I think that keeping up with the Joneses means that people try to attain what they feel is the “American dream lifestyle". Unfortunately, the definition of this lifestyle is usually dictated by television shows and advertising and doesn’t have much to do with reality, hence America's huge debt burden. What do you guys think? Does TV and advertising affect your perceived "needs"? How do you finance them?

It would be interesting to find out how much the typical “American lifestyle” as portrayed on TV would cost to attain in real life.

Personally, I couldn't care less about the Jones!!! Though I do think that advertising definitely affects our wants and desires.

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~Happiness is a large family~

As a newbie, you've found the right site. The women on this board are trying to buck
the trend to keep up with the Joneses, and it's a frequent topic here (If you use
the search feature you'll find similar questions/responses from past discussions).

n my soapbox: I think those that Keep up with the Joneses generally find their self worth in material things, for many it's a self esteem issue. Like with most things, it exists on a continuum rather than being all-or-nothing. We're all guilty to a certain extent.


Even though most Americans are aware of the phenomenon of "Keeping Up with the Joneses" many deny its personal affect on them. It's hard to stay focused when you're constantly bombarded with advertising (everywhere, not just TV and magazines) trying to sell you the ideal family/lifestyle/vacation/image. It's not only the media. People you see from day to day have an subconscious affect on your consumeristic tendencies. The houses you drive by on your way to work. The cars you see on the road. There's no escaping it. In America, you have to make a conscious effort to avoid it. I have a degree in marketing, so I'm all too aware of the tactics used that fly under the radar of even the most educated people.

I'm not sure I see that there is a "Typical American Lifestyle" on TV. There are definitely shows where you have to chuckle and say, "There's no way they could afford that lifestyle in real life"... (i.e. Friends - what 20-somethings do you know that can afford a hip, spacious apartment in Manhattan?)

I have noticed that many of the newer, expensive homes in our area are for sale. When I see this it makes me wonder if these people were trying to "keep up with the Joneses" and found out that they couldn't. It's very sad that many people think they need to do this no matter how far in debt they need to go to do so. Yes, we would love a bigger, newer home than we have, but it doesn't mean to us as much as living within our means.

Yes, so true. Credit has enabled so many people to live beyond their means. That's why it's so important to teach our kids a key concept: DELAY OF GRATIFICATION

Kim's comment about most people denying the effect marketing has on them is really the key. We all like to think of ourselves as being really smart, independent thinkers. Yet, most of us are just followers who allow external stimuli to lead us along, stirring up our desires and getting us into debt.

To me it means measuring your worth by posessions. It is easy to get caught up in all the nice things out there. It blows my mind that TV and magazines are the standard that people try to live by. I'm really making an effort to teach my children that those things do not make you a better or happier person. It's also really sad that we try to look just like the people that are on TV. Don't get me wrong, I like to look nice, but we are not all going to be a size 2!! I could go on and on . . .n my soapbox:

Another theory is happiness by comparison. Research has found that comparative, not absolute wealth is what matters most to people. In other words, if you made $50,000/year and others around you made $25,000, you'd be happier than if you made $75,000 and others around you made $100,000. (there was a Harvard study done on this).

So, if happiness lies in how you perceive your successes in comparison to those around you, and everyone else is "Keeping Up..." it would naturally follow that most would succumb to doing this too.

The key is learning to be happy with what you have, otherwise the spiral of consumerism is never-ending.

That is definately the key! One our biggest socio-econmic problems in this country is that we tell our children how hard it is to make it and that the amount of wealth they grow up with limits what they can become. Then instead of teaching them how to do better for themselves we blind them with a mirage of status symbols(the newest cell phones, MP3 players, video games, jewelry, cars, etc.) so they can feel like they have wealth yet only more debt, that is what really limits their future.

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* Let it not be said that no one cared, that no one objected once it's realized that our liberties and wealth are in jeopardy.

~Ron Paul

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."
- James Madison

I know what the phase means or suggests...however it means very little to dh and I really.

We do drive nice cars but not because someone else has a nice car but b/c we use our cars a lot and it pays to have a car you can depend on. They aren't extravagant cars just good Chevys that we like and can depend on.

The goal of a lot of our friends is to have a big house and lots of stuff and etc, etc. Our goal is to live in the country and raise a family and enjoy life. In fact we are about to buy somewhere to live but not a big house we can't afford to impress anyone. We are buying land with a very small cabin on it for us to live in. As far as we are concerned there is no need to try to keep up with the joneses...heck you can't even see them from our house! lol

maybe its just part of rural living, but I really don't feel that need to compete from a lot of people around here.