Walmart, symptom or disease? (America, service, Christ, christmas, materialism)

desi · #1 02-04-2005, 07:43 AM

It used to be America had many manufacturing jobs that paid well. Now those have gone and we have service jobs that pay crummy. We have two parents working to support families and single parents working too. People have less disposable income relative to their parents.

Along comes Walmart with lower prices compared to the local competition, where does it makes sense to shop? So the locals go out of business and Walmart emerges from the ashes of a busted America?

Am I missing anything?

Scuba Pete · #2 02-04-2005, 07:55 AM

Quote:

People have less disposable income relative to their parents.

Do you have anything to support this? I think our "lack of disposable income" is due to our incredibly HIGH debt ratios. We are our own worst enemy.

desi · #3 02-04-2005, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetDoc

Do you have anything to support this? I think our "lack of disposable income" is due to our incredibly HIGH debt ratios. We are our own worst enemy.

Whatever the reason the result is the same.

Scuba Pete · #4 02-04-2005, 08:34 AM

Is it? My mom didn't have a TV until I was 10 or so. We have 3 televisions in the house, a DLP projector, various PCs, a Server, two cars, a much bigger house, a microwave, and stereos (including personal units) out the ying yang.

We spend FAR more than ever. Even poor families have more "stuff" than some middle class families back then. Again, I think we only have ourselves to blame and so the results are FAR DIFFERENT than your premise seems to indicate.

Circle_One · #5 02-04-2005, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetDoc

Is it? My mom didn't have a TV until I was 10 or so. We have 3 televisions in the house, a DLP projector, various PCs, a Server, two cars, a much bigger house, a microwave, and stereos (including personal units) out the ying yang.

We spend FAR more than ever. Even poor families have more "stuff" than some middle class families back then. Again, I think we only have ourselves to blame and so the results are FAR DIFFERENT than your premise seems to indicate.

That's because people are more materialistic these days than back then. But the low prices in stores like Walmart perpetuate this materialism. People shopping there are more apt to buy something they don't need simply because the price is lower there than at another store. Do you know how many times I've gone to Walmart and grabbed 10 DVDs that I don't need and have never even saw, but bought them anyway because they "looked like I might like them" and were only 6.88$? I'd never had bought them if they were more than that.

Scuba Pete · #6 02-04-2005, 08:51 AM

Did you charge it or pay cash?

Circle_One · #7 02-04-2005, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetDoc

Did you charge it or pay cash?

Both. More often than not I pay cash though. I don't like using my card unless necessary. Actually the only time I've used my card at Walmart was when I was Christmas shopping. But see, you can't use that to ascertain anything, because for me, I only use my card when I know I have the money to pay it back whereas most people I know use their cards when they don't have the money.

Scuba Pete · #8 02-04-2005, 09:19 AM

Quote:

most people I know use their cards when they don't have the money.

I NEVER use a credit card anymore. A debit card, yes. I've done the high debt thing and it ain't fun. Pay as you go, or don't go. But my point is that we have the HIGHEST debt per person right now. That's an incredible drain. The current record deficit is a huge drain on our entire economy. I can't believe that the current party in power would ever rail against the "other" party for fiscal irresponsibility after this. What a spin!

Here is an article from the end of last year: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,143037,00.html

Circle_One · #9 02-04-2005, 09:27 AM

The reason we have the highest debt per person (and by we, I'm suspecting you mean the U.S, right?) is because, as I say, with low prices stores like Walmart are advertising, people are buying things they really don't need simply because it's on sale and I'm sure the percentage of people who charge these things is higher than the percentage of people who pay cash. This ultimately leads to a high debt rate.