Economy necessitates shift in American culture 
November 17, 2008 by Jason Emord
As individuals, what aspects of our lives should we reevaluate?
As the world’s leaders meet to discuss strategies to tame the monster the global economy has become, it is time for Americans to reevaluate certain aspects of our society.
The idea of a global economy or a global marketplace of ideas has finally come true and the weight of these enormous monetary and societal webs have begun to drag down not only the American citizens, but also the citizens of the world. As the economy loses its footing in America, so do the economies in Europe and China.
On Saturday the leaders of the wealthiest nations, or those that have growing economies, met to discuss their commitment to fix the world’s economic problems. This meeting, which included 41 nations, had an agenda with more than 47 action items designed to create a new system of safeguards to prevent further economic trouble.
But what does this really mean to us as Americans?
We all know that the stock market is currently riding a rollercoaster unlike any we’ve seen. We know that the cost of living is skyrocketing. The price of food, energy, education and other necessities have steadily increased over the past decade.
Families struggle to survive economically, all the while fearing that their jobs will be cut in the wave of pink slips that has crashed upon the nation.
Gas prices have recently fallen to manageable levels, but given our overdependence on imported oil, this is hardly good news. President-elect Barack Obama has promised that his new administration will bring change to America. Hope, one of the most overused words in the past two years, will be the guiding factor for many Americans.
Our hope is to find a light at the end of the tunnel that has been crafted not by our elected politicians or the other legislatures and executives around the world, but by ourselves.
It is time for Americans to look at themselves and reevaluate how we live, how we spend our money and what each of our individual roles are in this society.
America has become too dependent on debt. Second and third mortgages, payday loans, high interest loans and the adjusted rate mortgages that have crippled the housing market are to blame for our economic crisis. And our reliance, our addiction to these debts, is the real poison of our society.
It is time for people to start living within their means. Yes, the American dream has always been to rise up, to better one’s self and to become something, but it seems that dream has been corrupted by the negative aspects of our capitalist nation.
Greed has become the power player in our society. There is greed at the corporate level, where the top CEOs have steered their companies into a sea of red. There is greed in middle and lower economic classes where people have taken on so much credit card debt that they have buried themselves under what may seem like an avalanche of helplessness. This greed must be stopped.
It is evident that we all need to live within our means, that we need to respect our ability to use credit wisely. We must learn that wealth is not everything.
Owning a huge house, a boat or a fancy car are all dreams waiting to come true, but those dreams start out as dreams for a reason. We don’t all need to have expensive cars, nor do we all need a mansion. Those are inanimate objects that were created by someone else to make money.
It is the time of year that family is most important. More of us will spend time with our friends and families as we celebrate the winter holidays.
Togetherness, community and family – those are the things that we need in order to reshape the American dream. Our communities need to remake their inner connections. Especially here in Las Vegas, where most don’t know their neighbors, community is what is going to get us all through these tough times.
So, with retailers starting this holiday season earlier with hopes to boost sales, take the time to start the real holiday season. Look towards your friends, your family and your community to reestablish your connections. Money will buy us the things we want and need, but our loved ones will be there for us when we fall.
The economy will right itself, but like the bull-riding cowboys at the rodeos that have graced the Thomas & Mack, we must hold not only to the wild economy, but also to what we really hold dear.
[...] Economy necessitates shift in American culture – Rebel YellAs the world’s leaders meet to discuss strategies to tame the monster the global economy has become, it is time for Americans to reevaluate certain aspects of our society. The idea of a global economy or a global marketplace of ideas has finally … [...]
“Greed is good,” Gordon Gekko
The problem isn’t greed, greed is good in a capitalist society as it creates opportunities, jobs, and money. The real problem which is at the heart of your article, but not specifically mentioned, is that people want to buy expensive things with money they don’t have. In the past, lenders were respected for their risk analysis and business acumen, but we have since learned, that lenders were more greedy than anyone and lent out money that had a small chance of being paid back. If you want to point to greed as the reason for the tumultuous economy, point the finger at lenders, not consumers (although they obviously have played a large role in this mess).
I admire your position to change the ideals of America towards a more family and community oriented model, but I disagree that this change would result in a better America, at least economically. After all, we have been successful due to being innovative, capitalistic, and yes, greedy. Suggesting that people who may not be able to afford something should just give up on their dream is not going to benefit this country. The big house isn’t some made-up fantasy as portrayed in your column, but a dream that many Americans aspire to. And for those who work hard, have gone through the rigors of the system, they should be striving for this. After all, it is a symbol of success in our society and the culmination of lots of hard work for many. Suggesting that people refrain from spending money is what will doom, not save our economy.