What gives?

I've come to the conclusion that people will buy anything for any price if they want it (bad enough).
Why, in God's name, would anyone pay almost 100 bucks a yard for fabric? Why?
Why would they pay hundreds of dollars for a tree? Why?
Why do people pay outrageous prices for plants every year, mostly annuals, when you can grow them yourself for pennies. Why?
Why do people shell out billions of dollars every year for the crap on infomercials that usually never works anyway? Why?

We are a counrty of excess and a counrty that wastes that excess. Why? Why?
Almost every other country on earth recognizes our waste, yet we refuse to look in the mirror.

Maybe Glenn Beck is slowly seeping unknowingly into my brain more and more each day, but dang, he couldn't be more on the mark about the situation (at this moment) of this country.

I window webshop and am appalled at the prices of merchandise. Add shipping costs and you better be making a darn good buck to order anything on the web. I refuse to webshop. I honestly do NOT see the point. If I can't get what I need at a B&M, then I guess I don't need it that bad. There is a huge difference between need and want!

As a nation we've gone overboard in the want category. If it's new, shiney, cool, the neighbors have one, a relative wants one for Christmas, it serves no purpose but looks great on our lawn, our kids want one, everyone else has one, it makes life easier - we buy it - price be damned! Why? Life isn't suppose to be easy.

The only things we REALLY need are food, clothes, medicines (and half of the time there really isn't a need to take them-can you say viagra) and shelter. Everything else is window dressing or entertainment.

Are we really that bored? Can we find nothing to entertain us as a nation other than a big screen tv?

Even simple enjoyments, skiing for example, have gone nuts! You can't play any sports now without shelling out major moolah. What's up with that? We checked out prices for a new bike for my youngest son. $2019! I burst out laughing right in the store. Are they kidding??? It better be freaking made of gold! Come on! And yet, people pay it. WHY?

We need to stop the waste. We need to stop the over-the-top spending. We need to take a good long look in the mirror...