Within a yeat, customers had spent more then $230 million on the product.” Sometime later, P&G began reminding customers that Febreze also gets rid of odors. Along with cleanliness and comfort, Americans love having things that are new and different. Perhaps this love of novelty is reinforced by their pride in their inventiveness. Americans have always The Heritage of Abundonce + 105been interested in inventing new products and improving old ones. Advertisements encourage people to get rid of old products and try new ones, whether the old ones sull work or not. Aud if they cannot afford to buy something now, advertisers encourage consumers to charge it on a credit card—"Buy now—pay later.” 18 In addition to the three qualities that Lerner mentions, there is a fourth quality that American consumers like very much—convenience. In the late 1900s, there was a dramatic increase in such labor-saving devices as automatic washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, food processors, microwave ovens, garbage disposals, and power lawn mowers. Today, all of these, and many more, are found in a typical suburban home. The American desire for convenience also created the concept of fast-food restaurants such as ‘McDonald's and KFC, which are now found in every city and almost every small town in the United States. and are now exported all over the world. For those who prefer to prepare their food at home, American grocery stores are full of convenience foods that are packaged and ready to cook, or are even precooked. 19. Like microwaves and dishwashers, fast- food restaurants and convenience foods save the American consumer time that ‘would otherwise be spent fixing meals or cleaning up. These conveniences, however, do not cause Americans to be less busy. ‘Women now make up more than one- half of the American workforce, and the majority of mothers with children under the age of eighteen work outside the home. With both parents employed, children eat a lot of take-out food, a significant contributor to childhood obesity? These conveniences reflect not so much a leisurely lifestyle as a busy one in which even minutes of time are too valuable to be wasted. Alexis de Tocqueville was one of the first to see in this a curious paradox’ in the American character. He observed that Americans were so busy working to acquire comforts and conveniences that they were unable to relax and to enjoy leisure time when they had it. Today, as in Tocqueville's time, many Americans have what one medical doctor has called “the hurry sickness.” An Abundance of Technology 20 Technological devices that can engage us 24 hours a day have increased the pace of life in the United States, and they have changed the way we receive and exchange information. For example, computers and other digital devices have changed our television viewing habits. By 2003, the majority of American homes had either cable or satellite TV. Consequently, in addition to the broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox—most Americans can now choose from hundreds of TV channels, There is everything from 24-hour news to movies, children’s programs, reality shows, sports, and games, and there are many specialty channels that focus on cooking, home improvement, music, travel, history, drama, comedy, public affairs, entertainment news, and lifestyles. There are also public TV networks offering educational and cultural programs, supported by contributions from. ‘viewers, donations from private companies and foundations, and government grants. 21 The result of all these choices is that the TV viewing audience has become more fragmented, with a smaller percentage watching any given program. This means that mass advertisers must also use other ‘ways to reach the buying public. Some ‘companies pay for product placement in obesity: the condition of being too heavy in a way that i dangerous to your health ® paradox: a situation that seems strange because It involves two ideas or qualities that are opposite or very different 106 % Chopter 5TV shows and movies—the hero drinking a Coke, for example, and many companies are doing target marketing. Most large companies do extensive market research to find individuals who are most likely to buy their products. They then focus on delivering their ads to these individuals, often using the Internet and other direct- marketing techniques. Advertising money is going to the Internet also because more and more Americans are online instead of watching TV at all. Increasingly, Americans are using their computer, smartphone, tablet, or other digital device—instead of television—to get their news and entertainment. This is especially true of the Millennials, young people who came of age at the start of the new millennium, the year 2000. Because they are such a desirable market group, advertising money is especially targeting them on the Internet. Traditional sources of news such as TV, newspapers, and news magazines have lost advertising revenue with serious consequences. Many big city papers have gone out of business because there are not enough readers to attract the advertisers needed to pay publishing costs. Some news magazines have gone to online publishing only. The problem is that much of the advertising money in papers and news magazines ‘traditionally went to support the covering of news events. News reporters worked on stories for months to gather and analyze details of complicated and important stories. With a loss of advertising revenue, news organizations have had to downsize, employing fewer staff reporters. As a result, in American media it is sometimes difficult to get in-depth coverage and analysis of news in the United States and around the world. 23 The Internet and the 24-hour cable news networks have created a desire for instant reporting and explanation of news events, sometimes leading to factual mistakes or the wrong interpretation of what is happening. Sometimes the news can be superficial and even silly. A great deal of time and attention is paid to the lives of celebrities, for example, resulting in a mixture of news and entertainment sometimes called “newsertainment” or “infotainment.” However, the Internet can also be a source of valuable news reports by eyewitnesses of events around the world, although it may be difficult to verify the accuracy of videos taken on iPhones. Another aspect of the Internet is that individuals can customize, or personalize, the news they receive about current events, and they can set up their ‘own news sites or blogs. Increasingly social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, and others are informing and shaping the opinions of their users, as more and more Americans spend more and more time online “The majority of American families have access tothe Internet The Hesilage of Abundance % 107‘An Abundance of Knowledge: Big Data 24 The first time most Americans heard the term Big Data was probably during the 2012 presidential election. President Obama’s campaign had purchased huge quantities of digital information on prospective voters. This Big Data, collected from many sources and then carefully analyzed, allowed the Obama team to run the presidential campaign in a whole new ‘way, with such a deep understanding of their potential voters that they could win them over vote by vote. In doing this, the campaign “overturned the long dominance of TV advertising in US. politics and created something new in the world: a national campaign run like a local ward election, where the interests of individual voters were known and addressed,” according to MIT Technology Review. 25 Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt have written a large “coffee table” book called The Human Face of Big Data. Smolan and Erwitt say that some people define Big Data as more information than can fit on a personal computer. Others say that it is more than just the quantity of the information—it is also the tools that allow us to see patterns and make use of the knowledge. “Big Data is an extraordinary knowledge revolution that is sweeping, almost invisibly, through business, academia, government, health care, and everyday life,” the authors state. Here are some startling facts they reveal about this revolution: The average person today processes more data in a single day than a person in the 1500s did in on entice lifetime. According to BabyCenter.com, today one in three children born in the United States already have [sic] an online presence (usually in the form of @ sonogram*) before they are barn. That number grows to 92 percent by the time they are two with a third of all children’s photos and information posted online within weeks of their bir Each of us now leaves a tail of digital exhaus) an infinite steam of phone records, texts, browser historias, GPS dato, and other information that will live on forever. This supply of Big Data about us raises important personal questions. What hhappens to all this information? What ‘will it mean to have a complete digital record of our lives from before birth to death? How will this information about ‘us be stored? Who owns our personal information, and who decides how it can be used? Some of these questions are already being debated. For example, who owns the photos we post or store on the Internet? There are also questions about how the government and law enforcement agencies can use our personal information. ‘What can governments do with it? What about the police? And, of course, there is already a concern about criminals and terrorists having access to knowledge about us. Identity theft* on the Internet is a big problem, and there are worries that terrorists could get control of important national infrastructure, such as defense? networks or power systems. Big Data also raises larger questions about how humanity uses all this new information. Until the coming ‘sonogram: an image ofan unborn baby inside its mother’s body exhaust: identity th gas or stream that is produced when a machine is working ta crime in which sontcone steals personal information about another person, such asa bank account ‘number, and uses this information to decelve other people and get money or goods * defense: the act of protecting something or someone from attack or destruction 108 % Chapter 528 of computers, the human race often, suffered from a lack of knowledge; now many believe we have too much of it. Every 18 months computing power doubles, and the amount of knowledge ‘we have is increasing exponentially. (1+1=2+2=4+4=8+8=16, and so on.) This incredible* limitless? supply of information is a double-edge sword—it cuts both ways. Thats, it has both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, it enables us to solve important problems and can bring many benefits to humanity. On the negative side, it can overwhelm us and may even cause us to make poor decisions. Brain research reveals that when we try to process too much information, the decision-making part of our brain actually shuts down. We then focus on the last piece of information and forget important facts that came before. Research shows that we then make bad decisions that are more affected by our emotions. What we should do is stop, do something else, and let our subconscious" mind sort through the data for us. Our subconscious mind evaluates the data, sees connections, and makes creative use of the knowledge. When we return to the task, our brains can then see what is important and enable us to make good decisions In order to be valuable and useful, Big Data has to be managed. One way is to rely on experts to analyze large amounts of data and then tell us what is important. The problem is that there is so much data that it overwhelms even the experts. We no longer just load information into a computer and tell it what to do. Now computers talk to each other and generate S incredible: difficult to believe "limitess: without a limit or end their own new information. This has created new ways of processing data some call “crowdscience,”"" or “citizenscience. In Reinventing Discovery: The New Era of Networked Sctence, Michael Nielsen explains how scientists can collaborate online to solve complex problems. And they can multiply their efforts by engaging the general public to sort through masses of information. For example, Galaxy? Zoo enables people to classify galaxies on their smartphones, enlarging what Nielsen calls the collective intelligence. In fact, a citizen scientist discovered a whole new classification of galaxies. Redefining American Abundance 29 The United States has always come from a culture of abundance, not scarcity. Bono, the rock star/activist, observed that Americans avoided the “curse of natural resources” that some developing nations now face. Americans learned how to develop the enormous natural resources on their continent and use them “not just to build a modern society but also to feed and supply the world.” Now Americans are redefining their abundance as a powerful supply of ideas that can help bring solutions to the problems of the world. In Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think, Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler say that scarcity of resources is a matter of perspective and accessibility. It you have a tree full of oranges and you pick all the fruit that you can reach, you have run out of your source of oranges. But if someone invents a ladder, you have access to a new supply. "subconscious: the part of your mind that has thoughts and feelings that you do not always realize that you have + crowiscience—a group of people work together to solve a scientific problem or do scientific research. The group may ‘bea few people, or it may involve thousands. " galaxy—any of the large groups of stars that make up the universe The Hertoge of Abundence & 10930. A good example of this is the development of the controversial technology of “fracking,” This allows drilling companies to get ofl and natural gas from underground supplies in the United States that had not been previously accessible. The supplies of gas and oil are so vast that in 2012, the International Energy Agency projected that by 2020 the United States ‘would become the world’s leading oil producer. However, environmental groups are afraid of what this technique will do to the water supply and the ecology of the areas where this is being done. 31 Diamandis, Kotler, and others detail the ways that Americans can join with individuals around the world to find innovative solutions for providing clean water, enough food, and adequate shelter to everyone. Diamandis and Kotler refer to the populations of the world who lack basic necessities as “the rising billion.” ‘With the spread of mobile phones around the world, anyone anywhere will have the opportunity to join in creating a world of shared abundance. They define abundance: Abundance is not about providing everyone on this plonet with a life of luxury’? —rather ifs about providing all with a life of possibilty. To be able to live such « life requires having the basics covered and then some. . . . Today mast poverty: stricken Americans have a television, telephone, electricity, running water, and indoor plumbing, 32 Definitions of poverty and abundance may be relative, as Diamandis and Kotler suggest. But there is probably universal agreement about the basics that everyone needs: clean water, enough food, and adequate shelter. The sharing of Big Data and networking technology gives us the tools to meet these basic needs and bring “a life of abundant possibility” to 4 all, This will not happen automatically. There are many obstacles to overcome— pollution of the environment, scarcities of food and clean water, and bad decisions by government leaders or even human greed—but the good news is that there are individuals around the world who are dedicated to making it happen. ‘We began by explaining where the American ideal of abundance came from historically, and how it has affected the development of the United States. In contrast to most nations, Americans have traditionally believed that the wealth of their country was like an ever-expanding pie. Instead of the rich getting a larger piece and the poor getting a smaller one, the pie would continue to expand to provide large pieces for everyone. Most important, there would always be enough pie for all. The belief in the continuing heritage of abundance made Americans an optimistic people with confidence that human problems could be solved. It greatly reduced the conflict between the rich and poor that has torn many other nations apart. Perhaps most important, the belief in an always growing abundance gave strong support to such basic national values as freedom, self-reliance, equality of opportunity, competition, and hard work. It seemed to Americans that their high standard of living was a reward for practicing these values. Today, some Americans worry that their economic pie may not continue to expand. But individuals like Diamandis and Kotler say that the revolution in Big Data and new tools to use and share the knowledge are the new face of American abundance. ‘We will simply make more pies. "Iuxury: very great comfort and pleasure, such as you get from expensive food, beautiful things, ete. 110 % Chopter 5AFTER YOU READ Understand Main Ideas ‘Check the predictions you made on page 101 before reading the chapter. Write your predictions that were correct: Work with a partner and answer these questions about the main ideas of each section of the chapter. Skim the sections for the main ideas if you do not remember them. 1. A History of Abundance: What three values were strengthened by the abundant natural resources of the United States? 2. From Producers to Consumers: What caused Americans to change from thinking of themselves mainly as producers to thinking of themselves mainly as consumers? 3. What American Consumers Like: What four things do American consumers like? 4. An Abundance of Technology: What changes have new technologies brought in American TV-viewing habits and in the way Americans access entertainment and information? 5. An Abundance of Knowledge: Big Data: What is Big Data and why is it important? What two kinds of questions does it raise? 6. Redefining American Abundance: What is the new definition of American abundance, and how can it benefit the rest of the world? Understand Details Write the letter of the best answer according to the information in the chapter. 1. Which of the following statements is not true? a. The European settlers found a North American continent that was rich in undeveloped resources. b. The values of the American people inspired them to develop a wilderness continent into a wealthy nation. ~The American government discausaged them from developing the natural resources. 2. Tocqueville believed that in a nation such as the United States, where ‘wealth and social position are not determined by birth, a, the rich are not worried about keeping their wealth. -beeveryone is worried about either acquiring wealth or hglding on to it if they haveT. — ¢. people worry about money so much because they are basically very greedy. The Herlage of Abundance 1115. 9. 112% Chapter 5 Americans probably think of themselves more as consumers than producers because a, few people are still farmers, sb they are influenced by mass.advertising. c. they are concerned about competing on the international market. . Advertisers are now creating ads for individual users on the Internet, using digital information about their use of digital media. This means that a, advertisers create personal ads for you by following what you do ternet. —— b. advertisers use media experts to design digital ads. ¢. advertisers use mass media technology to reach as many people as possible, The spread of cable and satellite TV has meant that a, more Americans watch the networks ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox than other channels. bu there is a virtually unlimited variety of television programs available. c, the number of people watching one program at the same time has increased dramatically. . Another aspect of the Internet is that individuals can customize, or personalize, the news they receive about current events, and they can set up their own newss sites or blogs. This means that a, the Internet offers no real way for people to share news and their opinions about news. b. most people are interested in general news and there are few individual differences. -&. people can choose to receive only news that interests them personally. - TT . Which of these is implied, but not stated directly, in the What American Consumers Like section of the chapter? a. Fast food is as healthy as home-cooked food. b, Most of the cooking is done by women, © Men use credit cards more than women. Based on information in the What American Consumers Like section, which one of these statements is true? a. Americans like new products and want to improve ald ones. b. When buying a chair, most Americans would be more concerned about its beauty than its comfort. . At first, Febreze did not sell well because Americans are not concerned about how their houses smell. ‘The view that a country’s economy is an ever-expanding pie a. is held by most nations in the world ae b_ isa belief held by Americans and reinforced hy their experiences ¢- isa belief that a country’s food supply will continually expand.10. Fracking is a new technique that allows drilling companies to get oil and natural gas from underground supplies in the United States that had not been accessible. This means that a. oil and gas supplies have always been easy to reach in the U.S. », oil and gas companies are not permitted to use the fracking technique. . the fracking technique gives companies the opportunity to reach oil and gas they could not get to before. Talk About It Work in small groups and choose one of these questions to discuss. 1. Which do you think is more important for economic growth: a good supply of natural resources or the values of the people in the society? Give examples. 2. What are the basic necessities of life? Do we have a responsibility to make sure everyone has them? 3. What do you think of fast-food restaurants? Are convenience foods (canned goods, frozen food, pre-cooked dinners, etc.) popular in your country? 4. What personal information do you put on the Internet? Who owns your personal information? Who should be able to use it and how? SKILL BUILDING Improve Your Reading Skills: Highlighting For successful academic reading, use strategies for identifying and remembering the ‘main points. One strategy is to highlight the first sentence in each paragraph as you read. The first sentence is often the topic sentence and states the topic, or main idea, of the paragraph. Practice this strategy. Highlight the first sentence of each paragraph in the What ‘American Consumers Like section of the chapter. In your notebook, copy the seven sentences to make a one-paragraph summary of the section. Develop Your Critical Thinking Skills Reread the quotation from Diamandis and Kotler: “Abundance is not about providing everyone on this planet with a life of uxury—rathertt's about providing all with a life of possibility. To be able to live such a life requires having the basics covered and then some...” Evaluate this definition of abundance. In what ways do you agree or disagree with it? Be prepared to participate in a classroom discussion about this issue. The Heritage of Abundance «113Build Your Vocabulary Opposites Match the words with opposite meanings. Then fill in the sentence blanks with the correct words. —— l. abundance a. expand —— 2. consumer b. wealth —— 3. downsize c. downward —— 4. mass d. vice —— 5. positive e. scarcity —— 6. poverty f. private —— 7. public §. poor —— 8. rich hh. producer —— 9. upward i. targeted —— 10. virtue j. negative 1. Unlike many countries where the love of material things was scen as a , a mark of weak moral character, in the United States it was seen asa an incentive to work hard, and a reward for successful efforts. 2, Tocqueville thought that Americans might be insecure if their material wealth could change so rapidly either or during a lifetime. 3. Mass advertising reinforces the American's self-image as a 4, The United States comes from a culture of abundance, not a. television has no commercials, and programs are paid for by donations and government grants. 114 4 Chapter 56. Today most__________-stricken Americans have a television, telephone, electricity, running water, and indoor plumbing. 7. With a loss of advertising revenue, news organizations have had to employing fewer staff reporters. Technology Words There are a number of words and phrases in the chapter that deal with technology. Some of these words apply to television; others relate to the Internet, and some relate to both, In the Venn diagram that follows, write the words that apply to these three categories. Write the words that only apply to television in one circle, the words that only apply to the Internet in the other circle, and the words that apply to both in the area that overlaps. Look on the Internet for any words you do not know. Advertisements Facebook Sponsor Blog Mass marketing ‘Targeted marketing Cable Movies Tumblr Channel Network ‘Twitter Commercials News Video: Data Online Viewer Digital Pinterest Website Entertainment Satellite World Wide Web The Heritage of Abundance *& 115More AWL Words Test your knowledge of these AWL words by filling in the blanks in these sentences from the chapter. ‘concluded generalion _insiution task consumers image maintaining technique ‘emphasis insecure period People might be naturally if their material wealth, and that T of their children, could change so rapidly either upward or downward during « lifetime, or even a single . Tocqueville —<———— r that it was extremely important both to rich Americans and poor Americans to increase their personal wealth and material comforts. Therefore, the entire population joined in the of increasing the nation’s material abundance as quickly as possible. The : on producing wealth and - ahigh standard of living developed over a of time, It was not until the twentieth century that Americans began to think of themselves more as ‘than producers. This change is probably 3 tran Producers. 1s due to the coming of mass advertising, made possible by radio and television. Television used the same = that radio had developed. Historian David Potter observed that mass advertising in the United States became so important in size and influence that it should be viewed as an such as the school or the church. EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Conduct an Experiment In the chapter, there is information about how advertisers target people they want to hhave as customers. Newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane says that there are several things an ad must accomplish to be successful: “A good advertisement must do five things and do them all. If it fails in one, it fails in all It must make people see it, read (listen /watch] it, understand it, believe it, want it.” 116% Chapter 5Choose one (or more) of these activities to count the ways advertising is part of your life. Write your findings in your notebook. Then report your findings to the rest of the class. 1, Count the number of TV commercials you see in one hour. 2, Count the number of billboards or other outdoor advertising messages you see ina day. Count the number of advertisements you see on the Internet in one hour. Count the number of advertising messages you see on people's clothing in one day. People Watching 1. Observe what Americans throw away, Visit a fast-food restaurant and count the containers that are thrown away from one person's meal. How much food is wasted? How does this compare with people eating in fast-food restaurant: your country? 2. Visit a supermarket and note the kinds of convenience or packaged foods available. Be sure to check all the departments. Here are some examples of what you may find: salad in a bag, fruit already cut up and ready to eat, rice and pasta boxed dinners, ready-to- cook meat and poultry dishes, and frozen dinners. Notice what Americans are buying at the grocery store. How does this compare with grocery shoppers in your country? Notice the different varieties of the same type of products. How many kinds of milk do you count? How many kinds of bread? How many kinds of rice? Record your observations in your journal. ‘A family enjoys eating a a fast-food restaurant. Think, Pair, Share Think about current environmental problems and possible solutions. For these words and phrases, write P for the environmental problems, and S for the solutions. —— endangered species —— conserving energy trash and garbage _— protecting wildlife —— recycling —— airpollution —— wastefulness —— global warming Ihe Heritage of Abundonce #117‘What other environmental problems and solutions can you think of? Write your answers below and share them with your partner. Ask Americans / Create a Poll All countries must now consider their energy needs and how to meet them in the future. The United States is no exception. This chart is based on a poll that asked Americans ‘about their government's policy for addressing the nation’s energy supply. Create your own poll by writing questions for each item, and then ask Americans to answer your questions. Compare your results with this poll. PUBLIC CONTINUES TO SUPPORT BROAD RANGE OF ENERGY POLICIES ‘Government polices for adaessng nation’ energy supoly Favor Oppose Requcng beter ecec for vet ere fndng for reseach on wn ‘solar, and hydrogen Aoing mare ol and gs ing Ai ins waters Spending mare on subway al, and bus stems Ging ox cas energy companies i foro and gis eperaion : Pmt the naa use of i rear power ‘Source: Pew Research Center Mar. 7-11, 2012.43, Small-Group Project An interesting example of Big Data is the phenomenon of YouTube. It started in 2007 ‘and by 2012 there were 60 hours of video uploaded every minute and more than 4 billion page views per day, with the numbers continuing to rise at a faster and faster ‘pace. An article in Time magazine proclaimed, “There's never been an object like YouTube in human history.” Modern life generates huge quantities of video, and most oft is created by amateurs, not professionals. Before YouTube, there was no central place for videos to be gathered and stored. One of Google's main challenges is to keep the site from crashing because of all these videos. Another challenge is how to organize the videos so that people can find what they want to see. YouTube is using a type of ‘crowdsourcing by having its users do the organizing of the videos themselves. This ‘process is evolving. 118 & Chapter 5Work in a small group to look at how YouTube organizes videos. Visit YouTube and look for a type of video that you want to see. What words do you use to describe this type of video? How does YouTube organize videos? Is it easy to find the videos you want on YouTube? How would you organize YouTube videos to make the site easier to use? Use the Internet Choose one of the topics below and do research on the Internet: 1. Learn more about what Diamandis and Kotler have to say about abundance: “We think it’s critically important for you to have access to this ongoing evidence for abundance. therefore, we've created five different ways for you to stay plugged in, interact with the authors, and join an ongoing conversation about radical advances in energy, food, water, health, education, technophilanthropy, DIY [Do It Yourself] innovation, and all the rest.” Visit their websites to learn more: http://www.AbundanceHub.com 2. In spite of all the abundance in the United States, you may be surprised to earn that hunger is still a problem. Many Americans do not make enough money to provide adequate food for their famtites. Also, because of poverty, many Americans do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables in their neighborhoods, and so they eat a lot of cheap fast food. Childhood obesity isa problem, as well as hunger. Learn about a documentary film that was made about the problem. Search on the Internet for the film “A Place at the Table.” Find more information at websites such as www.takepart.com or www.magpictures.com/aplaceatthetable, 3. Ifyouare interested in the protection of endangered species, visil websites such as www.worldwildlife.org or the U.S. government site www.fws.gov/ endangered/ » WRITE ABOUT IT Inthis chapter, there was a discussion of advertising and what Americans like to buy. What happens to all the “stuff” that people buy? What happens to the old electronic products (phones, computers, etc.) when people buy new ones? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the government agency that isin charge of what happens to ‘Americans’ trash and garbage. How Americans Dispose of Trash and Garbage Information from the EPA website Ittp://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htm ‘Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)—more commonly known as trash or garbage— consists of everyday items we use and then throw away, such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries. This comes from our homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. The Herilage of Abundance %*& 119Each year EPA produces a report on MSW generation, recycling, and disposal. In 2010, Americans generated about 250 million tons of trash and recycled and ‘composted over 85 million tons of this material, equivalent to a 34.1 percent recycling rate. On average, we recycled and composted 1.51 pounds of our individual waste gonoration of 4 4 paunds por persan por day. EPA encourages practices that reduce the amount of waste needing to be disposed ‘of, such as waste prevention, recycling, and composting, *+ Source reduction, ox waste prevention, is designing products to reduce the amount of waste that will later need to be thrown away and also to make the resulting waste less toxic. + Recycling is the recovery of useful materials, such as paper, glass, plastic, and metals, from the trash to use to make new products, reducing the amount of new raw materials needed. + Composting involves collecting organic waste, such as food scraps and yard. trimmings, and storing it under conditions designed to help it break down naturally. This resulting compost can then be used asa natural fertilizer. Recycling and composting prevented 85.1 million tons of material from being disposed of [in] 2010, up from 15 million tons in 1980. This prevented the release of approximately 186 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the air in 2010—equivalent to taking 36 million cars off the road for a year. Learn more about how common wastes and materials, including food and yard wastes, paper, metals, and electronics, contribute to MSW generation and how they can be recycled. MSW RECYCLING RATES, 1960-2010 ‘=e Total MSW reeycing » o> Percent rcyed Percent of generation regycled Total MSW reeying (milion ton) 3 19601965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 120 % Chapter 52010 ToTAL MSW GENERATION (BY MATERIAL) 250 MILUON Tons (BEFORE RECYCLING) Other, 3.4% Glass, 4.6% Paper and paperboard, 28.5% ‘Wood, 6.4% ‘ Rubber, leather, ‘and textiles, 8.4% Metals, 9% Plastics, 12.4% Yard trimmings, 13.4% ‘The EPA is trying to teach Americans to reduce, reuse, and recycle. It is clear that Americans are doing better at recycling. Write a report about how your country deals with trash and garbage. Do research on the Internet and share your own personal experiences. EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN Books to Read Rachel Carson, Silent Spring—This best-selling book published in 1962 was one of the first to warn of environmental problems and the dangers of chemical pollution. Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler: Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think—This book details ways that technology, innovators, technophilanthropists, and ordinary people are finding solutions to some of the world’s worst problems. Al Gore, Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit—In this best seller, the former vice president calls on Americans to rethink their relationship with the environment or face terrible consequences. Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal—A disturbing look at the fast-food industry in the United States and how it affects American food production, health, and popular culture. Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt, The Human Face of Big Data—A large, “coffee table” picture book that illustrates how huge quantities of information are affecting out lives. The Hertage of Abundance * 121Movies to See Erin Brockovitch—An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city’s water supply. An Inconvenient Truth—Al Gore presents an award-winning documentary movie about the effects of global warming. Promised Land—The film presents one town’s experience with fracking, a process for getting natural gas from deep underground, Silkwood—Karen Silkwood is a nuclear reactor worker who may have been murdered to prevent her exposing wrongdoing at the power plant. The Truman Show—An insurance salesman discovers that his entire life is a TV show. 122 & Chapter 5