Money, Time and Social Isolation

By: Susan Boskey
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:16:08
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Twenty five percent of Americans report that they have no one to talk to about important matters in their life in a June 2006 academic paper, "Social Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades". The authors, Miller McPherson, Lynn Smith-Lovin and Matthew Brashears, sociologists at Duke and the University of Arizona, wanted to learn just how socially connected Americans were.

Their findings were stunning:

• From 1985 to 2004, "the number of people saying there is no one with whom they discuss important matters nearly tripled." Their statistics show that now 24.6 percent report they have no confidants, family or non-family.

• 19.6 percent say they have just one confidant. That means 43 percent of Americans have either no confidants or just one.

• More than half, 53.4 percent, report they do not have any confidants who aren't family. In 1985, 80 percent surveyed had at least one confidant who was not family; now only 57.2 percent do.

• American’s social networks decreased by a third between 1985 and 2004.

The first question that comes to mind upon reading this is why with the first answer on most people’s lips - time. Everything takes time, including nurturing a confidant relationship. Most would agree that life in a fast-paced, high-speed world challenges us to simply keep up with obligations. Just think - 20 years ago the term, multi-tasking, wasn’t even an expression! Now time allocation tends to go something like this: First work, then family, then church and community and finally, if there is any time left, our confidants.

Time is a main culprit. But why? Is it simply that people spend lots of time on their computers, iPod’s and cell phones? Interesting, how back in the 1960’s we were told that the computer would give people more leisure time because machines would replace work done by humans. So much for that theory!

What really gives? It’s all about money. The social isolation trend as identified in this academic paper is only the tip of the iceberg. The remainder of the trend remains virtually invisible to the observer, as with an iceberg that exists almost completely underwater. In this case, the underwater portion of the social isolation trend resembles the monetary system!

Here’s how. Due to the design blueprint of the monetary system, personal purchasing power is eroding at a much faster pace than most assume as per the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Since all money in the world is loaned into existence and must be paid back with interest that compounds over time, debt in the system accumulates exponentially.

We are each affected by this debt build-up as the cost of life’s basics as per: housing, food, energy, health insurance, etc., skyrocket out of sight (loss of purchasing power).

It’s a trickle-down story. The faster the erosion of purchasing power, the faster and longer you have to work to cover the basics. Think: A movie speeded up like Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times. To add insult to injury, expenses are outpacing earnings. Think: More stress. Plus, with increased credit dependency to make ends meet, you get seriously stressed out individuals and families in a hopeless race against time. Think: Out of control and overwhelmed.

Back to social isolation. Instead of being able to spend time with confidants, more time must be allocated to meet survival demands, leaving quality time with confidants the first to go when push comes to shove as the time crunch tightens.

Plus, while living in a culture that rewards image over substance and blames the consumer for not saving enough, financial challenges become an issue of shame. Who wants to confide if confiding means telling the truth?

What exactly are some of the confidant benefits? You can increase the chances of making a good decision when your point of view is reviewed and critiqued. Your confidant provides a kind of personal safety net for you in any number of ways including caring enough to really listen. They help us to stay sane in an often insane world. Without them, our personal “blind spots” can drive us to decisions and outcomes otherwise avoidable.

Oddly enough, being able to maintain a healthy confidant relationship is tied directly into being fully informed about money. Money is the business of a financial industry. Debt is their product. As with any industry, we, the consumers, are only told what will help to increase their bottom line.

When purchasing a car from the car industry, you turn to a consumer report for the no-hype data prior to purchase. Yet, when planning to purchase a debt-based financial product, where do you go for the no-hype data about money?

To get control over your current and future finances like never before and, welcome back the extra quality in your life your confidants bring…get the full story about money and its personal implications.

Susan Boskey is author of the book, The Quality Life Plan™: 7 Steps to Uncommon Financial Security available at http://www.alifestylerevolution.com Her company, Redefining Success, LLC, specializes in breakthrough personal finance products and services that address the unique economic challenges people face today. Her book discloses the overlooked systemic risks and personal implications of a global monetary system along with the personal finance strategies necessary today to overcome them.

Article source: Expert Articles