America is full of materialistic idiots

[Patrick Chewing]

Simple question. What is the reason people pay so much money on Jordans??

[JEFFERSON MONEY]

Lol for like 15 years now after they came out with Fight Club and the whole "you are not your khahis" schpiel, I've encountered so many minimalists and broke aspiring UFC fellas that seeing a person brag about their possessions has become rare (srs)

I say fukk it.

Let their life goal be that of collecting stuff and building up their nests.

May the most Fab-U-Lous Nest win. And you can take that to the grave. Or can you?

[IamRAMBO24]

Everybody thinks they're special and important and try so hard for positive attention from other people...

It annoys me too, but I'm passed even giving much of a shit anymore

Exactly.

The reason why I am whining is because my aunt cannot get along with the other aunt because she is jealous the other one is doing much better than she is, and by their definition of doing better is she has a bigger house and a nicer car (mercedes). My grandparents actually encourage this type of behavior by saying the other one is a failure and the one that has the bigger house should be the role model that everyone should look up to, but get this, she's like the biggest b*tch in the whole family and I just find it pathetic Californians (which is where I'm from) place so much of an emphasis on material wants, they actually equate it to how a person is. You can be the biggest d*ck in California but if you happen to drive a mercedes you're automatically cool. Lame.

[IamRAMBO24]

"check out those shoes. they have 2 extra holes for laces!!! i gotsta copp!!!"

I'm not kidding about this. It's some stupid shoe kids wear. My niece the other day was bragging about how much more special his shoe was compared to his friends. I looked at both of the shoes and I was like, "Ok wtf is the difference." He said to me, look a bit closer, which I did, and still I could not find what was so special about it. Then he pointed to the 2 extra shoelaces and said, "I paid $40 extra just to have those 2 extra holes."

I was thinking in my head oh my god that is the dumbest sh*t I have ever heard in my life. I forgot the name of the shoe, but if anyone knows what it is, please tell us (I want to send the company death threats).

[Rake2204]

Simple question. What is the reason people pay so much money on Jordans??

Guilty as charged. I've paid $140 for Jordans on numerous occasions. I've also stood back and wondered about the state of materialism in our country. So obviously, eventually I have to look myself in the eye about my Jordan purchases.

My personal reasons for buying Jordans differ from those of a collector. As I've mentioned here before, I originally bought my first pair in 2000 because I was looking for a real solid high top because I thought it'd help curb the ankle issues I suffered wearing Questions the season previous. I settled on Jordan V's and they worked out very well (and lasted numerous years). Since then, I figured spending a little more money on basketball shoes could be worth it as long as they lasted a long time and I enjoyed them.

On the other side, I've also purchased those $15 Starburys for basketball too. They actually worked out pretty well, they just burned out very quickly. I'm pretty certain I wore two pair straight through the toe in one summer. But again, I felt it was a solid investment since I was trying to protect my indoor shoes from outdoor wear and tear.

Long story short, I guess I've bought Jordans because I felt I was getting my money's worth in terms of today's shoe market. If I can get three to four years of basketball out of a pair of shoes, I chalk it up as a win.

[IamRAMBO24]

Americans are influenced by pop culture.

Rap music tells the youth to buy shoes, jewelry, and other expensive gear, even if they can't afford it.
All the "reality" shows also show rich housewives and/or punks going to clubs every night, popping bottles of expensive liquor, driving expensive cars, etc.

TV, music, movies, everything influences the thought patterns of the young, some of whom unfortunately will be the ones deciding what influences the next generation of youth. So if you think society is materialistic now, just wait another decade or two.

This.

Keep rockin' with the truth brotha.

[SpecialQue]

It's worth remembering that, after 9/11, one of Bush's first requests was that we, as a nation, continue to buy stuff. Even at the time I thought that was an absurd request, considering what happened.

[bbp1aya]

If you think America is bad... go to Asian countries/hang out with Asian people.

My girl's family and family friends are some of the most materialistic a-holes I've ever seen. The mom steals money from her daughters. The grandma and family back in the motherland (lol) constantly ask for money even though they're clearly not in any financial hardship. What's more, they spend thousands on lavish graduation parties when it's CLEAR that they can't intelligently afford half of it.

My income is less than half of her parents' income and I have more savings than they do (I'm 26 and live on my own ).

In Asian culture, spending money like an insecure, materialistic dumbass is called "showing face"

[dajadeed]

If your friend is working and buying the shit with his own money that he worked for, then who the **** are you or we to judge him?

More power to him.

Welcome to capitalism.

All people complain. That's human nature. Rich people complain too. Your friend having trouble budgeting is a problem that many people have, including rich people. Welcome to the real world. Leave that idealistic hyperbole out of it and you'll be ok.

[Jackass18]

How old are you?

[DCL]

it's not just america...

[IamRAMBO24]

If your friend is working and buying the shit with his own money that he worked for, then who the **** are you or we to judge him?

More power to him.

Welcome to capitalism.

All people complain. That's human nature. Rich people complain too. Your friend having trouble budgeting is a problem that many people have, including rich people. Welcome to the real world. Leave that idealistic hyperbole out of it and you'll be ok.

It is arguable if it's human nature or not. My main gripe is how materialistic people are equating human value with material things. In this century, it is moreso indoctrination than anything with the idea of "consumerism."

Some people buy a certain car because they feel "manlier" or more confident if they own one because they have been lead to this idea through advertisements and media consumption that driving that car is what a "real" man does; I mean back in the early 50s, Marlboro used to correlate cigs with women's independence by having a bunch of women smoke a cig and then drop their hair with the words "freedom" spawn across the screen, so what happens, now women's liberty is equated to the idea of smoking a cig.

I think this mentality is sick and disgusting because who you are shouldn't be based on what you have; I can care less if some dipsh*t drives a mustang; it doesn't make him "more confident and manlier" to me (although he might think so): he's just another dipsh*t in a red mustang.

[hateraid]

You seem to get worked up over such little things.

Broke kids buying stupid shit because they want it? Nothing new here. It's just kids being kids. Does it affect you and your way of life? If not, let the kids be.
EVERYBODY has splurge on something even though they couldn't afford it or has purchased something because pop culture tells us to. The extra shoe lace hole for this kid may not be important to you, but to your friend it's something special. So what, let him haved his moment.
Do you own an iphone? A Honda Civic? Bought a team Jersey? Spent $200 on a concert ticket? Have an item which even though lesser brands perform the same function, purchased the popular brand? To other people you may seem materialistic

My theory in life is if you worry what other people are doing you not enjoying your own life.

[JEFFERSON MONEY]

If you think America is bad... go to Asian countries/hang out with Asian people.

My girl's family and family friends are some of the most materialistic a-holes I've ever seen. The mom steals money from her daughters. The grandma and family back in the motherland (lol) constantly ask for money even though they're clearly not in any financial hardship. What's more, they spend thousands on lavish graduation parties when it's CLEAR that they can't intelligently afford half of it.

My income is less than half of her parents' income and I have more savings than they do (I'm 26 and live on my own ).

In Asian culture, spending money like an insecure, materialistic dumbass is called "showing face"

YES YES

I've heard SE Asia has the Biggest culprits. I'm sure jizzo or josh know the deal

Saudi Arabia is also worse

[knickballer]

To the OP it's a part of the economic cycle. We must spend in order for economic growth to occur and if you don't spend the opposite will occur(Of course there's investments and what not but lets forget about that). So therefore if people don't spend like materialistic idiots and buy shit they don't need it will have a direct impact on the economy. Our economic system is truly ****ed up if you think about it.

BTW, i'm in no ways supporting materialistic idiots(im the opposite) and I'm practically a medieval jew with my money.