Monday, September 20, 2010

Didn't get the memo

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/american-businesses-and-consumers-are-not-deleveraging-they-are-going-one-last-binge
You know, this doesn't surprise me one little bit.  Most folks have a tendency of thinking that the lifestyle that they have is the lifestyle that they deserve.  I sometimes catch that bug myself,  it is good for a smackdown when it comes.
I think that folks are thinking that the good days are going to be returning.  I don't know where they get that idea.  When I was down at my Mom's, my sisters were joking about folks not getting the memo.  I think that there are a lot of folks out there who didn't get the memo.
The country and the world is changing.  The biggest change is that we are going into a world of resource constraints.  We have always acted as though the world's resources were infinite.  We are now finding out that they are not.  Oil is peaking (some argue that it has peaked), coal is questionable, phosphorous is looking a bit thin on top.  With these soon to be restraints in place, we will be progressively limiting the techologies that we have used for the past two centuries to spite Dr. Malthus' gloomy predictions.  Now we are starting to wonder if he will get the last laugh.
So now we see folks out there showing their colors, ant or grasshopper.  What always amazes me about stories like this is that the intent of the writer is to starve the grasshopper.  This proves that the loan-negotiations can be misused.  They must be stopped.  Well, that may be true, but that will hurt the faithful ants who are using them as they were designed.
But in the end, all of this is nothing more than a morality play for the future.  We are, as usual, showing both the bad and the good sides to our nature.  Read about it, keep it there for future reference.  Try to figure out which of your circle of acquaintances are ant and cling to them.

2 comments:

Survival Chick said...

I've been there, not sure if it's a generational thing, but if it wasn't for my much older Husband, I would have never righted my wrongs. No credit cards = freedom. Spent 2 years paying them off, and it's a wonderful feeling! Now if I really want something I save up, by the time I have the money and do a little soul searching, I usually change my mind.

Phil said...

Unfortunately, I have always been a grasshopper.

Still am but I am trying to change my ways and I thank my lucky stars I hooked up with my girlfriend. She is not into prepping at all but is a true conservative and has been handing out regular beatings to my sorry ass when it comes to money.
I know damn good and well US Bank got over a grand of my money last year in over draft fees. No more.
She is working hard to turn me around and I am trying to keep my shit together. It is even more critical now that I am unemployed.
I am returning the favor and stocking up her cup boards for her, a little at a time. She is one of those that believes the stores will always be open, despite my evidence to the contrary.