Investing in our children

Over the past couple of days Moshe and I exchanged a few opinions which were triggered from the Government's $300 cash for new school starters (you can have a look here). Moshe rightly pointed out that in Australia people complain that they're always worse off and struggling. The truth is that Australians would not know otherwise.

And, as far as spending on kids goes, it's all getting out of control too. And it's ultimately the parents who encourage it. Although I agree that having a mobile phone from the age of 13 is useful and almost necessary because kids commute to school for, dome times, an hour each way, I have a problem with this:
a. Kids will accept nothing without a colour screen and polyphonic ring tones. What the??? Because, if something happens, your parents will take you seriously if you send an MMS rather than a plain SMS? It's not a fashion accessory or a toy, it has a purpose. But, thanks to Optus and the likes, our kids can spend the whole night yapping on the phone for free. Or become recluses for free.
b. 27 years ago I entered high school and had to take 2 unreliable buses each way. I did not have a phone. A year later I was riding my bike to and from. Still no phone. I survived, millions others like me survived too.

The same "kids/money" subject somehow brings me to the next topic: On the way home last night on the train, a young woman (perhaps 18 to 24, hard to tell), very smart-casual dress (not cheap) and very presentable entered the carriage at Ringwood. She was sporting a fashionable handbag in one hand/shoulder and a MASSIVE Deal or No Deal cheque for $26,000... The funny thing is, nobody had any idea if it was real and if it was hers (and nobody, amongst the ones who cared, had the guts to ask her...). So she took a seat, clumsily positioned the cheque on the opposite seat proceeded in making a couple of phone calls. She was in possession of the latest Sony Ericsson walkman phone, in a fashionable leather pouch. A few calls later she grabbed the giant cheque and held it tight. She got off at the same station as me and waited for her lift.

While on the train, I was just trying to think (assuming the money was hers) how it would be spent. And, as much as we should not judge a book by its cover, I almost saw it all happening; clothes, car, iPod, this and the other.

The whole system is rigged: we're copping it from all sides. We are encouraged to spend more and want more. Game shows are screwed because they're all consumer-driven because of the revenue through advertising. Kids no longer ask for a TV in their bedroom (as if...), they want LCD. While choosing a new car, all the kids in my house want a DVD player rather than being interested in safety and comfort. A young guy in his mid-20s here at work is buying a huge plasma screen while he's still living at home. Another one just bought a new small car and is investing in accessorising it for looks.

In all those things, there is no forethought on resources, the environment or energy impacts and requirements.

It's really bad and proceeding very rapidly in getting even worse. It's gone so far that there is no magic bullet. Talking to kids about the value of money only makes you sound even more uncool, mean and old-school.

Looking back, the one thing I kept hassling my parents about was a motorbike at 16, mainly from peer pressure and the copycat factor. After six months of nothing happening, I gave up. There was no 'life or death requirement' for VCRs or video games. I was happy to be out socialising and meeting real people face to face.