Not to the extent we have in the last 30 years or so and NOT paid for on credit to the extent in the last 30 years or so.
Our economy is 70% based on consumption, much of that based on credit that was itself based on an unsustainable rate of asset valuation rise (namely real estate).
Not sustainable. Which is why we are in the pickle we are in now.
Consumers are the drivers behind economies.
Consumption is the only drive for any growth in economic activities.
By buying more of a product, we allow the producer of said good to either make more of his product or increase efficiency or quality of their product. Thus, by purchasing more and more products, we promote the betterment of our products as a whole.
Look what happened to Japan.
Consumers saved too much which led to the lost decade and they are still recovering from that.