Broke? Bad Credit? Yes, It Is Your Fault
Stuck in unusually bad traffic on the way home from the office Thursday afternoon, I heard a commercial that really pissed me off. It was for a company called BlueHippo (hereafter referred to as Evil Greedy Corporation) that sells laptop computers “no matter how bad your credit.” I usually just sigh and change the station, but this commercial was especially egregious.
“Bad credit? No credit? IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT!“
Huh? Yes it is. For starters, you bought a laptop at an insane mark-up on credit from a shady, manipulative, predatory company bent on raiding your piggy bank to line their own pockets. And it’s not even like they were hiding it. Instead of espousing the educational or communication virtues of a laptop, Evil Greedy Corporation comes on with the following line. And no, I’m not kidding.
“Tired of not having a laptop like all your friends because of your bad credit? Remember, it’s not your fault!”
This goes beyond irresponsible, manipulative marketing. It directly appeals to the materialistic keeping-up-with-the-joneses mentality that got us into this mess to begin with. So I’m only going to say this one time.
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Broke? Bad credit? Yes, it is your fault. Have to decide between putting food on the table and your new gas-guzzling SUV? Yes, it is your fault. Credit score take a dive because you defaulted on your credit card payment after you bought that plasma TV and then lost your job? Yes, IT IS YOUR FAULT.
It’s your fault for not being prepared. It’s your fault for not having savings. It’s your fault for buying crap you don’t need. Sure, maybe it’s not your fault you lost your job. Maybe the economy conspired against you. But your situation is STILL your fault because you spent beyond your means for years. You bought endless crap on credit and now you have the nerve to blame your “evil” boss for letting you go? Blame President Bush for ruining the economy? Please. It’s your fault and nobody else’s.
And it’s BlueHippo’s fault for encouraging such behavior with ridiculous commercials like I heard on the radio to begin with. You don’t need credit to buy a computer. You need cash. If you don’t have money, you can’t afford it. FIRST make sure you have the money. THEN buy it.
Wow, are you kidding? What dipshits! I hate credit cards in general- especially the interest rates on them!! I’m cancelling the two that I have as soon as they start having interest on them (right now their credit limits are exceptionally low, with 0 interest since I have no credit).
Excellent article, by the way, and good point. Shame on BlueHippo (wtf kinda name is that?!)
Also, tv commercials do this all the time- car commercials being the most notorious, based on personal observation. Ugh!
Blue Hippo? What an absurd name. Do people really freak out about not having a laptop like their neighbors? This reminds me of those car commercials (bad credit? on credit? we’ll sell you a car and scalp you in the process!).
Found you through the Festival of Frugality–and I just want to cheer you on with this post! I do feel bad for people who are ripped off or who do not understand the contracts they are signing…but on the other hand, it is an individual’s responsibility to make sure that they understand the legal obligations they’re agreeing to, and never sign without reading! The lack of responsibility people take for their own lives is really frustrating.
Thanks! It reminds me of the congressional hearings last year about the subprime loan debacle. Several foreclosed-upon homeowners were testifying before congress about how they had been taken advantage of by these evil predatory lenders. Then somebody asked if they read the loan document before signing. Of course, most of the time the answer was no, but they STILL blamed it on the lenders. Makes me want to backhand somebody.
As long as people do not have to face consequences for their bad choices, they keep making those bad choices. And being told that none of it is their fault just exacerbates the situation.
I have absolutely no sympathy for the people who spend themselves into massive debt. Buy a house you can afford (or do not buy a house at all). Buy a car you can afford without financing it for eight years. Do not buy TVs, computers and other gadgets unless and until you can pay for them.
It is simple, but apparently not easy.