Just an off tangent question, does having a credit card really matter that much to americans?
I remember a few months ago, when I joined a forum frequented by gaming journalists, and there was a discussion about buying games from brick and mortar shops instead of online stores, and I basically shared that I only buy from brick and mortar stores because I don't own a credit card (I had a non-gold visa once, but I never used it much and it just expired on me. Never bothered to renew).
One of the regulars from said forum went off on me and basically called me an arrogant hippie, and said he's so tired of elitists who think they're so much better than the system. I never bothered to respond since it would be too much effort to explain that I came from a third world country, where only the minority can afford maintaining those plastic cards, and the fact that how can I be elitist when the reason I had no card is because I can't afford it (give me a credit card that I don't have to pay for and I'll gladly charge the fuck out of it).
Also, it got me curious as to the American Culture, whether having a credit card is a necessity (I know all about building a good credit rating, but I live in a country where it is possible to go through life in the middle class without ever applying for a loan).
