Don't Buy These Myths

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Excessive viewing correlates with indebtedness as well, making TV a significant part of the 'see, want, borrow, buy' pattern that Schor targets. As she puts it, 'Television lets everyone see what these [upper-income] folks have and allows viewers to want it in concrete, product-specific ways.'

MYTH #7 WHAT'S GOOD FOR ONE IS GOOD FOR ALL

'The conflict between individual and group is the single most important explanation of the imbalance in our current consumption patterns,' writes Frank. 'Authors invariably attribute our failure to achieve better balance in our lives to dark forces: some rooted within, such as greed, impatience, or stupidity, and others outside us, such as exploitation by powerful corporate interests. Yet these forces could be swept aside entirely and the fundamental problem would remain, for its primary source lies not in individual or corporate imperfection, but in the cold, impersonal logic of competition.'

What's smart for one is often dumbóand costlyófor all. The individual who stands up at a concert achieves a better view, until everyone else stands; then no one can see very well, and everyone pays the price of tired legs. Those who can't hear at a cocktail party raise their voices; soon all ears are ringing and everyone is hoarse. If your challenging, meaningful job means a lot to you, think twice before asking for Fridays off to raise your kids; there aren't enough jobs like yours, and someone else might be happy to work weekends to get it. And is it worth opting for a smaller mortgage, if it means moving to a less safe neighborhood?

'Having simpler things works fine if you don't have to give up your spot in the queue,' says Frank. 'If we all cut back, it all works. But if I cut back, the cost to me may be too high.'

MYTH #8 ONE TELEVISION IS PLENTY

Just what does 'the good life' entail? A lot of stuff, according to a Roper Center survey published in 1993. And more stuff than it used to.

In 1975, 10 percent of those surveyed said a second color TV would be part of the good life; by 1991, it was 28 percent. A second car? Thirty percent included it in 1975, 41 percent in 1991. Vacation home? That went from 19 percent to 35 percent.

We're doing better in the 'necessity' department. A second TV was considered necessary by only 3 percent of respondents in 1973; that number escalated to 10 percent in 1996óbut that was down from 15 percent in 1991.

There is still the matter of the gas grill. In his book, Frank recounts the dilemma he faced when a malfunctioning ignition button and rusty metal baffle threatened the longevity of his $89.95 propane grill, purchased in the '80s. Repair would be possible, but impractical and uneconomical. His subsequent search for a new model was vastly different from his quest of a decade ago. Back then, he writes, 'there was nothingóabsolutely nothingólike today's Viking-Frontgate Professional Grill,' he writes. Powered by natural gas or propane, it measures seven feet across and has an infrared rotisserie capable of broiling two 20-pound turkeys, an 828-square-inch grilling surface, a built-in smoker system, and two range-top burners that generate 15,000 BTUs, twice the capacity of those on a standard kitchen stove. 'If you've ever longed to throw together a Szechwan pork dish on your backyard patio,' he goes on, 'or feared getting off to a late start when you have guests about to arrive and 40 ears of corn left to cook, the Viking Frontgate has the extra power you need.'

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