This chapter examines indebtedness as a cultural-psychological phenomenon in contemporary Brazil, proposing the existence of an 'indebting subjectivity' co-constructed through self-other-world relationships. Drawing on Cultural Psychology and semiotic dynamics theory, we argue that debt transcends economic deficit to become an affective driver of financial behavior. The analysis reveals three interconnected factors that constitute Brazil's Culture of Debt: a profitable pro-debt economy that presents credit as accessible financial solution to people; the trivialization of debt-prone consumption through friendly fintech marketing; and the absence of critical financial education. By examining the intersection of affect, temporality, and boundary dynamics in credit use, we demonstrate how creative action—whether purposeful or destructive—shapes individuals' crossing of financial boundaries. The chapter highlights the psychological impacts of indebtedness, including shame, anxiety, and impaired wellbeing, affecting over 77 million Brazilians. We conclude that understanding debt as a socio-creative phenomenon reveals how consumer subjects negotiate limits and possibilities within a culture that simultaneously promote and exploits their indebtedness.

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The Culture of Indebtedness and the Limits in the Experience of Using Credit

  • Hortencia Cruz de Albuquerque,
  • Marina Assis Pinheiro

摘要

This chapter examines indebtedness as a cultural-psychological phenomenon in contemporary Brazil, proposing the existence of an 'indebting subjectivity' co-constructed through self-other-world relationships. Drawing on Cultural Psychology and semiotic dynamics theory, we argue that debt transcends economic deficit to become an affective driver of financial behavior. The analysis reveals three interconnected factors that constitute Brazil's Culture of Debt: a profitable pro-debt economy that presents credit as accessible financial solution to people; the trivialization of debt-prone consumption through friendly fintech marketing; and the absence of critical financial education. By examining the intersection of affect, temporality, and boundary dynamics in credit use, we demonstrate how creative action—whether purposeful or destructive—shapes individuals' crossing of financial boundaries. The chapter highlights the psychological impacts of indebtedness, including shame, anxiety, and impaired wellbeing, affecting over 77 million Brazilians. We conclude that understanding debt as a socio-creative phenomenon reveals how consumer subjects negotiate limits and possibilities within a culture that simultaneously promote and exploits their indebtedness.