The United States of AmeriConsume

Why is one of the key indicators that drives the movement towards economic health a measurement of how willing our society is to consume?

Shouldn't we be praising the 'New Black' trend of saving, rather than sitting in our fancy suits with our fancy hair trying to find reasons why we no longer spend our paychecks on useless widgets? (and worse, trying to predict when our widget appetite will return)

I for one embrace our new found thriftiness. I wave the white flag, lay down my Amex, my Visa, my Mastercard... I proudly keep my pocket change in a jar on the floor of my HDTV-less bedroom and proclaim this a new era of reality. A reality where the worth of a man is measured not in how exotic the wood used to make his dining set is, not in how stamped his poolside concrete is, not in the green of his grass, nor the white of his linens... But his God given ability to raise a family, feed his dog, and pay for his biodegradable, environmentally friendly silverware with cold, hard cash in hand!