My vision of America has people who spend more than they make beaten with sticks until they cease to rack up debt, but unfortunately in the real America, we instead give those people a label with a positive connotation.
The people I'm talking about are a new group of consumers, who from age 18-25 work service industry jobs and like to spend like they are…well, not working service industry jobs. Last week, USA Today picked up this story about this increasingly large demographic.
If you're not sure if you're a gold-collar worker, ask yourself this question: Did I drop out of college but love to buy things that I really can't afford? Because that's the tell-tale sign. They are for the most part uneducated, but not uneducated as in they couldn't afford higher education, but rather they gave it a shot and decided it was too hard.
They tend to be of ethic backgrounds other than white and live with their parents. Instead of seeing wealth as something that is the fruit of careful planning and hard work, they see it as an easily attainable status that can be bought at certain designer shops. Think of it as alchemy, as it's not the substance behind the flash that's important, but the appearance of gold instead.
This again is a by product of our celebrity culture. Appearance is important, not reality. What's the difference between an up-and-coming rapper and an up-and-coming rock musician? The rapper is driving a Ferrari while the rocker is six days in on wearing the same shirt. Is the rapper actually richer? No, in all likelihood, due to the rocker's ability actually make money touring; the rapper is less well off financially.
We don't focus on that though. Instead we glorify fiction and demonize reality. The twisted irony in driving an Escalade while living in a duplex with your parents doesn't seem to bother anyone. Nevertheless, that is the mantra of this faction; that if you can do it and adequately front it, it doesn't matter if you can back it. The attitude leads to gems like this:
"I do wear Sean John like everybody else. A whole lot of my friends wear his clothes. It's kind of expensive, but we don't buy everything. It's classy, I guess." Ayo Akintade told USA Today. "Anything left over is mostly for my car. I've got rims, a muffler. I tuned up the lights and sound system."
Article comments
1 - Ryan
comments anyone?
2 - Lisa Iannucci
Might I remind you that the federal government had a budget surplus until W. started a spending free-for-all at the Pentagon whilst cutting taxes for his rich friends. Moreover, if you don't think this spending pattern is part of a deliberate plan to shrink the government by starving it to death, I got a bridge here in Washington to sell you...
But don't go by me, check out the neocons' Project for a New American Century website--they spell it ALL out.
3 - Dave Nalle
Bit of a logical disconnect there, Lisa. How does spending more starve the government to death?
Dave
4 - Dave Nalle
Bit of a logical disconnect there, Lisa. If the plan is to shrink government by starving it to death, how is that achieved by increasing spending?
Dave
5 - gonzo marx
Mr Nalle, the "starve the beast" scenario has long been a staple of the neocon political Agenda...it does boggle the mind, but i tgoes like ...
by increasing spending and cutting taxes it forces the defecit into unsustainable territory, thus providing an excuse to curtail "entitlement" and social programs in order to pay off the Debt after as much money can be spent on the projects deemed desireable and cutting taxes to the upper brackets in order to enable "trickle down" economic growth
been around since Reagan
hope that helps..
Excelsior!
6 - dietdoc
Gonzo, I find the analogy very interesting. As usual, BC gives me another perspective on a topic of interest.
Unlike others commenting, I was even more struck by the content of the USA Today article you linked. That puts into words what I thought I had been seeing over the past few years.
We are reaching a point in our history where we are a culture based, for all practical purposes, on style rather than substance. We see it every day, in all facets of our lives. I won't list them as I think we are all aware of them. I do not see this as a positive trend. And, more importantly, I do not personally see it as a "fad." In my ever-humble opinion, it - superficiality - has become woven into our cultural fabric. It has no ethnnicity, sex, or - sadly - age demographic.
I read somewhere, recently, a story about people actually renting luxury automobiles (like Bentleys, Rolls Royces, Ferraris) for the weekend. Clearly, to "make an impression" or "for show." Spending $1500-2000 for a weekend of superficiality.
The older I get, the stranger this old world becomes. I won't dare leave; the show is just too enteraining!
Cheers,
Ron
7 - Ryab
ron, thank you for your actual interest
yes it appears our entire economy is based not on having wealth, but having the things that the wealthy have. that means knockoffs, rentals, stealing etc etc
its pathetic and entertaing at the same time
but i think ultimatly it will hurt us