"The United States of Depression..."
You know, I am not a fan of the book "Prozac Nation" but there are some lines in it that hold so true. Elizabeth Wurtzel writes "We live in a Prozac Nation, the United States of Depression" and if you look at the amount of anti-depressants that are prescribed in the US yearly (over 300,000) you could say she has a point.
So, why is this? I mean, this is a wealthy country. Really, it is. I grew up in Australia, I was never poor but I never knew wastefullness like I see here because people here are rich...even when they think they're not...or maybe that isn't it at all. Maybe people here are not rich, but just like to act rich so they take advantage of the multiple credit card offers sent to them daily and then worry about paying for the rich lifestyle later.
I don't know. It really is foreign to me....all of it. I have never known debt, I have never been in debt. Just 2 days ago my company leased a car for me for the next couple of years and my credit was pulled. I have a high credit score despite having only one line of credit....a credit card I set up years ago (secured) for the sole purpose of creating credit for myself here in the US. I got a call yesterday from the car dealership asking me in detail why I only have one line of credit...as if there was something wrong with that! I have one line of credit because I do not spend beyond my means...and the one line I have I do not need but have only for the purpose of the credit score.... I guess in America that makes me strange. Mmmm, being responsible makes me strange!
So, I'm rambling now....but I wonder if all the anti-depressants are in part, caused by debt. The addiction that i see here a lot is people buying things they don't need with money they don't have.
The US can be depressing. I have never known such hard times (emotionally) as what I have endured (and continue to endure) here but I also can't help but stop and think about the fact that I am lucky to live in a Western country, lucky to be alive, and very lucky to be able to live my kinky lifestyle for the most part without persecution.
So, why is this? I mean, this is a wealthy country. Really, it is. I grew up in Australia, I was never poor but I never knew wastefullness like I see here because people here are rich...even when they think they're not...or maybe that isn't it at all. Maybe people here are not rich, but just like to act rich so they take advantage of the multiple credit card offers sent to them daily and then worry about paying for the rich lifestyle later.
I don't know. It really is foreign to me....all of it. I have never known debt, I have never been in debt. Just 2 days ago my company leased a car for me for the next couple of years and my credit was pulled. I have a high credit score despite having only one line of credit....a credit card I set up years ago (secured) for the sole purpose of creating credit for myself here in the US. I got a call yesterday from the car dealership asking me in detail why I only have one line of credit...as if there was something wrong with that! I have one line of credit because I do not spend beyond my means...and the one line I have I do not need but have only for the purpose of the credit score.... I guess in America that makes me strange. Mmmm, being responsible makes me strange!
So, I'm rambling now....but I wonder if all the anti-depressants are in part, caused by debt. The addiction that i see here a lot is people buying things they don't need with money they don't have.
The US can be depressing. I have never known such hard times (emotionally) as what I have endured (and continue to endure) here but I also can't help but stop and think about the fact that I am lucky to live in a Western country, lucky to be alive, and very lucky to be able to live my kinky lifestyle for the most part without persecution.
posted by Chanta Rose: Bondage Expert at 5:00 PM
2 Comments:
What? You don't have 3 houses you're trying to flip with 100% interest-only mortgages that are about to go into default when the adjustable rate resets later this year?
You aussies are weird! ;-)
I'm an American, but I grew up overseas, and I'm convinced that people who have lived here all their life have no idea how good they've got it.
PS I was lucky enough to visit Oz with the Navy. You guys rock.
I suppose that proves money doesn't bring happiness after all.
Way back in junior high a teacher of mine had a theory to try to explain how come so many wealthy countries live in such a state of depression, and it sort of make sense to me. According to him, because wealthy kids are brought up with all they might want around them and either the promise of all they might want in the future or all they might want in the future already awaiting them, they grow up into adults who have nothin to hope for, and thus lose their purpose. I suppose this would be, in part, due to becoming unable to realise that, as you put it, they are "lucky to live in a Western country, lucky to be alive" and lucky to conduct their prefered lifestyle.
You may find yourself blessed, if you haven't lost track of your fortunes.
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