From metafilter, teens and "tweens" have a new and exciting door opening up for them: The ability to spend money that they may or may not have, using a piece of plastic. The Hello Kitty Debit Mastercard looks and feels just like a real mastercard, with only three truly important differences:
1. It's cuter, boasting one of two adorable pictures of Sanrio's lovable Hello Kitty.
2. There's no actual 'credit'. It functions more like an expensive debit card without a pin.
3. It's got fees higher than most other debit cards available.

Now, I realize that I have a reputation with some for flying off the handle, or displaying 'extreme' leftist (read: Mennonite) opinions when it comes to issues of capitol, but fucking come on! A credit card aimed at 10 - 14 year olds? (Hopefully even as young as 8, according to Bruce Giuliano of Sanrio Inc.) Corporations have been aggressively targeting the 'youth market' with brands aimed at the under-15 crowd for years. But developing a credit card for children, just seems.. somehow unconscionable. In a social-climate where credit cards, and debt-mongering is growing to epidemic proportions, I find it simultaneously unbelievable, and entirely expected that this would come next.

Before you get all 'blah blah blah' on me, I know the value of credit cards. Let me tell you that it's been a tough four years avoiding them at all costs, but I've done it. In many ways, I'd love a credit card. In many ways it would make my life easier. But at the same time, I just can't bring that on myself. Like I need more bills to pay. Like I need a license to spend money that I don't have. Jesus, I'm good enough at spending my own cash, think how fast I'd sink into debt if I were allowed to just spend fictitious money.

I mean, do we really need to be enouraging children to spend money like it was going out of style? Do we really want to condition them to paying with plastic (which is one of the easiest ways to part with money.) now, so that they can go at it with twice the gusto once they hit 18? I'm not convinced that teaching youth that money doesn't physically exist, and therefore has no real value is a good way to teach them to 'manage' finances. Look, if you were 10 years old, and were given a piece of plastic and told that it was the same as money, what would that say to you? Spend spend spend! Buy buy buy!

And at $1.50 per ATM transaction, on top of the ATM's fees, that's a pricey little lesson. It's being called a 'credit-card with training wheels.' Gross.

Finally, at the risk of appearing gender-paranoid, (I realise that feminism is fast going out of style - "I'm not a feminist, I'm an equalist" is a very ill-informed and slightly disturbing quip that I'm hearing a lot lately.) does it bother anyone else that these credit cards are being specifically marketed to young girls? Not surprising, in the wake of things like Playskool's Eazy Scan Supermarket, and Barbie's Shop With Me Cash Register, this is just another chance to perpetuate gender-roles, and beat the message into the minds of young girls all over North America:

You fucking love shopping.