Just as we hunker down to survive the worldwide economic collapse, we are confronted daily with news of fellow Americans who already have lost their homes, jobs and life savings.
In one important respect, Americans today are at a greater disadvantage than those who faced the Great Depression some 70 years ago. In 1930, the vast majority of the nation’s households consisted of families led by married couples. Today, many more households consist of adult Americans who face life alone.
They include solitary men and women, single parents, the divorced, widowed and unwed partners.
An important reminder, especially for those in parish ministry in the holiday season. Read it all.
I am single by choice, but I have often wondered how we singles have affected the economy. It surely is not economically feasible to have so many single-person households, with each person occupying X square feet of space, owning a car, lawn mower, washer and drier, etc. I have somewhat addressed this by opening my home to two roommates. It is working out well. Any thoughts out there on this?
The larger concern is demographic decline, not that the market won’t be able to produce enough household appliances.
#2 I am not worried about the availability of appliances. I am concerned that we singles consume too much – a single washer and drier used to suffice for a family of four or more. So did a single car, lawn mower, TV, etc. I wonder if the over-spending – whether by credit or cash – has contributed to our economic woes.
Assuming there is such a thing as “over-spending” in an economy, it is a problem that will solve itself. You spend less as you get older, and demand for consumer goods will fall as the number of live births per female drops below replacement levels.
Helen, you have fallen victim to the “group think” mechanism that our erstwhile PB uses often – that we in the US are using more than our fair share of energy or of the earth’s resources, etc. You are not using any more than your fair share of what you need, just because you are single. It is preposterous to think otherwise … and to think otherwise leads to other dangerous thinking in my opinion – like, when a person gets a certain age and can’t work anymore, do they have the right to remain using the earth’s resources? In your own realm, should single persons be forced to live together because they collectively are less expensive to the earth’s resources? What has happened to our individual rights and individualism that made our country strong? Has socialism (and communism) of some of our more liberal politicians and new media eroded our own self-confidence this much?
Thanks for posting this, Kendall. It reminded me that I’ve been meaning to “check in” with some of the people I know who are on their own and see if we can get together for lunch or coffee (my treat!) this month, and maybe gather a few brave souls to spend Christmas afternoon with me and my family (perhaps a bit of time with a candy-cane-fueled toddler will make them appreciate their calmer lives!). I’ve been the recipient of such kindness in the past when my fortunes were different, and I remember how much it meant to be remembered.