Financial firm wags finger, warns youngsters to watch gadget spending
Yeah, wha'evah...
Keeping up with the Joneses has always been a traditional occupation for middle-aged Brits, but now younger people risk contracting “bling-itis” by trying to keep up with their friends’ gadget purchases.
A study by mobile banking firm Monilink of over 1500 people aged between 16 and 34 has found that 12 per cent consider buying gadgetry an essential, ahead of spending on home improvements, cars or jewellery.
Yes, we too tried to picture all those under-25s keenly trotting off every weekend to Ikea, B&Q, the Home Depot etc, and couldn't see it either.
Just over half of respondents - 56 per cent - said they bought gadgets in order to keep face because people are increasingly judged by their possessions.
A spokesman for Monilink said “Bling-itis is dangerous”, and warned young people to control their finances.
Which, we suppose, is a bit like warning an alcoholic to control his or her drinking, and about as likely to be heeded.
Mine's the one with the gold-plated 3G iPhone in the pocket...
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COMMENTS
The coolness of being Un-debt.
If people paid attention to the truth - that there is no more real middle-class - and that it has been replaced by a growing debtor-class - the whole issue of 'looking down' on others becomes somewhat of a fool's game. Now speaking for myself - I haven't two pennies to rub together, don't own a house, have no healthcare (I'm American), have no college or car loans to service - Christ - I don't even have a television anymore..
What I DO have is *solvency* - NO debt.
Imagine how fun it is for me to look at the others around me who dare 'look down' at me from the bottom of the holes they've dug themselves into.
I just smile, and walk on..
THAT alone, is the one thing that kids today (who are naturally cynical and rebellious - esp., to the things their parents cling to..) pick up on faster than most adults are comfortable to admit.
Can't tell you how many teenagers over the years I know that have become adults who now avoid credit (as I do) - all the kids need is someone who's cooler than their folks setting the correct example.
You just gotta be more avant-garde than the next guy, that's all.
Deb.
Humans are pathetically shallow
You have to keep up otherwise he'll get bullied and looked down on. This will create psychological problems for his self esteem and he'll grow up with no self worth and turn out to be a loser.
It might not be right but you can't use your kids as social guinea pigs. That's practically child abuse.
btw - It never changes, you will always be judged by the things you own, the job you have, the money you earn, who you hang with and the person you date. It's human nature, we all like to look down on others as it makes us feel better about ourselves.
vacuous little turnip
>If you are defined by your mobile phone rather than your beliefs and actions; then >you really must be a really vacuous little turnip.
More than correct in the world of grown ups, but you equip your halfling with the cheapest trainers/clothes/possesions and send them into school full of self belief and individualism and see how long it lasts for..
Unless they're 6ft tall or have 75 friends already..
Kids ARE pathetically shallow. Thankfully a lot of them grow out of it
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