I am finally a person.
After all these years, my bank has deemed me “Platinum-worthy,” at last. I received my new debit card via mail the other day. Not because I ordered it, but because my other three-year-old card expired March 1.
Here’s a little secret though: I didn’t even know Platinum debit cards existed.
I’m not quite sure what makes me Platinum-worthy. I don’t even own a credit card. Is it because I’ve been a loyal customer since 2003? Or perhaps the fact I’m finally a homeowner? Maybe, since I’ve broken my record of longest-held job (three years!), my bank said, “NOW she’s a grown-up. Send her the silver!”
Regardless, I now know I’ve made it to the “middle class,” even if I’m at the bottom.
Here’s my question to you
I know this particular post may not be writer-related, but I thought it was worth writing about. Therefore, here are some questions to consider, even for writers:
Do you think you’re “Platinum-worthy?” Why or why not? How do you think these labels define, or even separate, a society? And can they have positive effects, such as incentives to work harder and succeed?
Finally, for my WRITERS . . . how might these questions develop into a deeper theme for a story?
Shari Lopatin 
Platinum worthy. I believe it’s just a way to make more money in the end. THey send you a special card. You feel proud about your special; use it as often as you can. You take your friends for a meal, then shopping, then you use it on yourself till you find yourself in a never ending spending crisis.
Platinmun worthy. A way to advertise. Look at the person they’re so cool they have a platinum card-way better than a normal card. If only i could have a platinum card.
Platinum worthy. Just another American expression to seperate ourselves from each other by actually grouping ourselves with some one. I am no longer lower class I roll with platinum, but now you are middle class. Just another label in today’s label happy society.
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Very insightful and thought-provoking analysis. I definitely agree that we’ve become a label happy society. Funny you should mention all this today, as a news story just broke on how some major banks will now start executing debit card spending limits–no more than $50 or $100 at a time (CNN.com). Should that happen, I wonder how many people will say, “Screw the label!” and go back to cash. Thanks for your two sense!
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Hmmm? Getting positive remarks, remarks that tell you the reader gets you, do wonders for your ability to keep at it. Writers, well, everyone really, wants to hear about what we’re doing well. But equally important is the constructive critique. One that goes deeper into the hows and whys of your goods and bads. Some writers, poets come to mind, know they will not ever be speaking to a wide audience, and they’re ok with that. Reaching out with your full-throttled heart is an end to itself. Remember that whole thing with Oprah Winfrey and the author of The Corrections and wether or not he wanted her endorsement? To me, that episode speaks volumes about the focus of our society.
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Interesting! You interperted the phrase, “Platinum worthy” in a way I never anticipated, yet makes so much sense! Platinum worthy in the sense of professional success–and for us, that would be as writers. Are we Platinum worthy writers? I completely agree with you about enjoying the positive remarks from our readers, but also embracing truly constructive criticism. That is the only way we can grow as writers and become the best we can be. Thank you for chiming in and reading my work, as always! 🙂
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Hee hee congrats on your new found status
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LOL! Thanks. Yes, I couldn’t help but laugh when I received the card in the mail, and I said, “This is blog-worthy!” Thanks for reading my post!
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It’s funny you write about this because I was considering writing something about all these credit/debit cards as well. It seems the economy is better since I now get a barage of credit card offers in the mail every day. Yet when I tried to get a new card last year to transfer a balance, I was rejected. Denied. And I have great credit! So maybe now that the economy is turning around (supposedly), we’re now more platinum-worthy than before. … And congrats on not owning a credit card! That’s a lesson I wish I knew many years ago (and I do write about it).
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Isn’t that ironic? The moment we’re on the brink of another economic depression (with such a fragile recovery, I mean), suddenly, the credit card companies pounce. Hmmm . . .
And thanks for the congrats! I actually never even registered for a credit card in my life. It’s my way of self-control. Because I know if I had one, I’d get myself into deep trouble. LOL! 🙂
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Well, I’m a cynic. In my opinion, every action that banks take is a ploy to get us to spend more money. So they sit around dreaming up clever adjectives to make us feel SO good about ourselves that we simply MUST splurge.
I wish they would label us platinum when we attained Dave-Ramsey-like status with no debt and a million dollars in the bank. But if that were the case, I’d never be platinum.
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My boyfriend thinks right along the same lines as you. Ha! 🙂 I agree with you. Wouldn’t it be nice if they labeled us Platinum worthy when we are no longer living a life full of debt, beyond our means? But of course, then they’d make no money, and what’s the fun in that, right? 😉
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Agreed!
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I think those kinds of marketing gimmicks are an insult to most people’s intelligence, BUT I do think that positive reinforcement (NOT from your bank) – winning awards, winning titles, earning public recognition for our work – DO inspire people to work harder … especially writers. I know that the simple comments from two early readers of my current WIP were truly inspirational and provided the positive reinforcement I needed to keep moving. In fact, their comments were SO powerful that I displayed them right by my computer monitor! They did make me feel platinum-worthy.
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Isn’t it amazing how some positive reinforcement from trusted people can make us feel so Platinum? I sure know, for me, winning awards and earning titles are definite incentives to work harder, ESPECIALLY as a writer. And these comments from you guys are part of that positive reinforcement for me, letting me know people really do care (at least somewhat) about what I have to say! 🙂 So, thanks for helping to keep me chugging along too, and bringing me to a new status as a writer.
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