You are blaming the tool rather than the user bob. Nowt wrong with credit cards, if used properly... but many people get a card, see a limit of say 2 grand, and that somehow translates into "ooh i got 2 grand in cash". Used properly, they can provide a very handy way of deferring payment, interest free which can be incredibly useful.
Without some form of credit, very few of us would have houses, for instance.
And the head of barclays didnt in fact describe those who use credit cards as mugs... just those who used Barclaycard :)