Keeping up with the Jones :: essays research papers

The expression, Keeping up with the Joneses a very common summon that, Juliet Schor, used in her work, The New Politics of Consumption, could not fit a society more. The average household debt excluding mortgage is estimated fifteen thousand dollars, rail greenbackinal thousand of that debt comes from credit tease. (Paul Bannister, bankrate.com) Credit cards are becoming a huge problem in our society that it is affecting more than simply consumerism. Its affecting the way we live.Everywhere public place you go it is hard not to run in to the idea of the credit card. You provide see credit card logos on the front of all business. Every department store you go in has its possess version of a credit card from Target to Macys. The Diners Club Card that originally was only for businessmen to eat luncheon at 27 different restaurants. Now it is accepted almost everywhere. And for everything else theres Mastercard(or Visa, Discover Card orAmerican Express.Currently there are 1.2 cardinal active credit cards used in the United States. A typical purchase on a credit card price more than 112% then a purchase paid for by cash. Americans are not only purchasing items on their credit cards as they go on shopping sprees. They are now paying their rent, tuition, utilities, car payments, and anything else they can think of. 9 in 10 credit cards users say that their credit card debt is nought they worry about, but 47% of these people refused to tell a friend exactly how much they owe. (Paul Bannister, bankrate.com). ab initio when people receive a credit card they state that it is for emergency purposes only. However, that does not seem to be the case. For some, keeping up with the Joneses is an emergency. nirvana forbid, a sale at the GAP. Fewer people are scrimping money. Instead they rely on the plastic. However, the average credit card bearer pays $1200 just in credit card interest. You would think that those individual would realise this out and start put ting that $1200 into saving for emergency purposes only. It seems rum that so many people say that they their credit card debt is nothing they worry about. When people have been filing bankruptcy more and more. In 1991, the rate of 25 years and under that filed for as rose to 50%. Maybe this has to do with so many Universities and Colleges allowing banks and credit card companies to trail financial uneducated students on campuses with promises of a free calling card or hopes of winning a plasma TV for their dorm room.