Originally Posted by stereoman
That's a good article you cited, numan - although I have no respect whatsoever for Ambrose Evans-Pritchard. Nevertheless, your writer puts it all together in a very cogent way.

Here's an interesting assertion from the middle of the article:
Quote
It just goes to show that average working people can change their spending habits and making prudent choices when they see that times are tough. The culture of consumerism is the result of Madison Ave. saturation-campaigns and propaganda; there's nothing inherently wrong with the American people. Workers are constantly being blamed for "living beyond their means", but the real problem originates from flawed monetary policy and destructive commercialism. It's the prevailing "sicko" corporate culture that has created a nation of spendthrifts and speculators. Ordinary people are not at fault.
What are your thoughts on that?

Yet "ordinary people" can take individual actions that will cumulatively affect the outcome. They can withdraw, at least partially, from the consumerism culture.

But then it is easier to point the finger at someone else than to do what one can do.

Life is a banquet -- and most poor suckers are starving to death -- Auntie Mame
You are born naked and everything else is drag - RuPaul