The black box economy

reply to post by palehorse23


i work in the investment "business" and believe me.. the wealthy have been getting out of this market for quite some time...they are into gold, oil, and cash...and i don't mean the american dollar...they are waiting for the market to come crashing down and then when it seems that nothing can get worse, the will snap up all those valuable assets...if you don't believe me, "google"... will give you a primitive view of capitalistic history. listen, this has been going on for a very long time and it has WORKED!!!!
you are a number and a "CONSUMER"...get used to it, this is not going to change...and if you think it is ..let me ask you a question....if your personnal wealth was in the billions..wouldn't your entire "job" be to perserve that wealth and expand it?...of course, [snip]... and this is past on to the next generation through expensive schools that cater to the wealthy. they learn how to protect what they have... one way is to move their wealth to another country that is "friendly" to those that "invest".... and another way is to "influence" those countries that do not. please...spare me your tears for the poor... they are expendable and a drag on everybodys economy...and perhaps if you have missed it... they are being ignored... WELOME TO THE TRUTH!!!!

[edit on 31-1-2008 by TheBorg]

Originally posted by never_tell
reply to post by jackinthebox

 

who do you blame? ... but ultimately its our own lack of confidence that drives us to define our success by the size our cars... but in a day and age where we ship barges full of garbage to developing worlds to dump and sift through it should be getting as much attention as SUV's! ... imagine if everyone stopped buying Mattel toys, for example... that company would go out of business...

I blame the people who deliberately brainwash the masses. We should be paying more attention to the garbage barges than the SUV's, but why aren't we. Because the garbage problem gets a 15-second spot at the end of the 11 o'clock news, but we are bombarded with the commercials for SUV's and are surrounded by them when we step outside.

If everyone stopped buying Mattel toys, the company would open up a subsidiary just so they could re-label their products and no one would be the wiser. Most people don't even know why they should stop buying Mattel toys.

The truth is deliberately hidden from society, while they shove junk food down our throats and SUV's up our collective rear-end. I try to tell "regular" people about this stuff sometimes, and they just don't get it. It's not that they're bad people, or even stupid people. But they get this glazed look over their eyes because I am talking about something that is not part of reality to society. It is so outside of their realm, they simply cannot comprehend what is actually happening, and they don't have the time to because they work work work and are glad to have an hour to sit in front of the tube at night while they eat trans-fats and their brains turn to vegetable. We are supposed to work non-stop so we are easily compartmentalized in our own little worlds. This is a deliberate state of affairs that is beyond individual responsibility. Take my case for example. I do see what is happening, and refusing to be a part of it has literally left me out in the cold.

BTW, Sorry to hear about your homelessness, especially if you're dealing with winter... without getting too personal, are you finding it hard to get work or is the money you make not enough to cover your "lifestyle"? Don't feel you have to answer...

I will be right back to answer this...

Originally posted by never_tell
reply to post by jackinthebox

 

BTW, Sorry to hear about your homelessness, especially if you're dealing with winter... without getting too personal, are you finding it hard to get work or is the money you make not enough to cover your "lifestyle"? Don't feel you have to answer...

I was working for a private security company, but was having difficulty getting the bills payed, despite working more than 40 hours per week. (I worked up to 80 hours some weeks.) I lived in what may have been the cheapest apartment in the county. About half the county average in fact. I haven't had medical coverage since I was ten, despite some serious illnesses including Lyme disease. I haven't had cable television in years. I rarely owned more than two pairs of pants at any given time, wore second-hand footwear, etc. No fancy clothes in other words. Last winter I splurged on a new pair of boots at Kmart for $20 on sale. I could go on here, but it is safe to say that I had almost no unnecessary expenses.

The house of cards came tumbling down when my company lost the contract at the site where I had been posted for the past few years, and they had no other positions. I haven't been able to even get a part-time job flipping burgers in seven months. I have had three interviews.

reply to post by never_tell

...we can't even buy a copy of Mein Kampf...

Are you serious?! Has it been blacklisted or something?

I'll sell you a copy.



[edit on 1/29/0808 by jackinthebox]

reply to post by OBE1


I thank you.

I was homeless once before, so I know I probably will get out of this grave again. In the meantime, I really just refuse to let it get me down. Anyone who has ever been homeless has more wisdom than most other people.

reply to post by jackinthebox


i'm sorry to hear about your life... but this is happening all across the country. i'm here in cailf. and it is the same here... the best job we can have here, is for about 10 bucks an hour... that is 400 a week gross, take away taxes and your looking at 310 a week. an apartment here is at least 650 a month. add in food and utilities and you are working for "SLAVE" wages. add in the price of gas for your car and payments and insurance and you are in deep doo-doo. welcome to the free market!!!!

reply to post by jimmyx


Please don't misunderstand. I'm not some glory-hound here looking for sympathy. The thing that makes me so angry is I am not alone, yet so many people still don't see what's happening.

But I think you have a clear take on the picture.

EDIT to add: BTW, star on your reply to palehorse.





[edit on 1/30/0808 by jackinthebox]

reply to post by jackinthebox


ok, no arguement... people are overwhelmed with images of consumer culture... but... many do drop out... why is that? what made you flip the switch? was it only the lack of money or did you see something more? if it can happen to you it can happen to others... unfortunetly it sometimes takes losing everything to appreciate what we had and realize how much we actually paid for it...

there's an old parable about the rich businessman on vacation in mexico who meets the poor beachbum...they are both fishing and enjoying the sun... guess who gets to do it all the time?... i remember one of my first lessons in economics came when i got a car as a kid so i could get a job... it quickly became apparent, all the money i made went to maintain the car... ironic isn't it? we have to find the triggers and get them out there so people wake up and smell the roses... i'd suggest there are a few people here, though they profess to be enlightened, live a very "earthly" lifestyle... who knows what reading our thoughts can do?

sorry to hear about your job... have you ever considered working for yourself? finding what you do best and enjoy, and selling or renting your service and insight to others? we can always make our own luck.... happens everyday all over the world

reply to post by never_tell

what made you flip the switch?

I have lived up and down the economic ladder since I was a kid, so it wasn't really a matter of flipping a switch. Even in good times when I could afford nice stuff, I was trying to share my insights with people who take that nice stuff for granted. And I was very choosy about the nice stuff I decided to buy, nor was I very mainstream in my selections.

Let's put it this way. I would have cable TV if I could afford it. I used to like the History Channel and Food Network mostly, since that's where my interests are outside of the brainwash box. I won't say where they can shove the American Idols.

sorry to hear about your job... have you ever considered working for yourself? finding what you do best and enjoy, and selling or renting your service and insight to others? we can always make our own luck.... happens everyday all over the world

I'm doing what I'm good at and enjoy right now. I just don't know how to make money posting on ATS

I'm doing what I'm good at and enjoy right now. I just don't know how to make money posting on ATS

reply to post by jackinthebox


didn't i see a post here where they pay writers and bloggers? and they wouldn't be the only website to do so...

reply to post by never_tell


Need my own computer, and a base of operations.

But yes, something to shoot for.

reply to post by jackinthebox


thanks jack it is tough out in the real world of employment, i finaly got my 4 year degree in computer electronics, and i still can't find a job for over 12 bucks a hour...jesus... what does a person have to do?... this economy is run by big business..and if they want to pay you crap wages and they can get away with it ...they will....and that is the untold story of the economy

reply to post by jackinthebox


excuse the onliners and personal dialogue mods but...

what about the library? where there's a will, there's a way... i started my first magazine using letraset .... do you know what that is? letters that come on a sheet that you rub off onto paper... i started it with 20$ and went door to door selling advertising to businesses... i photocopied it at he local variety store at 10cents a sheet.... that was almost 20 years ago... let's just say it was the best 20$ i ever invested in myself...

reply to post by never_tell


Yes, I too apologize Mods, but I think this discussion really cuts to the core of the real economic situation in America.

what about the library?

I do use the library, but there is a short time limit and the space is tiny. I literally have to type one-handed if there is someone next to me.

No door to door in this town without the permit that they won't give you. Not to mention there's really not much non-corporate business left around here.

But this is something I'm going to look into a little more. I'd love to get payed and get the word out about a lot of this stuff at the same time.

reply to post by jimmyx


Four years of college to earn two extra bucks an hour. Sounds about par for the course indeed.

reply to post by never_tell


young..yeah when i was 20 i bought a 22" squeggee and a bottle window cleaner and went door to door and charged 10 bucks to clean all the homeowners outside windows... and it worked!!! however..i could not devolope a business out of this, it wasn't a lack of determination...it was a lack of volumne

reply to post by jackinthebox


feel free to correspond with me if you need any advice or ideas... i think there's amesasge system here... no? the u2u?

suffice to say, i'm still in the publishing game some 20 years later...

and you're right... this does speak to the frustration that people feel when trying to improve the quality of their lives in an economic state that that's geared towards doing nothing....

reply to post by never_tell


I thank you for your words of inspiration. "It" can be done indeed. This does not mean that I accept the abuses of a corrupt system though. Only that I will survive where others have failed through no fault of their own.

reply to post by jimmyx
[m

you dumb ass

Who are you talking to? Lets keep it nice alright. Also, who are you referring to about sparing you the comments on the poor?

Originally posted by traderonwallst
I just can't believe the education level of some people who post on here attempting to sound like professors of economics.

I really want to respond to a post like this, but I just feel it would into a pi$$ing match.

Well, instead of saying people are not smart, why don't you share your all knowing knowledge of economics. Maybe you can educate people if you think you are the expert. That is what I am on here for: to learn things about subjects I am not too familiar with. Seeing as how you are on Wall St., you must know everything there is to know about economics. So, please, I beg you, enlighten us all. I am the first to admit I do not knwo too much about economics, so if you can share insight, please do.