CULTURE/SOCIETY: What Americans Considered Necessities

This was in a work newsletter the other day. I found it kind of interesting. - OlderMusicGeek

More things considered necessities
Posted by Patricia Wallace
7/13/2007
Fifty-one percent of American adults now consider a home computer a necessity, not a luxury, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. And the list of what we consider necessary is growing, the survey found.
􀁺 In 1996, 32 percent of American adults considered a microwave oven a necessity. In 2006, 68 percent did.
􀁺 In 1996, 51 percent believed air conditioning was a necessity. In 2006, 70 percent did.
􀁺 In 1996, 62 percent felt a clothes dryer was a necessity. In 2006, 83 percent did.

From the Pew survey, below are other common items and the percentage of Americans who considered them necessities in 2006.
􀁺 Car, 91 percent
􀁺 Clothes washer, 90 percent
􀁺 Television, 64 percent
􀁺 Car air conditioning, 59 percent
􀁺 Cell phone, 49 percent
􀁺 Dishwasher, 35 percent
􀁺 Cable or satellite TV, 33 percent
􀁺 High-speed Internet, 29 percent
􀁺 Flat-screen TV, 5 percent
􀁺 iPod, 3 percent

I have to admit I found some of this pretty funny and humorous after living in Africa in the late 80s and early 90s. Things have changed some since then, but you still have to be pretty wealthy there to own a car or have a tv. And you really have it made if you have plumbing and electricity! (The joys of a toilet, I cannot sing enough!) A computer and a microwave - much less cable or satellite tv or high-speed internet - are far off dreams for most of them! - OlderMusicGeek