Putting the Recession Into Perspective

[never2late]

Our local newspaper has a Sunday feature on money management. This week's article was about a national meeting the writer had been at where they discussed the rip-off consumer credit counseling and foreclosure agencies. His article ended with a quote from a speaker at the meeting that really hit a nerve for me:

"We can and have adapted in the past to lifestyle changes. Usually it has been to a better lifestyle; now we may have to make some minor adjustments or even some major adjustments to a lower lifestyle. But remember; even a lower standard of living in this country is better than the high standard of living in most of the rest of the world."

The above quote, combined with an MSN article I was reading this morning really gave me some food for thought. I was really struck at the amount of food versus the size of the family in the different countries.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...aspx?GT1=33004

[AmyBoz]

"We can and have adapted in the past to lifestyle changes. Usually it has been to a better lifestyle; now we may have to make some minor adjustments or even some major adjustments to a lower lifestyle. But remember; even a lower standard of living in this country is better than the high standard of living in most of the rest of the world."

What an excellent quote. I haven't read the article, but I love this quote. We are so used to the American lifestyle that we forget that even when we are struggling, it's nothing like life in other countries. It's human nature to grumble and worry and be upset when things change, but we still have it pretty good.

[my4littlebuffaloes]

Very well said. People don't want to adjust, but they should and I think that they will be grateful for it in the future if they do.

[Thevail]

I agree! It's difficult to see it clearly sometimes, because all things are judged by a relative yardstick in our individual lives.

Not, "are we doing well"? But rather, are we doing "better than last year", "better than our neighbors", "better than average".

Not, "can we do/buy this important thing"? But "can we do this easily"? "Can we afford the best version of this thing?"

[Minner77]

I don't remember all of the details, but my DH was telling me about an article he read some years ago about an orphan, adopted by an American family, who got out of the car in their garage and was overwhelmed by the wealth of her new family. She could not believe they lived in such a fine building. So solid, so clean, so safe, so large. And this was just the garage: she had not even entered the house.

I have it so good, so good. I need to be reminded not to take it for granted. Thank you.

[shoiji]

Thanks for posting the article. I really enjoyed it. Now I want to go to India mostly because I love the food. Also interesting to see how much processed for there was.

Ever since I volunteered at a food pantry I am more than aware of what I have. Every time I go into the city I am reminded when I see food pantry clients.

[Missourimom]

If anyone gets a chance to read Peter Menzel's "Hungry Planet" it's a very interesting book and I recommend it. I bought mine off amazon. Actually, he has several great books.

[ml2620]

My sister asked for the book "What the World Eats" for Christmas last year (and that's what she got!), families from around the posing with their food for the week with lots of good info and stories about the world diet. It's worth checking out in a bookstore or library.

Or you can look at a few sample pages on amazon:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/What-World-Eats-Faith-DAluisio/dp/1582462461/ref=pd_sim_b_2#reader"]Amazon.com: What the World Eats (9781582462462): Faith D'Aluisio, Peter Menzel: Books[/ame]

[annymoll]

I realize just how lucky, how good we have it, and I have no complaints.In the good ole USA, no one starves at the side of the road.In fact, we are a nation quite glutted with food.Look around.

[ShellyB]

I saw that on MSN about what families eat in different countries. I was really astonished to see which countries have all the processed food and you can see the 2 liter bottles of Coke. I know we eat way too much in this country and by far way too much processed food.

But at least as far as this forum is concerned, we are changing things for the better and if just one person observes the changes we make in spending habits, non processed foods, etc. I feel good about that.

[Michelle68]

Wow, what an eye opener! As ShellyB said, it's incredible how much processed foods we eat here in America compared to other countries. BTW, I thought the amount the U.S. family spent on food in a week was quite high and the amount of food that the family from Mali had for a week for their large family was so small.

[scooby8themall]

Interesting article , My daughter is one who has to have the best of everything first then bills get payed she has to have expensive fish and cheese , I buy cheap cheese and go fishing for my own fish . Since being here on FV I've so much more about stretching a dollar and our food budget. It is amazing the food available here in the states compared to other countries , I read on MSN that in other countries the mothers are last to eat if there is any thing left.Sad!!

[mrsfoamy]

I have this book at work - and I've read it more than once! It is fascinating and has very much influenced my shopping and cooking choices.

[klean163]

That was a good article made me happy with what i have and always will be i shop and i buy gentneic food not brand names i cook from sractch almost always it's healthier and cheaper and i buy at thirft stores i see people in other countries or even elsewhere in the USA that are going with out i feel so bad for them, I can't watch stuff like that cause i just cry.