The future of relationships in America are at risk. As displayed in much recent discourse online, capitalist ideology glorifies individualism and material possessions, causing Americans to value monetary gain above interpersonal connections. Prioritizing personal achievements overrides the time and energy required for maintaining relationships above surface level. This lack of connection promotes mental health issues, such as loneliness and feelings of inadequacy, further obstructing possible relations. As Americans are taught to view possible connections as assets, the authenticity of true friendship is destroyed. The system encapsulates a “time is money” ideology, weakening support systems derived from community as people dedicate their time to personal monetary gain/development.
In our capitalist society, it is taught to measure value with our personal contribution to capital, promoting individualism. Renata Salecl, psychoanalysis professor and philosopher, stated during the A.M Qattan Foundation’s Tyranny of Choice lecture, “Contemporary Capitalism has created the concept of freedom of choice, which is a purely individualistic value that motivates people to consume, and distorts the concepts of happiness and success, all in one goal; the accumulation of wealth for capitalism,” (A.M. Qattan Foundation, 2019). With a focus on personal success, relationships are pushed aside. This phenomena’s affiliation to capitalism is proven through Ghi-Feng Yen and Hai-Ying Tsao’s findings in A Research on the Dual Value Model of Individual Transaction Decision in Ethnic Chinese Society. They discuss differences between Chinese and western cultures regarding the decision making of monetary transactions (Yen, Tsao, Hai-Ying, 2024). China identifies as a socialist economic state, however incorporates private ownership and open competition (Pelkmans, 2018). The article explains how social values trickle into the financial world as people become more critical of the outcome of their economic spending. Chinese societies are more likely to invest in human connection and relationships, but the west views this as an unpredictable waste of money. Human’s inherent emotional attachment to others has effects on spending habits, viewed negatively by capitalist America. This mindset causes society to neglect sacrificing personal time and amenities for others, discouraging selfless practices from the heart, a crucial aspect of intimacy. Not prioritizing relationships can lead to loneliness, having serious negative effects on mental health. A study by Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan showed that those who define their self-worth through financial or career successes tend to experience higher levels of anxiety and depression, illustrating this link (Kasser, Ryan, 1993). Navigating life prioritizing individual success replaces authentic connection-making with networking.
Increasing the link between relationships and transactional values causes us to view people as assets rather than connections, labeled networking. Transactionary relationships eliminate the inherent beauty that makes a friendship genuine. Natalie Beach, who publicly ended a friendship said, “Want to kill a relationship? Make it a brand. Monetize it, real friendships are messy, dynamic, and constantly changing. Brands are curated, static, one-dimensional, and really only exist to make money. Pretty much the opposite of a real friendship,” (Leach, 2024). Natalie Beach lectured after publicly ending a friendship that its true nature is destroyed when transactional values are attached. An early Vogue campaign discusses how tyranny appears in friendships when built on what can be offered, rather than selfless connection. The author, Mildred R. Cram believes that friendship should never contain expectations of one another, and that once relationships become selfish, they lose their very purpose. The article reads, “The ideal friend never makes excessive claims on friendship; he gives what he receives in a balanced mutual generosity; his confidences are spontaneous,” supporting that friends should not exchange equal favors, but rather mutually aid each other when apparent (Cran, 1917). When confiding in others for their resources, there is no need to seek out companions, but rather business inquiries. The monetization of services, such as Uber, has shifted how people view favors. Codie Sanchez tweeted: “as an adult, don’t ask your friend to pick you up from the airport. Uber, save a friendship,” has sparked an online debate on how the capitalization of services has turned simple favors into a monetary exchange (Wong, 2023). According to the survey conducted, 87.5% agreed that the convenience of paid services leads to a reduction of community engagement. One reply to Sanchez’s tweet said, “We miss out on key parts of community/friendship when we are constantly worried about inconveniencing each other.” Mina le, YouTuber, said, “Why inconvenience a friend when you could just pay for a car? Why spend an hour talking to a loved one when you can sit silently in a stranger’s backseat,” displaying the destruction of community values (Le, 2024).
Placing value in monetary gain, rather than connection, has additional negative effects on community. Because time is money, there is less time to be invested in relationships. This lack of community engagement is displayed in Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone, where he argues that Americans have become increasingly disconnected from one another and community organizations, showcasing how individual pursuits have replaced collective activities and declined communal bonds (Putnam, 2000). This emphasis on the individual and monetary value undermines the importance of community and connection. The traditional networks and support systems designed to provide emotional safety and shared experiences have since weakened, causing Americans to turn to materialism as a form of escapism.
Measuring success by wealth has caused an increase in materialism among Americans, exemplified in Jean Baudrillard’s The Consumer Society. Baudrillard critiques capitalism’s endless cycle of desire and consumption of social expectations and trends (Baudrillard, 1970). He delves into how advertising, media, and cultural norms manipulate desires. As a result, consumption is no longer about necessity but constructing meaning and belonging, which should be found in community and relationships. Social media fosters competition and false perceptions of the “ideal” life; making material goods and events status symbols to be posted, rather than genuinely enjoyed in the moment. When surveyed, all 24 responses agreed that the commercialization of social activities on social media has affected the authenticity of their social interactions on some level. When financial success defines self-worth, feelings of inadequacy or depression become apparent, possibly straining relationships by pushing people to withdraw from their loved ones (Kasser, Ryan, 1993). A constant exposure to curated depictions of wealth can trigger insecurity and competition, hurting mental health which may prevent healthy relationships.
As stated, the pursuit of individual financial success has replaced values essential for meaningful relationships, replacing communal connection with materialism. Capitalist ideology assigns a transactional nature to human interactions, diminishing the pure desire for companionship and further fostering isolation, which negatively impacts mental health. This topic, chosen by a left-leaning thinker, is meant to criticize the unjust priorities of those in charge. Strong support systems are crucial to success, and that the very essence of life lies in connection and love. Feeling deeply saddened by corporations and governments prioritization of profit over people, influencing the choice in a topic reflecting beliefs that positive change can occur if common values align with community, unfortunately not the case in America; the survey results affirmed this perspective unanimously. Writing should advocate for change for pressing issues such as that human life should be cherished for its depth of emotion, thought, and capacity for love, not exploited as a tool for generating wealth.