THIS EXACTLY
My (much older) co worker was talking recently about how she wants the new $300 whatever designer bag, and I was talking about how me and the husband might set $300 aside to go up to House on the Rock for a weekend.
That seems to be pretty standard for the older people I know vs. the younger people I know. For $300, we could get a hotel room overnight, a couple good meals, into House on the Rock, and some money to spend on whatever while we’re there.
And she was just like “But it’s a kate spade bag.”
And I was like “And???? My purse has a unicorn on it I paid $5 for it at Goodwill and I can hold things in it to take up to House on the Rock.”
And you goddamn right that if a company wants my money, they’d goddamned better bend over backwards for me.
I’m doing them a favor by choosing their product. I don’t owe them shit. If they want my continued business, they’d better goddamn well earn it.
And if I’m not happy, not only will I tell them so but I’ll tell literally everyone I know, and then go on to never patronize them again.
Isn’t this also like…. more true to an original understanding of capitalism as well?
Yes, it absolutely is.
^^^ This is the difference between theoretical capitalism and the reality of what we’re living through, which is called “late stage capitalism”.
These businesses and older people are just pissed because we won’t spend money on that kind of stuff even though they bombarded us with it when we were little. They thought we were probably going to be the biggest consumers and spenders because they were bombarding us since we were little but it just ended up being white noise to people who can;t afford it and instead of recognizing this and changing tactics they’re throwing little baby tantrums and calling us selfish and spoiled.