Cando you act as if people have no choice but to buy that flat screen at rent to own. I was taught at an early age to keep 6 months worth of wages in a rainy day fund in case something happened like losing a job. (wish I had listened, my rainy day fund is hoping for a drought). This allows me a bit more power in negotiating salaries. I don't HAVE to settle. If i had to take two min wage jobs to feed my family I would and the mean would drop a little bit more.
We are creditards in this country. People buy everything on payments without considering the true cost. I feel empathy for those that end up in the credit trap but not sympathy.
It isn't you Gin, you are a thougtful and careful guy, no doubt about it. It isn't me, I seem to have developed some sort of advertising block and rarely covet. But the truth is, that you are doing just what I explained, blaming those who are bombarded by ads convincing them to eat more, buy more, spend more borrow more.
If the ads and marketing didn't work, then companies wouldn't use them - and they spend billions each year to have us buy and borrow. they need us to buy or borrow in order for them to grow and yet you are still claiming personal responsibility. Everyone wants us to believe we have a choice but corporations don't want that choice to ever be NOT buying something.
We live is a split personality culture where we are told we have free will while being told to use that free will only when making a decision between a Toyota or a Chevy.