ABSTRACT

Drawing upon the work of Marchand, this chapter considers interwar advertisers as playing a key role in socializing individuals to modern, consumer society. Moving into the postwar years, the chapter discusses the expansion of American consumer culture with growth in suburban housing developments and an explosion of consumer products to fill these homes. The critiques of consumption from prominent postwar writers, such as Packard, Galbraith, and Williams, are also considered. The chapter concludes with debates about advertising creating “false needs.” Through this discussion, the authors call for a more nuanced understanding of needs and satisfaction.