We’re Living in the Age of Consumption

Wow – consumption spreads fast nowadays.  Where our grandparents and great-grandparents once purchased mostly necessities, we’re being bombarded constantly with products.  We’ve got nonstop flashing neon lights that say buy, buy, buy! There are so many more things that we ‘need’ now.  Take a look at this chart put together by Visualizing Economics (click image to see a larger version) and you’ll get an idea of how much things have changed in a century.

Some would argue that we’re wealthier as a society, and that’s generally true – but are we truly better off for it?  Is the planet better off for it? Some would argue that all of these products have made our lives easier – and indeed, many of them have.   It just makes you wonder where things are headed in the future – will we cut back, or will the list of stuff that we ‘need’ continue to grow?

It’s kind of frightening imagining this chart getting more and more crowded with stuff as the years continue to pass.

Link [Visualizing Economics]

Oh The Humanity! Economic Downturn Impacting Wives of Rich Asshole Bankers

It looks like we’re staring down the barrel of a pretty healthy recession and it’s important to remember the people truly being affected by the economic downturn- the wives of rich bankers. The NY Post reports that the spouses of some of the guys behinds the Bear Sterns meltdown are cutting back on basic necessities like high end interior decorating. They have it:

“We only had about $50,000 worth of final touches [to go], and the wife called me last week and said stop,” said interior designer Darren Henault, whose work has been featured in Vanity Fair and Elle Decor.

“She said they’re not poor, and are never going to be poor,” Henault said, “but their capacity for discretionary income for things like window valances just went out the window.”

It just reminds me how cold and cruel the world can be.

Link [New York Post]