Twenty two years ago at this time of year, I was sitting pretty as a freshman at USC, the University of Southern California. My mother and stepfather paid out of pocket for my entire four year college experience. I had a generous discretionary income at my disposal which I could access by swiping my student ID.As an undergrad studying Journalism, my first extra curricular activity took place as a columnist and sometime city writer for the student paper the Daily Trojan.
The following column from September 1993, is an early stab at my attempt to proffer my opinion for the masses. My reaction to the sniveling soliloquy I wrote at 20 is only to laugh. I was a product of my environment and narrow frame of reference as a sheltered suburban brat from Bellevue, WA who grew up with "everything under the sun." When newspapers started whispering rumors of downsizing, it affected all facets of the zeitgeist. Of course. I panicked.
Sistine Comment by Michael Angelo
Longing for Materialism in Age of Thrift -- September 26, 1993
I don't think I like the 90s. I thought the whole back to basics simplistic lifestyle was going to appeal to me but now that I'm actually having to practice it, I hate it. Everyone remembers the excessive 80s when money was made to be spent. The whole era screamed capitalism. Now the powers that be are telling the country that excess is out. Frankly I don't see why we can't keep just a little of the 80s philosophy in our lives.The baby boom generation has created a backlash against materialism. Those people invented excess. Hair styles were big. Cars were big. Cindy Crawford was big. Now major guilt has set in and the baby boomers are yanking the rug out from one another in a last ditch effort to add substance to their lives. I grew up happily skipping by the financial aid lines with the knowledge that 80s excess would lead to prosperity and a new fall wardrobe. Now I am finding myself actually having to stand in the lines and take part in the endless sea of paperwork. I am becoming familiar with new acronyms such as FAF. ( My parents didn't qualify for financial aid.) I feel like a fish out of water. All of a sudden at 20 years of age, I am having to learn a whole new vocabulary. I hear words like downsizing, budget-cuts and economy. This is a far cry from the words I used in my previous lingo. I used to talk about what I wanted for Christmas. The sad part is, I am only one an entire generation of people who were bred in the decade of gluttons. The spend doctrine was enforced with these children. Now everything is changing and it's causing major upheaval in a lot of young lives. My generation is victim to an abrupt change. We did not have time to ease gradually into a less is more attitude. It seems that all of a sudden, we are finding ourselves without. All of a sudden it was Goodbye Cindy. Hello Kate. Department stores closed. Businesses closed. People started declaring bankruptcy. Don't get me wrong. I really like the whole retro fashion scene. The tailored look was getting a little old. I'm only questioning the new philosophy that seems to be taking over the world. Money is not there to be spent anymore. People think they have to save it or it will go away Get over it, folks. It's money-- if it can be made, it can be spent. Let's hope the attitude changes by the year 2000.
