The goods that we have convey a meaning about us, Schor said. What I wear, where I live and what I drive portrays us in a social function. Therefore, the person never gets out of debt. Schor blames this overspending on television. People who watch more television do more spending, she said.
People treat television as if it is reality.
They tend to overestimate the lifestyles that are shown on television. Soap operas do more upperclass biasing than any other show on television. The gap between what we want and what we can afford has become larger. People are spending more but they are also becoming more dissatisfied. Schor offered solutions.