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Originally Posted by Politenessman
At risk of stating the obvious. no it doesn't.
Most of the world has neither.
What has changed for many 1st world people is expectations and an ability to prioritise, they expect to be able to afford a high end mobile phone and TV/broadband and an annual vacation, a 'gap year' at the end of university and all sorts of things that were considered luxuries not that long ago and will take on debt to get it.
Also, in many cases a willingness to go into debt to study subjects that have no likelihood of paying that debt off - I put that down to well meaning fools telling their kids to study "what they love" or "follow their passion" rather than telling them to study what will pay and use that money to fund following their passion/doing what they love in their spare time.
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No one expects to afford a high end mobile. There are plenty pay as you go flip phones. But, in the 80's there was public pay phones on every corner. Not anymore. A mobile phone is a necessity. The street corner .10 cent phone is not longer available. Calling a cab or setting up a drug deal from a payphone is not longer a option. And as with the automobile, life has been directed with the use of an automobile. Life is also directed with the use of a cellphone. Many business, including my own, require a cellphone. In the 80's a cellphone was not required in places of employment.
Television, in my neck of the woods a special box is required to still received "free" television. The free TV channel selection is very minimal.
I'm not sure why the tangent on telling kids what to study, follow a passion or what they love have to do with expenses of cable TV and a cell phone.