Recently surfing the net I stumbled upon this piece; “Don’t buy an expensive phone. A new version will come out even before you’ve finished paying for it.” I think that goes to many of us these days. Of course I’m not sure if they sell you those things with the agreement you’d settle the payment within a year or so. But given the economic realities it could be a wonderful idea if you see it from our side of the river. . (The most eager ones would call it “a blessed idea!’) But then not many business enterprises are seen employing such methods. And all we hear is that across the Atlantic you can have everything you need and want for credit. Of course they say the toughest days of the month are when the bills ‘come knocking!’ In fact, they say you’re scoffed at when trying to buy say household furniture for hard cash. Would life be better if we had most of our wants and needs for credit? Maybe!
Anyways people whom you know are not out of the woods financially trying to show the world their forty and eighty thousand birr smartphones you wonder if this was the urge to enjoy what they’re fond of or if there are some mental issues yet undiagnosed by the white-gowned guys. You think that the economic tough times we’re in actually would force us to think not only twice but multiple times before toying around with our wallets. Many times than not that’s the case as people have all the twisted ideas of having what others have! And to what end?
Look when it comes to force and much of the times unconvincing expenses the toughest challenges seem to come from family members especially spouses and children. Recently a father of two thirteen and fifteen year olds found himself in the tightest of corners and I can tell you he’s one of the saddest souls around. His fifteen year old daughter already carries a twenty-grand smartphone. One thing he hates is recalling those days about half a year back when he had to go from friend to would-be friend trying to come up with the twenty grand. That’s how tight the family was when it comes to financial issues. Of course since these days homework and other school stuff from teachers and the like are posted on telegram pages of students in most places the girl was right to demand for the phone. The only thing is she didn’t want any other smartphone but a particular brand. She knew how much the phone she wants costs and her family’s financial difficulties too. Still she insisted to be given the very brand she asked for. Her father barely managed to come up with the twenty grand with almost four fifth of it consisting of loans even from guys he isn’t much fond of.
Six months later nightmares strike again. His thirteen year old son says he needs his own smartphone because everyone in school has one. Like his sister he demands a particular brand of smartphone. Like sister like brother! But seeing his demand hers was chickenfeed. You know what shocked his parents was! The phone he’s demanding to be bought for him costs sixty-thousand grand! Yes, you know that number sixty thousand which comes a long way after fifty thousand! There was no way his parents could get even a third of that let alone such a mammoth sum. After a few days of hubby/spouse closed door deliberations the father decides to play it tough. He tells his son there were brands costing not more than five thousand birr which do everything the sixty thousand piece of toy does.
The son practically rebels. He refuses to talk to everyone in the family. You might say, “After all he’s a kid; give him enough time and he’ll come around.” But what makes this story a real difficult one is that the boy wants an apparatus similar to some of his school chums. Maybe he feels he’s being looked down upon. Some school life could be very strange these days! It happens that a few rich kids in his class flash those brands. But no reason could justify such a demand and seeing the parents who literally have stopped living their lives to see their kids get good education is one of the saddest realities of our times.
The guy’s standing his ground refusing to talk to anyone in the family until he gets his dream; his parents, very unlike their usual selves, have decided not to give in. Of course even they decide to try to walk the extra miles and try to fulfill the kid’s wishes it is practically impossible.
What’s worrying is that such trends of trying to have what others have despite our economic conditions of families seem to have taken root. A mother of three who leads the simplest of lives told us her mid-teen daughter was practically giving her and daddy. They have enlisted her in a school which on the surface seem beyond their means to enable her have the best education they could financially manage. It so happens most of the students in her class come from well to do families and wear shoes costing thousands of birr per pair. She demands to get the same kinds of shoes the others wore. her parents were so worked up they decided to pull her out of that school and put her into a government one when luck comes in the form of a long-lost relative who comes from abroad after many years. She listens to the story of the girl and volunteers to be the shoe provider. Now she sends anywhere from five to ten pairs at any one time. However other aspects of the family life stay the same.
Trying to buy things just because a couple of neighbors, or work colleagues or school chums have done so is the perfect recipe for a very painful downfall. Many have found themselves at the bottom of the financial pit to trying to be who they aren’t. After all, it’s about that, isn’t it? Trying to be what we aren’t! Buying things not because we need them but because others have them seldom come from the smartest minds. You would think changing times would have lessened such stupid behaviors.
“Dad, aren’t you going to buy sheep for the holiday?”
“No, I’m not.”
“But, why dad?”
“Well, I can’t do it at this time. We’ve to focus on our priorities.”
“But all our neighbors have bought sheep.”
“Maybe next time. This time we’re in no position to afford sheep.”
Believe me at least until the holiday passes it wouldn’t be one household you’d enjoy joining.
What really is worrying is the younger generation especially those in school being ensnared in such damaging mindsets would not be good for families and the whole society in the long run.
The smartest thing to do would be thinking twice before trying to own a ten thousand birr smartphone just because others are flashing it all over the place. Wouldn’t you say?
Ephrem Endale
Contributer
The Ethiopian Herald July 16/2023