Very well put
You are right that the bank's irresponsible lending has actually screwed all of us, including them. The fault probably lies with the bodies that set the rules in which banks can work. They should have forseen this issue and stopped it happening.

On the subject of blame from an individual's point of view, I think that there is one more thing to consider here and that is how much of people's over-spending could be put down to an addiction and a result of things that may not be their fault (such as depression). For example, my sister got into shed loads of debt and ended up bankrupt. I am sure that part of her over-spending was down to her being depressed (she was and still is). I always feel better when buying stuff (don't we all) so maybe this was a just a symptom of her illness.

I am not one of those people who has an addictive personality. I have never smoked, don't drink all that much etc, so it easy for me to say, just don't spend. Maybe it isn't as simple as that for many people.

The government protects us from ourselves in a number of ways so maybe this is one more things they should protects us from.

Can you tell that I am very bored and just waiting for Christmas to start?
(Tom Jones's Mojo Hasn't had any since, Mon 22 Dec 2008, 16:25, 1 reply)

Heh, me too.
Poor old kipper has to bear the brunt of our boredom.

I think its a societal thing. We do all feel better buying stuff because essentially the meaning of life in this country for a lot of people is to amass as much stuff as possible. That sounds really cynical and like I feel I have some higher purpose, but its not quite what I mean. Some "stuff" is important on a higher than material level, e.g. arguably the better your hi-fi equipment the more transcendent your musical experience (ignoring the whole "culture industry" thing for the moment). So its not to say that the pursuit of better possessions of any kind is a bad thing or something that I sneer at, excepting perhaps that pursuit as an end in itself.

I definitely have an addictive personality and readily admit, that whilst I have no time for "status symbols", designer clothes, whatever, I'm as much a sucker for cool stuff of varying kinds as the next person. My circumstances just meant I've never fallen into this particular trap (parents in debt - never went there! Also lucky enough never have had to NEED to get in debt, touch wood). My addictions are emotional. And food. 2 years of not being overweight any more and counting!! :D
( Throat And Ice Pie I see dem tatties dere., Mon 22 Dec 2008, 16:45, closed)