Science Fiction

“I have no particular interest in maintaining the status quo. Why would I? The status quo is harmful, the status quo is significantly racist and sexist and a whole bunch of other things that I think need to change.” N.K. Jemisin

The status quo refers to the current state of affairs as is accepted by the majority of the public in a society, which in most cases they do their best to maintain and adhere to despite its adverse effects. One of the most common beliefs that fall into the category of the status quo is the idea that debt is good and necessary not only for the development of the economy but also for an individual’s progress. As a result, so many people are going out of their way to acquire credit cards and loans from their respective banks. Additionally, the majority of the public is choosing to purchase things that they know they cannot afford all to fit in with the glamor and wealth displayed by their neighbors. It is the belief in the concept of debt as being the only wat to progress in life is becoming a well-cultivated belief that people even the younger generation are subscribing to at an alarming rate.

However, despite the popularity of having debt, I have to take into consideration the effects that it is having on the people that choose to adopt as a necessary part of their lives. I have had the chance to witness just how much damage debt can cause in life and society, but despite its effect, the world still holds onto it. One of the adverse effects I have seen caused by debt is that it gives the individual a false sense of identity. The individual deludes themselves to think that they can fit into a certain social class, while in reality, they do not. The second reason that debt can be thought of as being a status quo concept is that it is one that the public and their leadership have refused to change even after seeing and experiencing its devastating results. There has been evident throughout history of just how retrogressive debt can be to an individual’s life.

Thirdly, while debt can help in bettering an individual’s appearance to those around them, it also gives the people that adopt it the idea that they can spend as much as they want because at the end of the day they will simply pay for their purchases with their credit cards. Therefore, more and more people opt to spend more than they earn at the risk of going bankrupt, just to sustain an intended lifestyle.

The choice to keep living a life in debt is a common culture that I refuse to succumb to, despite its popularity in today’s modern culture. I have no particular interest in maintaining the status quo. Why would I? The status quo is harmful, the status quo is significantly racist and sexist and a whole bunch of other things that I think need to change. I realize the need to stick to a budget, spend less than I make, and most importantly save for anything I want to purchase. This is the only way to ensure that I do not end up deceiving myself just to keep up appearances with those around me. While the rest of society is choosing to uphold this culture, I choose to learn from history and live a life that I can afford despite the views and opinions of society.