My answer would be that Television and those Marketing folks, along with the Money Lenders are at fault and are deserving of much of the blame.

The rest of the blame rightfully belongs to human nature (Man’s desires and unlimited wants is what separates us from the lower animals, after all) and the lack of what used to be called common sense (I’ve taken to calling “it” uncommon sense, due to its apparent scarcity).

Watch a little TV, and think, “Why can’t I have all of this stuff all of these other people have?” I DESERVE it too! They don’t realize that the magic box is full of lies and stories, mostly of pseudo-reality, and not real life. They are gullible and easily fooled.

Plus the marketing folks have convinced them that they must have every new fad item in order to make their lives complete; much like the car companies try to convince everyone to buy their latest and greatest luxury rides…

Of course, by living within your means and by not being a “fad lemming,” you are not threatened by these recent market gyrations, neither am I, but those poor schlubs who buy into the fantasy marketers pitches are in deep doo doo, and think that it is any body’s fault but their own and that their life sucks, even while surrounding themselves with every luxury (that you can pay for forever, one month at a time).

As for this, “I suspect few will take the opportunity to do so but rather bemoan that they are being denied their rights.”, What “they” see “their” rights, we rightfully see as their privileges; and, therein lies the difference. . .

Living within one’s means and without debt (except for an affordable home and the occasional car) is beyond the understanding most people, these days.