Is consumerism and over glamorizing of different ‘designer’ products, brands (or in short the elite lifestyle) increasing the class difference in a community? I often wonder if it has altogether swept clean the ‘middle class’ category of hard earning individuals’ families who used to drive happily a small car with a modest house and way of living. Everybody seems to be trying to fit into the ‘elites’ (i can’t stand this term) by going out of the way in terms of finances and income just to get something they can brag about.
Even for a child’s birthday party, a normal cream/black forest birthday cake (like we had in our times) has been replaced by pretty expensive custom made awe inspiring cakes. I obviously have nothing against those, I love them too. But what about those people who can’t afford all these luxuries. How do they explain to their kids who are obviously all gaga after attending their school mate’s themed party with about 200 guests and a huge batman cake and bouncy castles with face paintings and magic show etc. Where should one draw the line?
Apart from weddings, birthdays or other events even when it comes to houses, interior decor and a person’s daily dressing, the first question that people now ask after seeing a good dress ‘kis designer ka hai’.
Is this all unfortunately increasing inferiority complex or sense of deprivation among an ordinary average earning person and his family?
Anyone who's putting themselves into agony and debt just to keep up with the joneses only have themselves to blame. There is always going to be expectations in terms of class, but its up to the individuals to decide whether they want to subscribe to these superficialities.
Yes conti I agree with you. It is up to the person themselves. But the problem is that the line is becoming blurry due to over endorsement of such lifestyle by even those who apparently are supposed to fall in the middle class professionals category. And it's usually due to parents being pressurized to please their kids or maybe just be the talk of town by going OTT about things. Conformity or a rat race I'd call it
like here in the UK, I am surprised by the general assumption that a doctor or a consultant needs to have at least a BMW, Audi or a mercedes cause that's what everybody does.
Same goes for Pakistan. Once banks started selling cars on leasing, Suzuki has virtually become obselete and I was surprised on my last visit when one of my younger kid cousins wanted to go on a friend's party and specifically said can we please take out our accord and not go in Mehran coz my friends make fun of me ! :/
I have promised myself not to buy anything that clearly shows the label. I feel guilt holding a designer bag or whatever in public while there are countries which are starving and millions of people who don't have access to clean water.
I became a shopaholic for a while as a result yo the mental trauma I was going through....but I'm pretty much over my insecurities now.
Its not that the line has become blurry, its that people have turned into sheeple and buy into the media-fed benchmarks of what an ideal middle class life should look like. In the end it boils down to personal willpower to withstand this pressure.
You gota talk with your kids. You can't say "Oh what about the people who can't affrod a fany batman cake..etc etc" Well you gota be straight up with your kid. You gota tell your kids the reality. Just like how my mother told me when she couldn't afford a certain thing she said "Beta humarey pass ithney paisey nahi hain kay yeh bhi dilaon aur woh bhi dilaon, jo dilaya hai us mein Allah ka shukar karo" and that taught to be thank ful for what I have and not to drool about the things I don't. I dont understand why parents have a hard time telling their kids that they can't buy them certain things. Sure it'll break their hearts but they have to know the reality as well. You don't have to compete with materialism, you have to break free from its bonds.
I’m so glad this ‘trend’ has not hit where I’m at…honestly no one asks what designer someone is wearing, they might ask if the outfit is from Pakistan, but that is about it
I'm so glad this 'trend' has not hit where I'm at..............honestly no one asks what designer someone is wearing, they might ask if the outfit is from Pakistan, but that is about it
Must be those Posh aunties who ask that question. Those Godless materialistic aunties that smell like fastfood and perfume. Those aunties with their fake botox injected lips and see through dresses. Those aunties with a slightly expensive Honda which they got for 1.8 million rupees. Those aunties!
Like everything else, you gotta teach your kids the value of money. Teach them how hard it is to earn money and make them earn their allowence by helping around the house.
kids these days have this sense of entitlement because they get what they want from parents no question asked and they see their parents all caught up in status symbols and consumerism as well.
I remember I once asked my dad "Dad mujey woh heavy bike ley kar dou" Dad's response "Beta jab barrey hona tou khud ley leyna" LMAO who tells that to their inspiring kid who wants to ride a bike. But that's what I'm going to do now. Get a bike now that I can.
Its not that the line has become blurry, its that people have turned into sheeple and buy into the media-fed benchmarks of what an ideal middle class life should look like. In the end it boils down to personal willpower to withstand this pressure.
Like Bebo and Pendo said, give it straight to the kids. They'll understand, just don't be hypocritical. If they see you buying something expensive for yourself, they'll definitely want you to do the same for them.
Pendo buy that bike, ride it and then sell it before you have kids. Because they're going to want your bike and you won't be able to say no.
