[reformedliberal]

Somewhere, two people have twice these stats, to make up for my husband and myself.

[Cold Heart]

Whenever I help somebody move, I go home close my eyes, grab something, and throw it out.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Americans spend $1.2 trillion annually on nonessential goods—in other words, items they do not need."

I have no idea how this figure could even be remotely calculated. Take for instance an automobile. If one has to commute to work, it is a need. If there is public transportation available is it still technically a need or does it become a want? If it is a need to get to work and a $15K Ford Fiesta would be adequate for the purpose but one opts for a $150K Porsche instead, is the $135K overage calculated as a "want", and the $15K considered the "need"?

IMHO, most of these stats are meaningless and only serve the purposes of guilting successful people and promoting class envy.

[9YearLurker]

From birth through college, there is a gross materialism around all the stuff we wrap our kids with, especially.

I get why folks might use a garage bay for storage. Surprised it is only 1 in 10 for the rented storage.

Millennials were supposed to be less materialistic, but when those I know get married, have babies, etc., they are more into the trappings than our previous generations, for sure.

[grania]

It’s an interesting article. I posted it to FB “friends”, maybe get an intelligent conversation going. I just “decluttered” my house. Now, everything has a purpose (not all necessities) and a place. It’s made what I have so much more useful and interesting.

[JimRed]

If government can take it away from you for unpaid taxes, do you really OWN it?

[madison10]

Regarding those shopping malls: here in the lower Michigan/Toledo area the recession took its toll. Of the eight in the area only one is doing well; two are open with only two of three stores; and the rest of the malls were bulldozed.

It was not until this last year that business picked up.

[dfwgator]

George Carlin - A Place For My Stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLoge6QzcGY

[bigbob]

Stuff is good. Stuff is great. I want more stuff!

[Blue Jays]

"...how much stuff we actually own..."

---

Learning that clutter is essentially a “failure to make a decision” in our daily lives was pivotal to my own streamlining.
A fantastic lesson I learned starts with simple mail.
I don’t even set junk mail on the table...I take mail from the mailbox and sort it in my hands to immediately discard as needed.

[antidisestablishment]

$1.2 trillion on non-essential goods—that’s nothing. Look at what we spend on non-essential government!

[Wuli]

O.K. just get western consumption down to pre-WWII levels and watch the economies of many poor countries collapse, as export to western countries is 100% of all they have.

[GOPJ]

I suspecet JOSHUA BECKER · is a 30 something snowflake...

[ClearCase_guy]

I would oppose any legislation aimed at telling people "You have too much money/stuff, so the government will help you out by taking it".

That being said, I think our culture is too materialistic and our stuff (which we collect to make us happy) is a source of great unhappiness for many.

As automation increases and as the risk of large numbers of people having no skills (or abilities) that are needed in the 21st century job market, I think a lot of folks will find themselves with limited income opportunities. I oppose socialism (of course) but I wouldn't be surprised if we end up drifting toward some sort of Guaranteed Basic Income to that people have an income even if they don't have a job. Not my solution of choice, but I fear it may be inevitable.

Perhaps our culture would benefit from a trend toward a minimalist approach to life. People could occupy themselves with gardens or something and avoid collecting things other than hoes

[reed13k]

300,000....hell I have 1/2 that in books and double that in shells and cartridges.

:)

[a fool in paradise]

Marxism is why we ‘cannot have’ nice things

[dangus]

Some of these are absurd.

>> Shopping malls outnumber high schools. And 93% of teenage girls rank shopping as their favorite pastime <<

There are three shopping malls in Suffolk County, NY... and dozens of high schools.

>> Women will spend more than eight years of their lives shopping <<

That amounts to over two hours per day average every day.

>> Americans spend more on shoes, jewelry, and watches ($100 billion) than on higher education <<

$100 billion amounts to only $300 per person.

[V K Lee]

Quoting a TV character living in Seattle... (Frasier)
“My things, my things, my beautiful things”

There’s something to be said for the Tiny House Movement: little room, fewer things. But who of us past 60 wants to climb a ladder in order to find our bed in the loft?

The main reason persons rent storage space = to keep the many records and receipts which will be needed when our government comes a’knocking on our doors. No receipt, no deduction. No papers, into the jail house for you.

Here, just thankful it is not necessary to load up our “possessions” into a covered wagon and cross the country to unload them in a brighter place. All we need do is call U-Haul. :-)

[TADSLOS]

I’m forwarding this article to my Household 6. I may not survive the day.

[MayflowerMadam]

Yay capitalism! Yay America!