It was once considered the domain of the very rich. That figure has held fairly steady for the past two years. This is according to the latest Index of Leading Economic Indicators, which forecasts economic activity three to six months down the road. Of course, this isn't all bad. It sure beats a recession.
Some observers see an America that blurs wants and needs, and a sense of entitlement.
One of them is the ability to delay gratification and tolerate frustration. The ability to buy, some say, gives us the power to purchase things that distract us from what would truly satisfy us. Greed in the culture is part of it, she says. And she agrees that greed is something that has become so much a part of the cultural landscape that it is hardly noticed. She looks at the way things are now and thinks of an anecdote about John D. Rockefeller.