It is a connection of both. My parents have lived in the DDR (eastern german). You know what i always hear? “Ohh we had so little”. They also fondly talk of the times they got presents from the west.

No, they do not talk about how they did not have free speech (they did not). No, they don’t talk about how you could not trust your neithbours,as they could be from the ‘Staatssicherheit’ (Secret Police) They rarely talk about they fact they were not allowed to cross the border, which they now can do without thinking about it. It always the lack of consumer goods that gets them talking.

And i noticed this about my self too. Always consuming. Food, drinks, information, entertainment… The fear of losing that chance at consumption whenever you feel like it, seems huge.