The headline ‘Bling Culture Forces Young People into Debt‘ caught my attention recently, partly because I hadn’t really given any serious thought to the issue of bling and debt.

The specific term “Bling” was first popularised in the hip hop community, and has since spread beyond hip hop, into mass culture. “Bling-bling” means expensive, ostentatious jewellery or clothing, or the wearing of them. Bling, however, has a broader definition. It is a set of values that includes playing hard, looking good and lapping up the finest, the sassy/gaudy style - the Bentley, the Jacuzzi, the Cristal, the fur coat, the first class ticket, Gucci, Prada and the Rolex. Not surprisingly, Bling is often dismissed as a crass and shallow celebration of material wealth.

Young people today, are the first generation to be born to those who have had credit freely available. Easy credit has fueled expectations that, as adults, we now have to manage. On a number of occasions, when out shopping, I’ve heard small children respond to their parents pleas of “I can’t afford it”. with “get the money from the machine on the wall” - with little or no understanding as to how that money came to be there.

With the Bling lifestyle I wonder how much thought role models give to the plight of the young people who aspire to be like them. I see kids wanting to emulate their favourite celebrity. They buy fake diamonds to be like their idols, and designer clothes they cannot truly afford, all to live a lifestyle that is nothing more than a fantasy. I am not one to step on people’s dreams, every one needs dreams. They help us steer our path in life, provide escape, encourage us to do better, fuel our passions and dreams are a source of fun and joy.

However, in today’s society, where the world of entertainment takes pride of place in the lives of our youth, the need to separate dreams from reality is critical. For many, the bling lifestyle is something to aspire to. But the ordinary young person will never attain it without racking up debts in the pursuit of that dream. Young people have embraced credit as a way of life. Debt counselling services tell us that they are seeing a rise in the number of young people who come to them for help. The under 25’s are building up debt through credit cards and personal loans to live the Bling lifestyle they aspire to.

Talk to your children about Bling and what they are prepared to do in pursuit of it. Explain the downside and help them to separate fact from fiction. But most of all remind them that they are the biggest diamond in their world and no amount of bling will ever shine they way they do.