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Started By
Message
What motivates people to live above their means?
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:22 am
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:22 am
My wife comes home almost daily and tells me about co-workers who live paycheck to paycheck and yet, they continue to splurge on eating out for lunch as opposed to bringing a cheaper bag lunch. They also feel like smart phones, cable tv and things like tanning beds are all necessities.
One particular woman is single and has a teen daughter and on Monday, was already broke until Friday's paycheck. She claimed she had no food in the house, but bought a cheese burger, 2 fries and a large drink for lunch and 5 candy bars from a vendor hawking worlds finest chocolate.
How did we get to a point where
people are willing to sacrifice real necessities just to pursue some fictitious standard of living that is perceived to be necessary?
I can guarantee that I would lose my smartphone, Internet, cable, etc. before going hungry or having my lights turned off.
One particular woman is single and has a teen daughter and on Monday, was already broke until Friday's paycheck. She claimed she had no food in the house, but bought a cheese burger, 2 fries and a large drink for lunch and 5 candy bars from a vendor hawking worlds finest chocolate.
How did we get to a point where
people are willing to sacrifice real necessities just to pursue some fictitious standard of living that is perceived to be necessary?
I can guarantee that I would lose my smartphone, Internet, cable, etc. before going hungry or having my lights turned off.
27
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:28 am to Revelator
people don't like to think about bankrupcy until it bitch slaps them, same goes for the small unit that is a family all the way to the large unit that is the country
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:32 am to Revelator
It is a mystery.
Its been said aplenty, the poor in the USA have luxuries that the world's poor could only dream of.
The root of the problem is simply the "Its all about me" mentality, which leads to a sense of entitlement. Sometimes the entitlement is "the rules don't apply to me" and sometimes the entitlement is "the government owes me."
But the root problem is the same. Narcissism. Very rarely do you see someone who truly thinks of someone else. Even a lot of charitable giving is motivated by self desires. "This will make me look good," or "This will give me a tax deduction."
I'm as guilty as anyone else.
Its been said aplenty, the poor in the USA have luxuries that the world's poor could only dream of.
The root of the problem is simply the "Its all about me" mentality, which leads to a sense of entitlement. Sometimes the entitlement is "the rules don't apply to me" and sometimes the entitlement is "the government owes me."
But the root problem is the same. Narcissism. Very rarely do you see someone who truly thinks of someone else. Even a lot of charitable giving is motivated by self desires. "This will make me look good," or "This will give me a tax deduction."
I'm as guilty as anyone else.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:32 am to KeyserSoze999
quote:
people don't like to think about bankrupcy until it bitch slaps them, same goes for the small unit that is a family all the way to the large unit that is the country
I've got co-workers that have such high house notes that they are constantly signing up for overtime out of necessity to prevent themselves from going under. And all the while, they are sacrificing all of their time away from their families to chase some dream. I'll never be house broke just to pursue some supposed level of achievement.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:32 am to KeyserSoze999
everybody defines necessities in their own way. In 2014 society it's different than it was in 1977 Even I admit that
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:32 am to KeyserSoze999
Some people just live for the moment...not envisioning the future.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:34 am to Revelator
quote:
She claimed she had no food in the house, but bought a cheese burger, 2 fries and a large drink for lunch and 5 candy bars from a vendor hawking worlds finest chocolate.
Good lord. How big is this broad?
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:34 am to Revelator
Keepin' up with the Jones's
---eta---
which I guess is essentially ego.
---eta---
which I guess is essentially ego.
This post was edited on 4/25/14 at 9:36 am
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:35 am to JEAUXBLEAUX
quote:
In 2014 society it's different than it was in 1977 Even I admit that
To me the question is why has it changed. Is there a root cause of our society becoming increasingly materialistic?
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:36 am to Revelator
Gotta get the new J's brah
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:36 am to onmymedicalgrind
People spend money they don't have to buy things they don't need to impress people they don't like.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:37 am to Revelator
quote:
She claimed she had no food in the house, but bought a cheese burger, 2 fries and a large drink for lunch and 5 candy bars from a vendor hawking worlds finest chocolate.
WOW! She's got to be carrying some weight!
To your OP, I see this as having to do with a lack of discipline. They were either not taught properly or grew up with an adult who wanted them to have the things they (the parent) didn't have.
If I can't pay for something outright then I don't buy it. My parents taught me this because they grew up this way (depression era). Hell, my folks still use the everyday china they got with green stamps when I was a kid. Some of the best plates I've ever seen.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:39 am to GRTiger
quote:
Good lord. How big is this broad?
She's fat.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:41 am to TK421
quote:
Is there a root cause of our society becoming increasingly materialistic?
The increased apparent ease by which one can now acquire plenty of "materials."
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:42 am to Revelator
It is very simple. You can enjoy more now or enjoy more later. Isn't complicated at all.
Some would like to enjoy life more when they are younger. Some want to enjoy it more when they are older. That is what it comes down to and it is a spectrum where people will fall at all different points.
It is funny to me how all the responses are all sacrifice now for later because that is PERCEIVED as the "right" answer.
Some would like to enjoy life more when they are younger. Some want to enjoy it more when they are older. That is what it comes down to and it is a spectrum where people will fall at all different points.
It is funny to me how all the responses are all sacrifice now for later because that is PERCEIVED as the "right" answer.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:42 am to Revelator
Sadly it's become the American way. I thinks it's a learned behavior that one generations passes on to the next. If you grow up in a household like that and that's how you see your parents living you think it's normal.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:44 am to Revelator
quote:
What motivates people to live above their means?
Credit cards. No way to live above your means with cash. When it's gone, you're broke.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:48 am to Tiger n Miami AU83
BTW, I read an awesome write up about this a few years ago. Its point was you either sacrifice now or you sacrifice later unless you are independently wealthy.
It is very true. If you make good enough money, you can go buy the nice sports car, nice house, land the trophy female to bang, etc when you are young. Or you can put all that money away and retire earlier and have an easier life when you are older (though you may or may not be able to enjoy it as much). It is all about sacrifices now or later and it is an individual choice if you make enough money to have those options.
It is very true. If you make good enough money, you can go buy the nice sports car, nice house, land the trophy female to bang, etc when you are young. Or you can put all that money away and retire earlier and have an easier life when you are older (though you may or may not be able to enjoy it as much). It is all about sacrifices now or later and it is an individual choice if you make enough money to have those options.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:49 am to Revelator
We live in a entitled society. Young adults want today what took years for their parents to acquire. It's tough to think about buying a 1500 sq ft home, when you grew up in a 3500 sq ft home, even though all you can afford is the small home. It's also about keeping up with the Jones's. Parents buy thier kids smart phones so the other kids will not make fun of them. What is considered "normal" today would have been extravegant 40 years ago.
Posted on 4/25/14 at 9:49 am to Y.A. Tittle
quote:
The increased apparent ease by which one can now acquire plenty of "materials."
And having so many more things to buy. There was a time when even if you were filthy rich, there was only so much stuff to buy, house, car, boat, etc. Now there is almost and endless list of things right at ones fingertips to purchase.
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