Has it shifted on your list of priorities?

I was listening to "All Things Considered" on the radio this afternoon while driving home. There was a segment about how the American public's perspective on luxuries versus necessities is changing.

Paul Taylor, executive vice president of Pew Research Center, talked about some interesting shifts.

Microwaves are now seen as luxuries, while some newer technologies — including flat-screen TVs — are considered necessities.

You can listen to the segment here.

I was hoping that Mr. Taylor might touch upon - yes, you guessed it....

If the current economic constraints are causing people to consider the microwave as a luxury item, where does life insurance fit along this continuum?