[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Artvampire

Unfortunately our government works us like dogs, and are are enslaved by credit cards because it's difficult to keep up with bills, so we live a fast paced life with high stress.

But... No one is enslaved by credit cards. No one is having a gun held to their head and being told that they need to buy that flat screen tv or whatever else they`re putting on that credit card. It is possible to "live within your means". So many people seem to be trying to keep up with expectations, while ignoring the reality of their income. It has been shown time and time again that the majority of credit card debt isn`t utility and food bills - it`s electronics and so-called "luxury" items. (Except in the case of college students or the 3 years immediately following graduation, when the majority is textbooks)
I understand society pressure to have all these things, but if you cannot afford them - do not buy them. If you are not sure whether you can afford them, do not count on future magical money appearing - save up the amount. Deal with the lack of anything not required for life, and put "payments" in the bank toward the purchase. No one is MAKING anyone use a credit card beyond their means.

If healthy food was cheaper, and we had more time for our selves in our daily lives then maybe Americans wouldn't so fat.

Raw ingredients are not that expensive - at least outside of very small areas in large cities where people lack the ability to travel to a grocery store and depend on corner markets. In other words, for 99% of the US, you can get reasonably priced raw ingredients.
Nor do people really seem to have as little time as they like to say they do. No time to cook, but yet plenty of time to sit down and watch that tv show...? (Likely on a tv that was paid for by adding to the credit card debt.) People sacrifice their health for something as unnecessary as keeping up with the latest episode of that show everyone is watching.

Processed "light" foods aren`t healthy and they are just cashing in on people who do not realize that the "processing" in itself is unhealthy.

If America's idea of "fast food" was healthy sushi maybe we'd be as thin as Japanese. When I have sushi I feel energized, even a little giddy. When I have a hamburger my stomach feels heavy.

While I agree that sushi is much healthier per calorie than a fast food hamburger, due to the low level of processing and additives... To say it`s great and healthy is a bit of a stretch. I`m sure sushi has a lot more calories than you think. A McDonald`s hamburger is 250 kcal - A single piece of sushi (just one, not 2 in a set!) runs around 50 kcal. 5 single pieces and you`ve already hit hamburger calorie territory. I`ve seen people say sushi is so great and healthy, etc etc, then sit down and eat 15 plates of the stuff (2 pieces per plate). That`s averaging 1500 kcal... Fewer calories from fat and other crap, but still fattening in the end.

Unless you cannot afford to pay your reasonably priced housing costs, your normal utility bills (cable is not included, nor is the net unless you require it for work or school!!), and cannot afford raw ingredients to prepare your food... you do not HAVE to be in debt. No one is FORCING anyone to go into debt. Society makes it easy to go into debt, credit cards present themselves as magic money that you can use without worries, etc... But no one needs the majority of things they are in debt for. And if you ARE paying bills and food with your credit card, and that alone, because you cannot afford it each month while not wasting your money elsewhere... Then it is time to look into what is wrong and try to correct the situation.