Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Choose your hobo name wisely.

Megan wonders if we should stop worrying and love the New Great Depression:
Here's where I stand: deep in my hippie soul, above a level of necessity and a little comfort, I do not think think that consumerism improves people's quality of life. So I don't care if it goes away. If a modern depression means that people live on really tight budgets for the next few years, and can't buy new clothes or remodel their kitchens or travel, I don't give a rat's ass. Does a modern depression mean that people will have to increase their living density? Take in roommates to afford the mortgage? Move into a smaller place closer to work because they can't afford gas and heat? You are not convincing me that a depression is a problem. My life is, like, sparse. I ride my bike around and meet friends to do things and hate gadgets. I have a little money put away for the long term. Will my life change if there is a depression?
...
What would a depression be like? Not causes or some abstract statistic about home ownership. That doesn't tell me what I am asking. I want to know what a modern depression would feel like as we go through it.
UPDATE: Please be polite to Megan. Her standards for internet conduct are not as broad as mine. To rephrase the question: are we likely to have anything more than "first-world problems"?

Some people elsewhere have been asking what you wouldn't want to give up. My initial response was going to be the internet and Wegmans-level shopping, but somebody pwned me with toilet paper. I doubt that a recession or depression will result in Charmin shortages at my house, though.
blog comments powered by Disqus