Is restraint a quality for the masses?

I walked into office this morning..and read this article.

Could not help but agree with him. Over the last three months, i have been speaking to people who have been unceremoniusly asked to exit.
People who have been working for the last 20 years, Bright eyed MBA's who had bagged THAT fantastic job a year ago- now no more, That brilliant marketing guy who started a company last year..all of them, at the same door.

And companies that threw out people in masses, are still paying out bonuses to their management, in staggering figures!!

I sense the caution, the despair, the fear of not knowing what is in store for tomorrow...in the voices of people i speak to. And despair, as i have no way of helping them. For now....all of us are happy being able to get up in the morning and have someplace to work at.

Will we be able to spend on a lavish party for your child when half of his parents jobs are under threat?
Will we be able to have a dinner a week outside, in a new restaurant in the locality?
Will we be able to make it to all the sale that the city is being overrun with?
Will we, finally take off on that dream vacation that was long overdue, now with the bargains and all?
That car we have been talking about...can we buy that now?

Can we still afford all that? Thankfully, Yes!

Will we do it? Personally, i do not think so. That is where the article becomes relevant. Understanding the social situation around us and behaving as responsible people is what the hour needs....and i am sure we are not the only one's who think the same way.

And then, we read about the excesses, and wonder if restraint is a quality reserved for the masses??? Living within our means seems to be a middle class sentiment...at least it look like to me.

Sunit writes " sure, it's your money to do as you please, but is this conspicuous spending the right thing to do? Particularly when your armies of employees are working day and night to save their jobs? "

And also adds
"It's a tricky moral argument. Wealth has been flaunted through the ages, with varying degrees of tackiness. Simply put, the businessperson is today's maharaja and his/her shopping list is fodder for society. Indeed, the media has played a leading role in celebrating wealth, however notional. With terms like 'repressed demand', the 'many Indias' and the 'trickle-down effect', the middle class has rationalised the 450 million people living below the poverty line. It's debatable whether displays of wealth in tough times actually shock the poor. Truth be told, it upsets the middle class, more so when the going isn't good."

All we can hope for is that we do not go through a phase of lamenting over a "failed era of excesses".

There is an entire mass of people around us whose going is not so good right now. Maybe we should be considerate to them, thankful for what we still have and learn to appreciate it.

And the strength to tide over, if this ever comes knocking at our door.