As the stresses in our life increase so does our confusion as to our personal identity. In today’s world of ever increasing news of economic disaster, we may find ourselves questioning not only our identity but our sanity. At times we seem to be nothing more than lab rats scurrying after the newest fad purchased with our ever ready credit card. Is there more to life than credit card bill paying that inspires creative book keeping along with fingernail chewing? However, like actors on a stage we have to first take on a new role. Think of it as changing your character much like you might if you were attending a Renaissance Festival. You get into character: change cups so to speak. It starts with giving up our insatiable desire for purchasing on credit. However, since our economy is on the verge of ‘credit only consumption’, the task will be difficult. In order to make any personal changes you first have to understand the forces that keep you from kicking the credit habit. What keeps us shackled to credit cards is not only our addiction but also the dictates of corporate America which insist that consumption, regardless of ability to pay or method of payment, be controlled by consumer credit rating scores. This is not only nefarious, but downright Orwellian. It means that regardless of your monetary wealth, you cannot purchase unless you have this number. And the way you get this number is of course by having debt. As an example the Hertz corporation now demands a high credit score before you can rent a car. Your ability to pay the rental cost is not the issue, but rather your ability to maintain yourself in debt. Is this now the new American identity: a country enslaved by multinational corporations? What happened to the spirit of rugged individualism that shaped the American psyche and carved paths in the wilderness? Unfortunately we have become a nation of walking marshmallows while we glutted ourselves into debt to achieve an identity characterized by ‘conspicuous consumption’. There is a way out of this morass of over indulgence. It requires a re-treading of how you perceive yourself. If you insist on perceiving yourself as a victim of government and corporate bullies you will remain a marshmallow. To regain your self worth and dignity you start by accepting the responsibility of how you got into debt. You then develop strategies for a new life style based on frugality and self-reliance such as that described by Henry David Thoreau in his book ‘Walden; or life in the woods’. The popular Internet Wikipedia Encyclopedia defines the strategy of frugality as, “reduction of waste, curbing costly habits, suppressing instant gratification by means of fiscal self-restraint, seeking efficiency, avoiding traps, defying expensive social norms, embracing cost-free options, using barter and staying well-informed about local circumstances and both market and product/service realities.” For a more detailed discussion of this strategy read the article on downward mobility by Bob Corbett. This is not rocket science and all it takes is a determination to unfetter yourself from the corporate shackles of credit cards. Begin the process by cutting up all your credit cards and then get some practical answers for getting out of debt by researching the net for guidelines. However, be wary of methods that condone indulgences or suggest that getting out of debt can be free. It will cost you and it will take a considerable amount of time: this is the reality of what we have done to ourselves. There is no free lunch and getting out of debt is a long arduous journey that requires courage, willpower and intestinal fortitude. These are the identity anchors of the American Spirit. These are the ingredients that inspired such men as Admiral Farragut in 1864 when he said “Damn the torpedoes!…go ahead…full speed!” Frugality and downward mobility will mean a drastic change in your daily activities especially in the area of entertainment. Heading the list for removal should be any paid subscription for television service such as cable or satellite. According to the Nielsen program rating company, the average 65 year old will have accumulated a total of 9 years watching television at the rate of 4 hours per day. Just think of it: nine years of mind numbing advertisements geared to entice you into purchasing more useless stuff with your credit card. If you have a family you have to consider what you will use in place of the time that was spent watching television. Your family will not be immediately responsive and most children will balk at your attempts to provide alternatives such as hobbies, craft, reading or just going for a walk. The Internet has many web sites offering free audio files of books and old radio shows and most new computers are designed to hook directly into your television. There are thousands of free videos available on line for entertainment and instruction. Our identity as individuals and as a nation is at stake. Corporate America will sneer at our initial efforts but as Kipling wrote in the ‘Light That Failed’; “Bite on the bullet, old man, and don't let them think you're afraid,”. Climb those walls of your own fears. Warning: In all of this keep your priorities straight!
