“Plastics” is the single word of advice given to Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) at a cocktail party in the classic movie “The Graduate.” It is intended to spark him toward a career.

The film came out in 1967 but the action was set earlier in the 1960s.

The word in our world would more frequently point toward the number of plastic credit cards contained in the average wallet or purse.

Frank McNamara is credited with inventing the first credit card as we know it when he launched the Diners Club credit card in 1950. He came up with the concept when he forgot his wallet at a dinner, suggesting to him a new form of payment (other than washing the dishes).

His card was initially a charge card and required full payment at the end of each month (we still do that). The Diners Club was limit

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