Sociologist has attempted it many times and now the central bankers are having a crack at it. It is the imperfect art of labelling. We have all grown up wearing labels: the baby boomers; Generation X, Y and Z; the MTV, Disney and Internet Generation; retirees, self made retirees and millionaire retirees; yuppies and guppies; the long term unemployed and unemployables; SNAGs, HAGs, FAGs; male, female and undecided; straight, gay, bi and animal lovers; lower, middle and upper class; Easties and Westies; haves and have nots.
Traditionally, only the sociologist has attempted the fine art of labelling: grouping certain people together to describe common traits and attributes. And now, the Reserve Bank of Australia has introduced a new label: the unaffordables. The generation of young people who cannot afford cost of living in a world class city that is Sydney. The RBA showed that the cost of housing in Sydney is more than two thirds higher than other less world class cities such as Melbourne or the countryside. The RBA has identified a certain group people at most risk of becoming an unaffordable: people aged in their low twenties to late thirties: – Generation X and Generation Y; my generation.
This is a label that I do not wish to wear. But one cannot deny the fact that one of the most learned institutions in Australia has a point. Living in Sydney is expensive. All the designer homes; designer clothing; designer furniture; designer food; designer cleaning; designer transport is adding up. So much so that I believe I may be at risk of becoming an unaffordable.
The thought of becoming an unaffordable is extremely overwhelming. To mitigate that risk, I need to start replacing designer with ordinary. But other labels are just as disturbing: Westie, SNAG, lower class, Generation Y. But there is a new label that I am proud to wear. Most labels only attempt to identify a certain aspect of a person. But I found a label that describes me fully – CHOP: Chauvinistic, Hedonistic, Opportunistic Prick.
posted by tykang @ 8/14/2005 02:25:00 PM
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