BLING

I'm seriously worried. I've been watching HGTV as lot lately, especially househunters. That's odd, sure, but not what has me bothered. It's that even the couples just starting out, the ones with very little money, are looking for spa tubs and granite counters and all the other "features" of the lifestyle they clearly cannot afford. Its the same thing that drives poor high school students to go to extremes to rent a Hummer limo for the prom , that drives parents to spend more on a pair of sneakers than some of them earn in a week.

We long ago moved past the point where people were happy to have a job, a roof over their heads and food on the table. Now we want BLING. Diamonds and gold and more cars than we can drive. Houses that could easily house 3 families, not one. $400 shoes, $1500 watches, $150 bottles of champagne.

Everybody wants to be a rock star, a celebrity, a star athlete. Nobody wants to be a teacher, a plumber, a car mechanic. Everyone wants FABULOUS . And feels entitled to it. They deserve the lifestyle they crave.

And when they have it, they will want more. Its all driven by stuff, and stuff is rarely satisfying for long. If I get a diamond and love it, how long before I see a bigger, better diamond and want that? A new car is awesome, but then a new model comes out and its better, and suddenly my car doesn't look so good.

No answers today, just unease....