The traditional cultural values of Western society today are degenerating under the influences of the power of corporate politics, the commercialization of our culture and the impact of mass media. Our society is merely beginning to awaken from its fascination with television entertainment to find itself stripped of the traditions we once held dear. We are finding ourselves controlled by an oppressive power structure and bound to the credit card bills that symbolize a defunct American dream. What is worse is that we see the actual problem as our only way out. The problem of consumerism bothers us, though we do not actually know why or how. Because we are unaware of the cause of this "uneasiness," we see buying things and consuming as a "medication." This just pushes us deeper into the pit of consumerism, where popular culture, under the guise of "all things cool and phat," has set a clever trap for us.

People who fill their intellectual horizons with nothing beyond sports statistics and fashion magazine quizzes, who know nothing of "real matters" such as justice, service, and gaining independence from mass culture, are in for a hard future. These people have allowed the noose of the anti-kingdom to get tighter and tighter, forming a cultural "death grip." Soon their hopes, their expectations, and the false sense of security which consumerism fosters will be shattered. This is how consumerism kills.

This is a very significant development in Catholic social teaching that will hopefully nurture a new phase of Catholic social thought. However, a problem arises. Most people know nothing of this encyclical or its implications. I probably would never have found it, had I not been doing research for this paper. Christians, and most especially Catholics, are starving for knowledge, although they usually do not recognize it. We need knowledge concerning the relationship between the pitfalls of consumerism and the downfall of American society as we know it. This is a bold statement, but bold statements need to be made in life and death situations. And the problem of consumerism is, undoubtedly, a deadly situation.

Beneath consumerist tendencies lies an insecure America striving to fill an image projected in media advertising. Our self-awareness and self-worth have been grossly distorted. In short, we are reduced to what we wear. The mindset is that, no matter what a person does, they are never good enough. We are either too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too smart, too dumb, or simply "so totally last month."

Women, Looking good is not enough to get what you want! If you want the world, you have to get your man and use him to get the world! Don't look as if you are trying too hard, you should make it seem like its all just happening. You should be confident and strong willed- no emotional tears or breakdowns. A woman should not use these tools.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Relationships Consumerism, Women Looking, Centesimus Annus, Portland Maine, Social Communication's, River Watershed, Satan Anti-Kingdom, RELATIONSHIPS Consider, Holy Father, Madonna Madonna, popular culture, catholic social, relationships consumerism, catholic social teaching, religious question, card bills, people realize, human relationships, explore consumerism, stereotype women, credit card bills, credit card,
Approximate Word count = 2268
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)