How fleeting can wealth be....

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Who is to blame?
It is really disturbing how Western economies depend on its people spending their money. If their people don't spend, then the economies are in trouble. This is why debt is actually encouraged.
So ideas like these are encouraged

buy new technology (cars, tvs, computers, ipods, etc) every few years or even every year
keep up with fashion - new clothes, jewelry, cars, perfumes, shoes
move house, redecorate house every few years
take loans so that can keep up - bank loans, credit cards, store cards, who cares as long as seen as modern, stick to minimum payments, paying loads of interest
be like celebrities - follow their fashion, styles, etc

Does make you wonder how much the countries really look after their citizens. It is only when cannot get loans that one can see, the strategy unravelling.
Someone once said 'Religion is the opium of the masses', yet Islam encourages living within your means, minimum debt, being content with one's fate. And Islam has Zakaat.

Can't get a house - get a mortage, just pay interest, property prices ALWAYS rise, so sell it off when you retire and move to a smaller place, pay off the loan
Can't get a car - get a loan
Can't get the clothes you like - get a credit card, don't worry just pay the minimum
Can't have a holiday - get another loan
Need to redecorate - get another loan

Oh now too many loans, no problem - consolidate them all into....another loan!
Worried about all your loans - don't be, take out a payment protection insurance, take out a life insurance, sickness insurance
So now you can be happy that you are covered, you can live the lifestyle YOU WANT!! (While enriching the bankers)
Or is it that you can live the lifestyle, they want you to think you want, so that you are constantly in debt, paying off interest!!! There is the OPIUM!
The rich get richer, the poorer, trying to look like the rich, get poorer!
What if did not take out loan at all - no need for consolidating loans, no need for insurance

Islam is for everyone - not just the rich