I have been thinking about The Jones’, that mythical family who drive the status anxiety of the aspirational.

Why would you want to keep up with wasteful, greedy mega-consumers?

The Jones live in a mansion, drive new cars, have shiny white teeth and golden fake tans. They holiday often and throw fancy parties.

But really? Is that what we’re supposed to want?

Would you actually want to hang out with these people in Aspen, just so you can sit around complaining about first world problems and comparing yourself to each other?

I am increasingly repulsed by people who think more about their precious stuff than their community. More about how green their lawn is rather than the severely drought affected nation around them.

The Jones’ seem small-minded to me.

Why would anyone want to lead the consumerist charge? Isn’t that just embarrassing these days?

There’s a lot to be said for small and humble, kind and crinkly-eyed.

I think The Jones are the ones who need to rethink their approach: share, give away and include, rather than exclude.

And then maybe – just maybe – I will hang out with them.