“Mom we need this!, “We cannot live without this!, Everyone has it!”, “Why can’t my car be as nice as his/hers?!” In today’s society, these exclamatory remarks are heard more than ever. When a time for basic human necessity is overlooked to fit the more luxurious, or newly established social norm of society, a person has to take a step back and consider how much “stuff” is really too much. There is truly a difference between what a person wants, compared to what a person needs to survive. The authors of Swollen Expectations believe this as well stating, “We have a lot more stuff and much bigger material expectations than previous generations did.” By looking back thirty to forty years and viewing expectations of life back then, there is
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What used to be built for basic human needs is now built to satisfy our greedy want for everything. Houses now are extremely large, containing extra rooms to entertain. According to a study done by The Census Bureau, the average sized household in 2013 was 2,679 square feet, compared to the average size of a home in 1973 at 1,660 square feet. That’s a 1,000 square foot difference! With that in mind, the amount of people per household has decreased, meaning there is more house space to the number of people. According to Catherine Weigold who grew up in the 1940’s she stated, “They’re too big! With a small house, family relationships were a lot better. My first house had two bedrooms used by five people and we lived comfortably. We saw alot more of each other and got along real well. This was right before the war and we saved everything, even gum wrappers. As my brother, sister and I got older, my mom and dad made a room in the attic for my older brother. He thought he was hot stuff.” The big houses of today are not a necessity, but we like to think they …show more content…
Back forty years ago, children knew what was expected of them and what the needs of the family were to some extent. Kids living during that time were less want, and more play. They were able to use their imagination, relying on the items that were around them. A stick was used for many things; a wand, sword, or gun. These items have been replaced by cheap and plastic models. Christina Schilling, who was born in the mid 1960’s stated, “We hardly EVER asked our parents for things. When we did, if they said no it meant no. We never talked back or threw a fit because we knew if we did, we would get punished. I never felt a want for things, because I had everything I needed. I had clean clothes, food to eat, and a roof over my head that kept us warm all year round.” She said this last part with a smile, considering she grew up without air conditioning in her house. She added, “Most kids today do not know how to live without. They have a lot of extras. These extras feed their wants and have nothing to do with their
What used to be built for basic human needs is now built to satisfy our greedy want for everything. Houses now are extremely large, containing extra rooms to entertain. According to a study done by The Census Bureau, the average sized household in 2013 was 2,679 square feet, compared to the average size of a home in 1973 at 1,660 square feet. That’s a 1,000 square foot difference! With that in mind, the amount of people per household has decreased, meaning there is more house space to the number of people. According to Catherine Weigold who grew up in the 1940’s she stated, “They’re too big! With a small house, family relationships were a lot better. My first house had two bedrooms used by five people and we lived comfortably. We saw alot more of each other and got along real well. This was right before the war and we saved everything, even gum wrappers. As my brother, sister and I got older, my mom and dad made a room in the attic for my older brother. He thought he was hot stuff.” The big houses of today are not a necessity, but we like to think they …show more content…
Back forty years ago, children knew what was expected of them and what the needs of the family were to some extent. Kids living during that time were less want, and more play. They were able to use their imagination, relying on the items that were around them. A stick was used for many things; a wand, sword, or gun. These items have been replaced by cheap and plastic models. Christina Schilling, who was born in the mid 1960’s stated, “We hardly EVER asked our parents for things. When we did, if they said no it meant no. We never talked back or threw a fit because we knew if we did, we would get punished. I never felt a want for things, because I had everything I needed. I had clean clothes, food to eat, and a roof over my head that kept us warm all year round.” She said this last part with a smile, considering she grew up without air conditioning in her house. She added, “Most kids today do not know how to live without. They have a lot of extras. These extras feed their wants and have nothing to do with their