Alex Miranda - I-generation of consumers

America has become sofa units, string green stripe patterns on my bed sheets, hip shirts with smart witty quotes, and techni-colored techno-crap, complete with matching sets of Ikea odds and ends.

I say, never be complete.

We want to pay the $300 because we’re all trying to compensate for what we don’t have. That touch screen, Wi-Fi ready, iPod, I got, I want, generation we live in makes us believe we need thee iPods as a status symbol or maybe something to fill the void.

I look around everyday at the world around me and see the strongest and smartest people who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. An entire generation pumping gas at $5 a gallon, grinning, taking it, and asking for more.

“Thank you sir may I have another,” say modern day economical masochists.

Waiting tables, being slaves. Accepting what is given to us. Settling on taking second best. Settling on possessions over life.

Advertising media has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy the perfect body. The truth is we like pretending we’re superstars when in fact we’re not. I see people slowly realizing we’re being lied to, and we’re pissed.

We're the middle Brady Bunch girl; no purpose or place, just a nice little transition.

We pay. We fight wars. We run this country. We are the gears. We put money in banks so banks can lend it out and gain interests. We serve you food, we milk the cows, we build the white houses and monuments that people inhabit. We are apple pie.

If we stop, if we let go. The gears would stop working.

I bet I could turn one penny into the sum amount of $30. I can see how this turning water into a venti double decaf latte could sound like it’s a bit to good to be true, but hear me out.

Put 98 cents into your checking account. Make sure 98 cents is the only amount of money in your account. Then take a ride down to Target, or any other fine establishment, and buy a 99-cent coke. Ninety-eight minus 99 equals negative one, meaning you owe the bank a penny. If you don’t deposit a penny or a check for thee amount of one cent before midnight that day you will be charged the overdraft fee of $30.

A 3,000 percent interest rate of what you owe the bank for a penny. Washington Mutual, my bank, isn’t the only bank doing this. By far Washington Mutual is generous compared to other banks that charge you for everyday you’re overdrawn.

But If I refuse to pay I become an example that banks work for me. I put my money in them. If I had no money to put in there have no money to lend out. Meaning they don’t make a profit.

I’ve had to put ketchup on saltine crackers and use them as a major food source. I’ve ordered a soup at Denny’s with an order of extra crackers and collected condiment packets from major fast food chains.

I recently read Fight Club. In the book they blow up credit companies to reset them to zero. They take the establishment and flatten it out. Because it’s when you’ve lost your house and your living off ketchup and crackers that you can do anything you want.