One of the more understated, but relevant elements of Super Sad True Love Story is materialism.  On page 38, Lenny, while looking for information about Eunice, comes across her and her sister’s purchases that are mostly comprised of boutiques in L.A. and New York, footwear, and expensive socks.  During his analysis, he feels the need to save them from themselves and “the idiotic consumer culture that was bleeding them softly.”  Materialism also comes into play with the apparat models.  You aren’t cool or important if you don’t have the newest model with all of the best functions as displayed when Lenny returns from Rome and is forced to get the most updated version in order to increase his status at work.  The consumer approach of the apparat is similar to that of iPhones in the sense that the most recently released version shows status.  This plays into the social hierarchy that controls their world, and is beginning to control ours.  In our society, there is so much emphasis placed on how you look and what you have.  Due to our judgmental nature, there is a lot riding on first impressions and appearance.  As the saying goes, you must “dress to impress.”  To be someone of importance you have to look the part, which requires you to have money.  This creates a socioeconomic issue that restricts those in the lower class from reaching higher levels in many industries, and results in a vicious cycle.  The novel seems to comment on the societal obsession of consumer culture, and how this dangerous cycle is connected to the financial crisis of America.