IPad

I have been wondering about all those people that stood in line for hours this weekend to get a new Apple IPad. Did these people suddenly discover a burning need for the latest gadget? I doubt it. During the 1980s, there was a term that perfectly described that decade. "Conspicuous Consumption" refers to people who buy things to enhance their status with other people rather than out of need. It's a little sad that so many people think that their value as human beings is increased by how much stuff they have.