How severe should bankruptcy be for those who have to take it? [View All]

[Deja Q]

Not getting a house for 10 years as a result? Fine.
Higher interest rates for a car? Very fair, at least people are allowed to get one because they're a necessity in our society, not a luxury.
Getting new credit card enrollment forms? To be expected, more on that later...

BUT:

Not getting a job because of it? WRONG (unless it's in the banking industry doing accountant's work, I suppose).
Not getting an apartment because of it? VERY WRONG.
Insurance premiums skyrocket because of it? VERY VERY WRONG.

Especially if a chapter 13 plan (for wage earners who can pay back some of the debt) is accepted instead of a chapter 7 (clean slate wipe of all debt).

Isn't our society just great and the best in the world, especially how our society has driven many men far greater than me to this horrible alternative while targeting people to do the things which ultimately bring them to this point? (Nobody in schools teaches this sort of thing, Credit cards are predators to high school or college kids in ways that make pedophiles seem benevolent by comparison, one trip to the hospital can do it too - what's the point of living when you have to pay a $250,000 bill to some guy who probably screwed up anyway?! Sheesh, we can't even get refunds when the drugs they prescribe don't work. That makes them thieves as far as I'm concerned. But I digress.)

So far I personally don't need to go the route of bankruptcy, though for the next few years any stroke of bad luck will compel me to go through with it or fall on my proverbial sword. Given how the banks want to "reform" bankruptcy, I'd be better just to do chapter 13 now I suppose. How much worse can they make things for the people they exploit?

But one thing: Materialism and the acquisition of it stinks. There's got to be a better way. Teach that to the kids instead of influencing them to buy the mass media mush which is seen wrongfully as our 'culture'.

Do I see bankruptcy as immoral? Perhaps. Some would equate it as stealing (!!!). But in a society that encourages you to buy, buy, buy at every turn - and half the time won't give refunds, making stupid excuses to justify their stance (namely the fear of piracy or unauthorized duplication despite the sheer amount of copy protection schemes they also put into place...) I see bankruptcy as an equilibrium, balancing the two extremes our society bestows upon us. Any civilized society is going to be fair...