[Helm]

No there are things one can deduct from another man's buying habits. And I don't see it as being wrong to talk about that. I see it as distinctively wrong however that you'd rather not judge a person's habit at say, buying purses for 700 bucks in the spirit that what each man does is his own buisness.

I think that actual choice as you say has very little to do with the way most westerners overspend. It's more of a socially programmed reaction to go out and buy stuff whenever you feel down and most people don't give it a second thought. And what I just said was obvious too but you don't seem to take it into account.