This is my answer to government policy that claim we need to spend more and more money to boost our national economy, even though it means joining the crowd of bankrupt millions who are treading water just to stay alive. It’s a quote by Will Smith.
“Too many people are spending money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.”
For a lack of a better word, I would say that this is one of the great evils of modern society, that we feel more or less forced to spend money we don’t even have. Every day companies and advertisers play the game of lets-see-who-we-can-trick-today. And we fall for it. My “favorite” one is: “Get your flat screen today, pay for it next year!” Not to mention the offers that fall into our mailbox at least once a week to get this or that credit card or bank loan, and everything is practically given away for nothing.
Wow, we think to ourselves, what a deal! So well are we tricked – although it should be easy to see the deception – that we are shocked when the bill finally comes, and we have to pay a price we cannot afford – unless, of course, we could take another loan to pay for the loan we couldn’t afford to pay back in the first place. Isn’t it wonderful? The bank will gladly help us out of a tricky situation. And should they fail to comply, then just turn to the loyal friend who always stays near your heart (in your breast pocket): your credit card. He is so generous; he’ll let you buy whatever you please, and you’ll never have to pay for it. Until later.
Can the politicians and financial lobbyists really be correct: that in order to save our collective economy we must put ourselves in personal bankruptcy?