2008 Woodie Awards
Advocating Progress: Debt Relief
M.E. Osborne
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
01/31/08 - The intricacies of credit and lending fall all along the spectrum, ranging from serious economic crises - like the sub-prime disaster that could potentially lead to a global recession - to seemingly trivial things, like whether to buy a new DVD player when the old DVD player still works but only if you open it up and blow on the inside. Both examples can be applied to the same abstract debate, minimalism/restraint versus indulgence/consumption, which has been going on in this country since the end of WWII.
The latter seems to gain the upper hand but the consequences of such a philosophy are becoming more and more apparent. What is most unfortunate is that one's position at birth can play a large part in how credit applies to that individual. For some, it is a tool for strength and power to increase an already firm social and financial position, but for others, particularly the poor and minorities, credit has become a means of keeping one in his place. Many others, the middle class, lie somewhere in between. I am a member of a middle class and beef with credit was just highlighted this past break.
The holiday season is now in the past. After months of preparation and anticipation, Christmas came and went, as it does every year, never living up to the idealistic image that is shoved down the public's throat.
I had a wonderful Christmas. I threw a party for all of my friends and we all had a great time. I saw my family for Christmas dinner and I vacationed in the Tropics with the rest of my family for the New Year.
Yet, for all of my fun, there was a cloud hanging close over my holiday celebrations. Gift giving and receiving-the same cloud every year. I try to keep it as simple as possible. If I do not expect to see a person Christmas Day, that person does not get a gift and I do not expect a gift from her.
Even with that plan, I still cannot get this reciprocity stuff down. I don't know if everybody has this trouble and pretends to know what is going on or if I missed a required class that teaches the ins and outs of giving and receiving.
The latter seems to gain the upper hand but the consequences of such a philosophy are becoming more and more apparent. What is most unfortunate is that one's position at birth can play a large part in how credit applies to that individual. For some, it is a tool for strength and power to increase an already firm social and financial position, but for others, particularly the poor and minorities, credit has become a means of keeping one in his place. Many others, the middle class, lie somewhere in between. I am a member of a middle class and beef with credit was just highlighted this past break.
The holiday season is now in the past. After months of preparation and anticipation, Christmas came and went, as it does every year, never living up to the idealistic image that is shoved down the public's throat.
I had a wonderful Christmas. I threw a party for all of my friends and we all had a great time. I saw my family for Christmas dinner and I vacationed in the Tropics with the rest of my family for the New Year.
Yet, for all of my fun, there was a cloud hanging close over my holiday celebrations. Gift giving and receiving-the same cloud every year. I try to keep it as simple as possible. If I do not expect to see a person Christmas Day, that person does not get a gift and I do not expect a gift from her.
Even with that plan, I still cannot get this reciprocity stuff down. I don't know if everybody has this trouble and pretends to know what is going on or if I missed a required class that teaches the ins and outs of giving and receiving.