第2775期:How we got hooked on credit cards(3)

Despite these initial losses, US banks remained devoted to credit cards. At this time, it was illegal for banks to build branches outside their home state, so mailing credit cards was their best bet for attracting out of state customers. And once they brought in these new clients, they could sell them big ticket items like home and automobile loans. This led banks to double down on credit cards. They invested heavily in early computers to process charge slips, and began running ads that promised a more luxurious standard of living.尽管在早期遭遇了损失，美国的银行依然坚定地投入信用卡业务。当时，银行在法律上被禁止在本州以外设立分行，因此邮寄信用卡成了他们吸引外州客户的最佳手段。而一旦吸引到这些新客户，银行就能向他们推销高额贷款，比如住房贷款和汽车贷款。这使得银行进一步加大了对信用卡的投入，他们大量投资早期计算机来处理签单，并开始投放广告，宣称信用卡能带来更奢华的生活方式。These ad campaigns shifted the American attitude towards credit from one of shame and financial dependence to a celebration of financial freedom. However, the reality of these lending systems was far more exploitative. From 1956 to 1967, consumer debt increased by 133%, and concerns about consumer safety led to a surge of anti-credit activism through the 1960s.这些广告宣传改变了美国人对信用的态度——从原本带有羞耻感和经济依赖，转变为对“财务自由”的赞美。然而，这些借贷体系的现实却更加剥削性。从 1956 年到 1967 年，消费者债务增长了 133%。对消费者安全的担忧在 1960 年代引发了一股反信用运动的浪潮。