The industrial revolution brought about American's drive to gain more through expansion. Expansion comes through production. Before the industrial revolution, the 'more factor' was still present. People wanted more then what they already owned. Americans believed there was opportunity to do what ever they wanted. Americans lived with the frontier mentality that there was always more to obtain. To obtain this 'more,' people had to rely on their own talents since "a person's rewards were taken to be quite strictly proportionate to his labors." (Shames pg.57) Expression of ones personality was determined by an individual's ability.

The products we now must buy instead of make, need to represent a status the individual wants to express. Companies' awareness of distinctive personalities leads them to create a range of different models of a product. Therefore, there is a need to create physically different types of a certain product. There are a countless number of types of cars for example as well as different smelling perfumes. People do not want to drive the same car as everyone else and they do not want to smell like everyone else. There is a need to possess uniqueness. To continue the car example, companies build cars in different shapes and styles in order to appeal to masses. The SUV has become the answer for those who want big cars that possess a lot of strength. Never before did civilians drive large cars. SUVs' are cars yet due to the different shape, there is large mass appeal.

The physicality of a product is used to symbolize our personality rather then pure function. The SUV is large and powerful looking. We can deduct that this can bring about an emotion in the consumer. As Goewey noted, that people are attracted to this car because it advertises power. Either the individual has power and believes this car fits him or this is how the individual wants to be perceived. For fear the consumer will not be able to realize this car is exemplifying power the company must use advertising to reach the mass market.

If we as consumers know that these products won't do what the ads promise, why do we buy into it? Sadly people are more concentrated on the image of products. We know we won't really be any different but we want others to perceive us in a certain way. So we pick and choose the product

Some common words found in the essay are:
Carl Marx, market ads, individual power, modern organization labor, society people, products won't, create product, industrial revolution, people own, modern society, modern organization, organization labor,
Approximate Word count = 1150
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)