A More Simple, Plainer America?

[gimmethesimplelife]

To those above posting re business travel: Two of the guys I meet up with quasi regularly from my high school days used to travel often for business. They miss the game of accruing and maximizing points and miles on these trips. There is a whole subset of folks apparently who take this extremely seriously and work the situation for max freebies, cash, and prizes.

I will say one thing. Gotta fess up here. When I flew to Austria with my Mom back in 2015 - I went to the British Airways Business Lounge that once existed at the Phoenix Airport. I was going to see what it cost to get in given that we had steerage class tickets. They let us in for free!!! Seriously. I very much enjoyed it and can understand why this is a sought after perk.

Upscale appetizers and BOMBAY SAPPHIRE for g and t's instead of a cheap well gin? I'd be on it too if I could get it. Rob

[frugal-one]

She didn't exactly say that, she did a little review of editorials over the course of the pandemic and mentioned America becoming a simpler country as the tone in May. You can read the article here: Peggy Noonan – Columns, pieces and posts

Thanks for posting Alan. A fluff piece IMO.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I wish it were so, unfortunately I don't really believe it. So many people would regret the details? Not on any level that I see happening I wouldn't. If all modern medical care went away or something? Well duh, sure I would in that case, if we are talking pure return to hunter-gatherism, but really who sees that happening? But square footage, I don't have a ton of square footage. Experiences? They are overwhelmingly local. I would like group activities to come back someday and they will post covid.

[Tradd]

I hope the trend of people getting outside more continues next spring.

I hope more divers continue to dive locally/regionally and realize they don't have to go overseas for diving.

[happystuff]

I hope the trend of people getting outside more continues next spring.

I agree. I think just getting people outside, being in nature, will be a really good start for positive changes.

[KayLR]

The end of fashion is already here---haven't you noticed bell bottom and high-waisted jeans are back?

[rosarugosa]

Between retirement and then Covid social restrictions, I've been kind of hoping that I'll never have to dress up again.

[ewomack]

I'll always remember years ago when gasoline prices plummeted and I saw lots of SUVs, Hummers and very large vehicles on the road. Then gas prices increased exponentially and I saw almost no such large vehicles zooming around. But when the "shale revolution" hit and gas prices went down yet again, I once more saw SUVs, Hummers and very large vehicles on the road. A friend of mine who owned an SUV told me that he would often spend over $100 filling it up and during one of these turns he swore to me "I'm going to sell this thing and never go back! It's wasteful and expensive!" But when gas prices went down again, he bought another gas guzzling SUV. Many people seem very reactive and don't think past the current situation. I'm not sure how much people engage in long term thinking, but I can't say that I see a lot of it in the US. So this doesn't give me much hope for any mass "simple living" epidemic happening if/when the pandemic ceases. I'm actually expecting a Dionysian outpouring of people "making up" for lost days. Of course, some people haven't stopped partying through the entire thing.

[jp1]

Ewomack, I think you are probably right. If covid had dragged on for as long as the Great Depression we might see long term behavior changes. But it looks like that’s not going to be the case. Assuming the vaccines work as well as expected and case numbers dwindle, most people will go back to their old normal. In all honesty I will. I miss restaurant meals. I miss traveling for work. I miss hanging out with friends for happy hour. As soon as I can do those things without fear of death for myself or other people I interact with I will.

[GeorgeParker]

So this doesn't give me much hope for any mass "simple living" epidemic happening if/when the pandemic ceases. I'm actually expecting a Dionysian outpouring of people "making up" for lost days.

I totally agree. After a few months of isolation with little or no access to movies, sports events, or restaurants, and greatly curtailed shopping (except the online kind) most people will go totally crazy as soon as those things become available again. Especially if those months of enforced non-spending resulted in them saving a lot of money, which they will now feel entitled to spend quickly on whatever strikes their fancy.

Any increased frugality will probably be the result of people who lost most of their income during the pandemic struggling to get back to their former financial status or scared sh*tless that another financial crisis will hit them.

Two other things that will contribute to simplicity but maybe not frugality are: (1) The aging of Boomers and Generation Jones, because people near retirement age tend to buy less stuff and to start downsizing their homes and possessions. (2) The kids who are now 20-30yo will come into their prime earning years, and it's well known that they prefer renting vs owning a house and having experiences vs buying things.