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. Continue reading »