We had a speaker in our class last week who talked about how our sense of entitlement to luxuries is what will destroy this country’s economy. That is also a common theme in General Conference. President Monson, in 2006, taught, “avoid the philosophy that yesterday’s luxuries have become today’s necessities”.
On the other hand, many parents, myself included, hope to provide their children with a better life they had. Are these two principles in opposition to each other? What are the values that allow a nation to be sustainably prosperous?
As far as material comforts are concerned, I feel no need for my children do have more than I did growing up. We had everything we needed, and quite a bit we didn’t. The only reason why we *felt* poor was because of the comparison to other people, and us never having the new toys or trendy clothes that they did.
Honestly, I think that’s a good thing. I don’t want my children to grow up in a family that has kept up with the Jones’.