"Maxed Out" - The Movie

[daughter of pearl]

Just watched this (dvd from the library)...OMG, I want to go and withdraw my moeny from the bank and start stuffing my matress with it!

I think it should be a requirement to graduate high school that every kid watches and critiques this documentary...talk about eye-opening!!

[MrsOptimistic]

Oh thank you for reminding me! I put this on my instant queue on Netflix for when I had time to watch it. I have time now.

[Mom23boys]

I have never seen it, but it sounds like it made an impact on your life.

[ladykemma2]

i found the victim mentality on there very interesting. what did you think?

[daughter of pearl]

Yes, the victim mentality was interesting, as you watched box after box of, well, dare I say, CRAP being removed from the house that was just foreclosed!

I was truly blown away by some of the people that were being offered more debt, who clearly were mentally incompetent to understand the long-term consequences of their actions.

And I loved the interviews with the collectors...I'd love to see how much personal debt they carry! Because they are no different from the people they are calling...they are just working class people trying to stay a step ahead. Only difference is that they think they have it figured out!

[krbshappy71]

Netflix has it? Ok adding to my queue. Thank you!

[DaughterOfErin]

Saw this a while ago. EXCELLENT movie!

[DaughterOfErin]

Why pay to get it from Netflix?

You can watch it right here

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsrA6AfS8UE]YouTube - Maxed Out part 1 of 9[/ame]

[frugalwarrior2]

Watched it on utube and it made me feel even more anxietous w/ our debt than before. It makes me angry that credit is given to people who clearly have no idea what they are getting into. That ultimately results in money out of responsible peoples pockets.
I do think the film was inflamatory and slanted. You really have to look out for your own welfare. The "plate lady" saying they must know what there doing regarding her borrowing is crazyness. Whatever did happen to accountabilty for your actions and taking personal responsibility.

[daughter of pearl]

Sorry it caused you anxiety! I agree with the anger, and I really do feel like they chose people who seemed very unwilling to take responsibility for the situation they were in (except for the poor lady who was deemed deceased by mistake) and the two moms of the college kids.

Young people should see it before they sign up for credit...it should scare the pants off them!!

[Palooka]

Thanks for the reminder. I need to watch this.

[pollypurebred39]

Just watched, sobering.

[frugalwarrior2]

I already had anxiety. MY DH works for a company that will cut 15,000 globally this quarter. While i cut debt.,live more frugally,coupon,stockpile,send kids to community college instead of university they spend for programs I get nothing out of to do things I can't control and don't agree w/.
I recently joined Costco. What a study in human behavior that is. I like to sit at the snack area and watch what people haul off. Mindblowing. You can buy baby stuff or a coffin,cars,car ins. a generator,eye glasses,food,carpet,a 401K plan,auto ins.,lunch,lots of prepackaged dinners,prescriptions,outdoors trees,clothes and shoes,cigarettes and liquor,camping gear and a gazebo,a generator. As if thats not enough they have guest vendors warranteed by costco. On their website you can get greenhouses and emergency suppiles. Coupons and self serve checkouts for someone like me. Cheap snacks and free samples for hubby. All they need is an entertainments complex and Japanese sleeping tubes. Idiocracy is my favorite movie. (he graduates from Costco law school set in the future).
My point is it's all set up so that you don't have to think about anything. You can even pay w/ Costco credit. Why carry that pesky cash stuff and be limited.
It reminds me of when Pinocchio goes to Donkey Island.

I watched a show last night that was called "The age of Stupid".
Fantastic. It was a Rachel Carson (Author of Silent Spring-about the ramifications of pesticide usage on health and other species) sort of show about the real effects of our overconsumption and the lack of accountability. That just because Americans and Europeans got to the food bowl first doesn't mean we get ALL the kibble. It matched what we do to the ramifications on specific people around the world. Chilling.

[daughter of pearl]

Heehee! I call the people at my local Costco "shopping zombies" cos they all have this glazed over facial expression and look like they haven't seen sunshine is a week!

I'm gonna look for "The Age of Stupid"...sounds good...it really is so globally irresponsible to over-consume, but the whole commerical system was based on it, and it ran out of control.

Sorry to hear about DH's company...it's kind of a crazy time right now...I'm glad there is FV to come to to decompress!

Take care!

[Nada.Leona]

DH and I just watched it on YouTube. I agree with the victim mentality. The plate lady said, "They kept giving me credit and I kept thinking, 'Well, they think I should be able to pay it off, so I should be able to pay it off', and well..." And then she started to cry. It was heartbreaking, but seriously, she was very very naive.

The two moms whose children hung themselves... that's very sad, but it makes me wonder. How ignorant were these kids going in to get these credit cards? Did they really think they didn't have to pay them back? I don't understand that. I never had a CC til I was 25, and only then because I had left my ex-husband and wanted to start building some personal credit.

There was a lot of great information in there, but at the same time, there was a lot that left me scratching my head and wondering. How do people get themselves in these messes? I don't get it. There really is a limit to how many times you can say, "I don't understand how THEY can get away with this" or "I don't know why THEY are doing this to me!" Eventually you have to recognize that THEY is actually you.