I teach a World Poverty section in my class and I take a bit to go through all of the different things we as Americans buy that we deem necessary and compare it to people who are living below the $2 a day poverty line. There's both a stark realization that they don't need most of what they buy and a sudden tendency to get defensive about their buying habits that can take some time to defuse. They get upset and feel like you're picking on them for something that their whole society is doing.

I think automobiles are perhaps what get people the angriest. Suggesting that they don't need one while they're in college will prompt a lot of discussion.

That said, my wife and I are trying to slim down to one car and I'll admit that it's harder to accept the lack of utter freedom to get in your car when you wish. But anymore it's becoming apparent that that rare freedom we use costs us around $425 a month, which could easily pay for vacations and trips that we actually want.

Great article and insights, Philip.