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This Bloomberg columnist thinks Americans should consume less : The Indicator from Planet Money Americans love to shop, and consumer spending has only increased since the start of the pandemic. Even the supply chains are tired. That's why one Bloomberg columnist believes it's time for an intervention.

The Indicator from Planet Money

Should Americans buy less stuff?

Should Americans buy less stuff?

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Shoppers at a clothing store, look for early bargains as the Black Friday sales begin on Thanksgiving Day in Los Angeles, California on November 28, 2019. - Black Friday is the local name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day which has become a major shopping day in the United States (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP) (Photo by MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)
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Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images
Shoppers at a clothing store, look for early bargains as the Black Friday sales begin on Thanksgiving Day in Los Angeles, California on November 28, 2019. - Black Friday is the local name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day which has become a major shopping day in the United States (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP) (Photo by MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)
Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

Closets filled with clothes that are rarely worn. Amazon boxes piled on the porch. TVs in every room in the house. It's no secret that Americans love to shop, but is it time to admit we consume too much?

That's what economist and Bloomberg columnist Allison Schrager thinks. She wants Americans to consume less and in a recent column she opined that Americans should learn to live more like the Europeans. That opinion caused angry Americans and Europeans to flock to her Twitter mentions.

Still, Allison admits consumption is in our blood, and she doesn't think Americans are ready to change their shopping habits anytime soon. Today on the show, do Americans shop too much, and is it time for an intervention?

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