Are American spending habits out of control, specifically when it comes to Amazon? And are they to blame for people’s money problems?
An Amazon delivery driver claims Americans are being “paid enough” but aren’t spending their money correctly. And as a result, he can barely sit down in his delivery van.
Delivery driver and personal trainer Keith (@2riskyfitfit) recently shared why he believes “America does not have a wage problem.” “America just lacks discipline,” he says.
His video has the lengthy caption: “AMERICANS HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM. WE ARE GETTING PAID MORE THAN ENOUGH. Those houses we ‘Want’ your Down payment has been the Online shopping done the last 5 years, That New Car, you spent the down payment at Amazon . People won’t go to the doctor but will pay Amazon. This will be studied in the future.”
His video was posted on Wednesday, and it has 56,700 views.
Keith doesn’t hold back his opinions in the video, saying, “We’re being paid enough.”
He shows viewers the interior of his delivery van, stuff nearly to the roof with Amazon packages.
“We have the money. This is every day,” he claims, indicating the huge pile of packages. “This is disgusting. The same way they did that documentary in the early 2000s on Super Size Me, on people eating too much, know what I’m saying?”
“They needed to go back and do another study for this generation—all this is new, all this shopping. … They need to do a new study.”
Super Size Me
The 2004 documentary Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock followed the filmmaker for 30 days as he attempted to eat only food purchased from McDonald’s. It was not a broad study of general American consumption, although it did claim to expose the fast-food industry’s corporate influence.
“They need to study Americans’ spending habits and all our shopping habits because this can’t be healthy,” Keith claims.
It’s almost a mental disorder, like a compulsive disorder,’ he states.
“Nobody should have to work like this, these conditions,” he says as he yet again displays his overstuffed van.
“Like people have the money, like, don’t, stop talking about, ‘Millennials this…’ ‘We can’t afford houses.’ ‘We can buy houses.’ I promise, everybody has the money, the money is there. It’s being made. We don’t do right with money,” he says.
“This is the money. The money’s there,” he concludes, yet again indicating the packages in his van.
Is overconsumption really the issue?
While overconsumption can certainly affect anyone’s bottom line, it’s likely not the mitigating factor when it comes to millennial home ownership or the lack thereof.
According to Business Insider, millennials are “in a more precarious financial position than that of baby boomers or Gen X before them.” This is due to an array of factors including “a lower net worth, and a worse chance of making more than their parents.”
But the No. 1 factor affecting millennials is debt—specifically student loan debt.
“More than 20% of the decline in young-adult homeownership between 2005 and 2014 can be attributed to mounting student-loan debt, the Federal Reserve found in a 2019 report” per Business Insider.
Despite these facts, many of Keith’s viewers agreed with his perspective.
@2riskyfitfit AMERICANS HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM. WE ARE GETTING PAID MORE THAN ENOUGH . Those houses we “Want” your Down payment has been the Online shopping done the last 5 years, That New Car, you spent the down payment at Amazon . People wont go to the doctor but will pay Amazon . This will be studied in the future . #amazon #dsp #delivery #primeweek #prime #work #anericans #american #spendingproblem #spending #problem #wages #capital #income #fy #fyp #fypシ゚viral ♬ original sound – 2Risky2Trill
Viewer @sandj71 wrote, “America has a spending problem.”
“My man is speaking all facts here but sadly people not going to listen,” another agreed.
“Consumption in all regards is getting out of hand,” another viewer added.
However, some pointed out that some aspects of Keith’s theory didn’t exactly add up.
“I live in San Diego one bedroom apartments are $2,000 many apartments are requiring 3x the rent. Gas is over $4 a gallon $20 and hour full time will get you a room to rent those are going for $1500…” @soulglo619 wrote.
Another person commented, “I don’t go to the store at all I get everything online so not all online purchases are “luxury” items.”
One viewer simply asked, “Is the ‘getting paid enough’ in the room with us?”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Keith via TikTok and Instagram messenger for further comment.
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