"In this economy..."

"In this economy..."



What a phrase. It's said more times on television news shows in a day than I can count, and it has become a part of our culture as an excuse for just about everything from being cheap at Christmas to denying bonuses and home loans (unless, of course, you are a bank or auto exec.). Mostly though, it's an advertising slogan for businesses trying to convince customers that their product has more value and therefore no one in their right mind would go without it. Its this last usage that has me the most irritated.



Lets call the kettle black. Advertising is manipulation. It is the act of convincing individuals and society that a product is better than another or is so essential to your being that everyone absolutely must purchase it. To be clear, when I reference advertising, I am not including public service announcements or announcements from non profit organizations. Political ads, while manipulative, are also not considered for this post because of the myriad of other issues that would arise if I included them.



No, my first issue lies with companies using mass media to perpetuate the idea that "in this economy," X must be purchased for two reasons. First, because the idea that anything aside from essentials "must" be purchased in a recession is absurd. As people attempt to adjust to the difficulties associated with living with a decrease in pay or no income at all, the media consistently sends a message of guilt as each commercial attempts to separate every American from their hard earned money. As anyone who has been on a diet knows, it's easier to resist when you're not faced with temptation at every turn. The same is true for willpower associated with saving money. In my opinion, most Americans have difficulty resisting the urge to spend money, especially since shopping has become a recreational activity. As it is almost impossible to avoid TV, radio, internet and print advertisements in a typical day, it is likewise incredibly difficult to resist the urge to spend.



Second, I take issue with the very meaning of, "in this economy." What economy is that? Over 10 percent of people are out of a job, but what does that mean? It means that there's a lack of spending power, certainly, but it also means that the rest of us need to work extra hard in a positive direction. The more the media perpetuates the idea that we're in rough times, the more fear associated with keeping your job, spending money and taking time off of work. Of course, spending money doesn't mean putting yourself in debt: one of the many reasons we're suffering right now, but it also doesn't mean that you should shop at Wal-Mart and purchase the lowest-grade imported crap you can find just to save yourself $.10. Buying local goes a long way to create and maintain jobs in your local area, but no one wants to take the time to shop anywhere but a one-stop box mart store.



Furthermore, one in ten people has a lot of time on their hands right now, and since the job market is slim, that creates a lot of opportunity for volunteering or working on your own education so when the economy does get better, you'll be ready to go. In previous rough times, we were told not to look for what our country could do for us, now everyone wants a handout to go back to school, pay for their cell phone, get a great new job, bail out our banks, bail out our auto dealers, and anything else we deem necessary.



We (the people) got ourselves into this mess, but unlike previous hard times, we aren't willing to do anything for ourselves to get out of it. We want someone else to fix things, and we want it to happen yesterday. There's no accountability, just more grant money being allocated to government programs. Even Henry Morgenthau, Jr., FDR's Secretary of the Treasury, has admitted that government spending can not create new jobs:



"We have tried spending money. We are spending more money than we have ever spent before and it does not work. And I have just none interest, and if I am wrong . . . somebody else can have my job. I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job, I want to see people get enough to eat. We have never made good on our promises. . . . I say after eight years of this administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started . . . . And an enormous debt to boot!"



I don't have a solution for our job crisis by any means. If I were that intelligent I wouldn't be working where I am. But I do think that a bit of accountability and a return to reliance on local vendors and suppliers would go a long way in restoring order and creating jobs. So this Christmas, resist the urge to purchase the imported cheap-o version if you're going to purchase anything at all. Better yet, try making something, spending time with family or just sending a card. Your investment in a worthwhile gift or time spent together will do more than delight the recipient who opens the box.