It's Prime Time!

In honor of the (rather amazing looking) Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, as well as the interesting stock market tumble on bad news from the sub-prime markets, the title receives the hackneyed phrase treatment.

For those of you who aren't gamers, skip this paragraph. I never got into Metroid Prime 1 and 2, although I did eventually beat both of them after buying them on the cheap, but Metroid Prime 3 looks deliciously tempting, almost to the point that waiting until Christmas to get it may be a bit too much. Keep an eye on this one or, if you have a Wii, go download some of the promo videos for free off of the shop channel. You will not be disappointed.

As for the sub-prime market, I really don't know where to begin on this one. Part of me feels sorry for the people suckered into the credit marketing scams and buying into those "low, low rates!" and "no money down, no interest for 1 year" fiasco's. To think that people still fall for these schemes - knowingly or unknowingly - is a testament to the failures of our society on a level greater than I can begin to even detail. On one hand, you are either such a consumerist and a spend-a-holic (both scientific terms, I assure you!), and you deserve all the trouble you put yourself into for your stupid "instant gratification" life style, buying beyond your means because you need to impress other people or somehow feel "entitled" to living the lifestyle of a white collar life style on a blue collar paycheck.

I understand that people need to spend a little, and that it's hard to avoid debt right after getting out of college, getting married, buying a house, having a baby, health issues, etc.
But when someone who is talking on their iPhone while they drink their $5 frappacino and filling up their sporty new BMW with premium gasoline and talking about how they "can't afford to pay that kind of money" on some basic necessity or talking about how their credit card company is "screwing" them on interest rates and late payment fees... I really feel no pity for you. Sure, I've never been left "wanting" on the basic necessities of life; my parents have worked hard to provide for me in my early life as well as even helping out a bit into my college education. But I've also had a job since I first hit working age (no one would take me at 15, I tried) and have done my part to provide those little 'extras' for myself because my parents were working hard enough just to provide for me.

But I never owned an iPhone. I don't drive some sporty, flashy car. I don't buy my clothing at Hollister and certainly don't look to purchase Oakley's when I need new glasses or Rolex's when I need a new watch. I have some basic phone that isn't even a camera, and try to make sure to never go over on minutes or send too many text messages. I drove a Chevy Malibu and, after an accident, a Nissan Sentra. My clothing looks good... in a Target (read: not to most other people), my sun glasses were $10 at Wal-Mart and I've never worn anything fancier than a $15 timex.

Do I live better than, say, 75% of the world? Probably. But that just means I don't starve. And don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with owning any of the above things. If you work hard, earn your way in life, and really want those, it is completely within your power to do so, and I congratulate you. But too many people now a days feel "entitled" to the same lifestyle as Bill Gates and Donald Trump, and who cares about the consequences! Next thing you know, they are defaulting on mortgages, being hounded by creditors, getting evicted from apartments and being turned down for loans and credit.

Then, what do they do? Complain more. They curse the credit industry for "harsh practices" and for being "inhumane". They toss up small-percentage occurrence anecdotes about poor old ladies who cannot use their social security payments to pay off their medicine and still get to eat. All this while blogging from Disneyland on their new laptops from the fancy on-site hotel. I don't ask that you live without a few luxuries in your life; some people will never understand how I can spend money on video games, but it is that which I enjoy most.

I just ask that, as one billboard I have seen suggests, you "act your wage". Save for your future (or at least your freakin' kids). Give to charities or those needier than you (I assure you, they exist). Stay on top of credit, stay out of debt, and keep yourself from all those impulse purchases. Learn to be happy with what you have, not what other people have. But don't feel afraid to spend on a few luxuries (within your means); you worked hard, you earned it. Just make sure, you know, you did that "working hard" part. Sometimes, the only times people will work hard is when they are fighting their creditors and finding a new way to scam the system for free money.

As for those of you still getting suckered into these scams legitimately: take that as a hard lesson learned. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Work hard, fly straight, and you'll get the chance at that life you want. Will you live getting everything you want? No. None of us do. But living with what you have, and being happy with it; that's where the hardest part of human financing comes in.