It has become commonplace to assert that Irish people now have more choices and enjoy a higher standard of living than ever before. An assumption also exists that the role of the ordinary citizen is to be a member of the paid labour force and a consumer, in order to 'keep the economy going'. Many people consequently live in a work-earn-spend cycle, spending much of what they earn on possessions and services now considered essential for everyday life. Savings are at an all time low, and credit-card debt at an all-time high, especially among people under thirty five . Everyday life is often experienced as harried and fraught. Media discussions often portray Irish society as increasingly similar to that in the United States of America, often assuming that ordinary people have little choice regarding the shape of their lives .