US civilisation is EXTREMELY new and still trying to express itself with Euro/British symbols and sensibility - that's why it all looks so tacky. In 100, 200, 500 years it will evolve (and maybe fracture) into something no one this side of the Atlantic will be able to relate to.
All frivolous consumer products can be categorized as either Mr. Character, Mr Guy, or Shapes.
Mr. Character is meaningless fictionslop; cutesy nonsense that comes and goes with no staying power. You wake up one day and everyone has one, the next day they all disappear without a trace. All Characters are embodied by the spirit of the omnipresent "Mr. Character", There's a bit of him in everything.
Mr. Guy is a transient personal brand; people who just appear in the media cycle and disappear a year later (similar to Mr. Character). The difference being that Mr. Guy is a real guy with beliefs and opinions that people like to debate about. His existence in pop-culture is a product of the zeitgeist willing him into existence; an avatar of the collective unconscious. (we all have a piece of Mr. Guy within us)
Shapes are single consumer objects. They have no story, no tradition, no semantic or symbolic weight. You are told they are cool now and that you should buy one. The more expensive the shape the better. The shape will soon disappear. Get it before it is gone forever.
It is your duty as a modern cosmopolitan to be up to date on who the current Mr. Character and Mr. Guy is.
You must always be aware of what the current most popular shape is.
Failing to do these things will socially isolate you.