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someone unable to pay to heat more than one room had a dramatic photo of her showing her heating bill in her living room - with a 55" HDTV and Xbox360 in the sa

someone unable to pay to heat more than one room had a dramatic photo of her showing her heating bill in her living room - with a 55" HDTV and Xbox360 in the same room. There's a difference between the ability to purchase one-off consumer goods and the kind of situation this person is in. Consider that those consumer goods may have been purchased before an economically catastrophic event such as an illness or a layoff, or they may have been a gift from someone who is willing to purchase consumer items, but not willing to provide the household stability that they require. Also consider that, second-hand, these items are not particularly expensive, and even if they were sold, they may only provide a heating bill for a month or two. Especially in places like Atlanta, which are particularly badly insulated, and ill-equipped for severe cold. So what we have is a situation of economic precarity, an instability in which the existence of consumer good purchases does little to remedy a unstable situation. I have a lot of gadgets and toys, but the overall value of them depreciates daily, and if I lost my employment or well-being tomorrow, they would do little to stabilize my financial situation, even if I fully liquidated all of them at a good market rate.

skorgu 16y ago
My inner libertarian is unable to comprehend the confusion of ideas that allows the purchase of a 55" HDTV et cetera without ~six months of rent in the bank. My inner liberal fires back with the complete, utter and deplorable lack of financial education and hence literacy in this country which is at the very least a partial cause of the most recent subprime financial kablooie. My inner conspiracy theorist mutters something about that being awfully profitable for those able and willing to profit from said illiteracy.
- krschultz 16y ago
  My dad worked at one company for 28 years. He was fired. He had a year of emergency money in cash in the bank. Not rent, 12 months of money to cover every last little expense they had. They should have been set for any emergency, afterall, who has that much cash in the bank? And no outstanding car, credit card, or mortgage debt (lived in the same house for over 30 years) It took him over 18 months to find a job. Sure, there was a 42" HDTV in their house too. They still weren't spending money on ANYTHING. And he was working 50+ hours a week trying to find a job. Their expenses went up a little because he was traveling for interviews and networking at executive events. (Oh sorry, forgot to mention he was CEO of a 500 person company that was beating its targets even during 2008 when the stock market dropped like a stone). So yea, if it can happen to him, it can happen to you. Tell your inner libertarian 6 months is nothing, and maybe he should find out what this current economy is really like.
  - skorgu 16y ago
    The story in question didn't include anyone losing their job. You're arguing against a point I have not made.
- dkarl 16y ago
  My inner softy/dumbass bought a MacBook Pro as a gift for a single mom/graduate student I was involved with. At today's TV prices, it was enough to pay for a 55" TV (probably not a very good one) and an Xbox 360. She didn't even own a working car, but she had a $1400 laptop. Oh yeah, I also bought her a bicycle and took her and her kid skiing in Colorado. She was extremely frugal and did very well raising her kid and going to school basically on child support alone (she took on very little debt,) but anybody judging by her laptop and her stories of what she did over Christmas vacation would have thought she was irresponsible.
  - skorgu 16y ago
    Good point, thank you.

skorgu 16y ago

My inner libertarian is unable to comprehend the confusion of ideas that allows the purchase of a 55" HDTV et cetera without ~six months of rent in the bank. My inner liberal fires back with the complete, utter and deplorable lack of financial education and hence literacy in this country which is at the very least a partial cause of the most recent subprime financial kablooie. My inner conspiracy theorist mutters something about that being awfully profitable for those able and willing to profit from said illiteracy.

krschultz 16y ago
My dad worked at one company for 28 years. He was fired. He had a year of emergency money in cash in the bank. Not rent, 12 months of money to cover every last little expense they had. They should have been set for any emergency, afterall, who has that much cash in the bank? And no outstanding car, credit card, or mortgage debt (lived in the same house for over 30 years) It took him over 18 months to find a job. Sure, there was a 42" HDTV in their house too. They still weren't spending money on ANYTHING. And he was working 50+ hours a week trying to find a job. Their expenses went up a little because he was traveling for interviews and networking at executive events. (Oh sorry, forgot to mention he was CEO of a 500 person company that was beating its targets even during 2008 when the stock market dropped like a stone). So yea, if it can happen to him, it can happen to you. Tell your inner libertarian 6 months is nothing, and maybe he should find out what this current economy is really like.
- skorgu 16y ago
  The story in question didn't include anyone losing their job. You're arguing against a point I have not made.
dkarl 16y ago
My inner softy/dumbass bought a MacBook Pro as a gift for a single mom/graduate student I was involved with. At today's TV prices, it was enough to pay for a 55" TV (probably not a very good one) and an Xbox 360. She didn't even own a working car, but she had a $1400 laptop. Oh yeah, I also bought her a bicycle and took her and her kid skiing in Colorado. She was extremely frugal and did very well raising her kid and going to school basically on child support alone (she took on very little debt,) but anybody judging by her laptop and her stories of what she did over Christmas vacation would have thought she was irresponsible.
- skorgu 16y ago
  Good point, thank you.