Not to mention "protecting" your stuff (like insurance) and "housing" it (like adding on new rooms, closets and garages just to enclose all that stuff)!

And also how stuff keeps you in one place because moving it is such a problem.

And what about the emotional attachment. People who can't give up their "prize" possessions even though it would free them up in so many ways.

And also the peer pressure. Got to have what everyone else has.

Makes sense to me.

> Okay, Michael, I'm hoping I've been lurking
> here on this thread long enough to see the
> point you are driving at.

> Immigrants--most of them, anyway--arrive
> without any "stuff" (as the great
> philosopher and observer-of-life, George
> Carlin, puts it). Consequently, they don't
> have to divert any of their meager incomes
> to "maintaining and upgrading"
> their stuff.

> Example: If I drove a beat-up wreck of a
> car, I'd "have to" spend money on
> repairs to keep it running... or buy a newer
> car (probably on credit).

> Without having to spend money on maintaining
> any "stuff," immigrants are able
> to invest their meager incomes in themselves
> (e.g. education) and in their dreams (e.g.
> entrepreneurial undertakings or
> savings/investment accounts).

> Such investment becomes habit... which leads
> to long term financial success.

> In a similar vein, many "native"
> citizens come to the conclusion late in life
> that they need to invest in
> themselves--instead of buying more stuff--if
> they are going to be able to enjoy
> comfortable retirements.

> Unfortunately, most of them reach this
> conclusion with too few years left to be
> able to turn their "spend, spend,
> spend" lives around.

> Right?

> ~~Steve Rollison