During the economic boom of the late nineties into the early 21st century, American consumer spending rose, while savings numbers shrunk to record lows. People in this country have built a life around spending money. Instead of developing a personality, they buy it."My vapid smile would look great in that new Volkswagen!"
"My hipster hair-do really stands out with this iPod and ironic t-shirt."
"I sure feel depressed. What I wouldn't do for a brand new LCD television."
Along with the notorious over-medication many Americans practice is a tendency to purchase happiness, instead of seeking it out or figuring out why you need to fill your life with more stuff than your neighbor. People are so medicated on shopping they will kill each other to get at that good deal. So what are our proud American sheep to do now that we are spiraling into a recession? People are losing houses and cars they can't afford, losing jobs they hate but only work to keep themselves out of their mounting debt, can't get financing or credit they really don't need and still want to maintain a lifestyle corporations tell them they deserve.
One psychology professor and author sees several inevitable outcomes. Theft, violence and depression will rise, and may already be doing just that. Gas prices may be down but people still don't have the money to fill their cars. There are sales everywhere you turn, but spending for the holidays it at a ten-year low. Dealers are almost giving cars away, but few can afford a new car. Unemployment is at a 14 year high already, and we don't know when this recession will pull out.
I'm one of those poor souls still living nearly paycheck to paycheck, even without the need for the latest fashions from the lifestyle-retailers. I do not own an iPod. I don't have a car payment. The only extravagance I have shelled out for is a vacation cruise to Mexico, because if I don't have a break from working full-time and going to school, waking up at 6 am every day to commute with the morons in my great state, I'm going to commit homicide. It's nothing personal to the victim, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I will send a fruit basket to your widow/family/cat.
This spending to purchase good emotions...could that be tied to this? The American government is notorious for throwing money at a problem, hoping it will go away. Our current military spending on two wars and the support thereof has reached over 900 billion dollars since 2001. That's our money, our tax dollars the government has seen fit to piss down a massive hole (along with 4,765 soldiers lives), and for what benefit? Saddam is dead, no one can find Bin Laden, Al Queda is stronger than ever, and Iraq is finally pulling itself together, after 668,051 dead civilians and losing millions of others who left their home country. And any right-wing Hannity fan will tell you we're winning the 'war on terrorism,' despite the best efforts of the Liberals who want us to lose. It's the same with the 'war on drugs' (yeah, thanks Regan), where billions have been squandered for a few headline-making busts and drugs are more available than they were twenty years ago, and often cheaper.
America loves spending money to make itself feel better, like it's doing something good. We give money to countries that support 'terrorism,' like Egypt against its own people, and Israel against the Palestinians. And along the way, we've made the world a much safer place, except I have to take my shoes off to get on an airplane and a pissed-off journalist actually threw his shoes at our own president, who may likely rot in the bowels of prison for seven years. he journalist, not Bush, despite what many people would like to see. Ahem.
Maybe I'm overreacting, but I doubt it. I fear America will show her true face during the next couple of months, where a once proud and powerful civilization will expose how close to insanity and barbarism it really is.
"My hipster hair-do really stands out with this iPod and ironic t-shirt."
"I sure feel depressed. What I wouldn't do for a brand new LCD television."
Along with the notorious over-medication many Americans practice is a tendency to purchase happiness, instead of seeking it out or figuring out why you need to fill your life with more stuff than your neighbor. People are so medicated on shopping they will kill each other to get at that good deal. So what are our proud American sheep to do now that we are spiraling into a recession? People are losing houses and cars they can't afford, losing jobs they hate but only work to keep themselves out of their mounting debt, can't get financing or credit they really don't need and still want to maintain a lifestyle corporations tell them they deserve.
One psychology professor and author sees several inevitable outcomes. Theft, violence and depression will rise, and may already be doing just that. Gas prices may be down but people still don't have the money to fill their cars. There are sales everywhere you turn, but spending for the holidays it at a ten-year low. Dealers are almost giving cars away, but few can afford a new car. Unemployment is at a 14 year high already, and we don't know when this recession will pull out.
I'm one of those poor souls still living nearly paycheck to paycheck, even without the need for the latest fashions from the lifestyle-retailers. I do not own an iPod. I don't have a car payment. The only extravagance I have shelled out for is a vacation cruise to Mexico, because if I don't have a break from working full-time and going to school, waking up at 6 am every day to commute with the morons in my great state, I'm going to commit homicide. It's nothing personal to the victim, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I will send a fruit basket to your widow/family/cat.
This spending to purchase good emotions...could that be tied to this? The American government is notorious for throwing money at a problem, hoping it will go away. Our current military spending on two wars and the support thereof has reached over 900 billion dollars since 2001. That's our money, our tax dollars the government has seen fit to piss down a massive hole (along with 4,765 soldiers lives), and for what benefit? Saddam is dead, no one can find Bin Laden, Al Queda is stronger than ever, and Iraq is finally pulling itself together, after 668,051 dead civilians and losing millions of others who left their home country. And any right-wing Hannity fan will tell you we're winning the 'war on terrorism,' despite the best efforts of the Liberals who want us to lose. It's the same with the 'war on drugs' (yeah, thanks Regan), where billions have been squandered for a few headline-making busts and drugs are more available than they were twenty years ago, and often cheaper.
America loves spending money to make itself feel better, like it's doing something good. We give money to countries that support 'terrorism,' like Egypt against its own people, and Israel against the Palestinians. And along the way, we've made the world a much safer place, except I have to take my shoes off to get on an airplane and a pissed-off journalist actually threw his shoes at our own president, who may likely rot in the bowels of prison for seven years. he journalist, not Bush, despite what many people would like to see. Ahem.
Maybe I'm overreacting, but I doubt it. I fear America will show her true face during the next couple of months, where a once proud and powerful civilization will expose how close to insanity and barbarism it really is.
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