There is much talk these days of politics in our area and around the world. When the economy is healthy and most everyone is working and well fed we hear little of the acrimony being spewed from the news media these days.The leaders are on trial by the public to make sure they are doing the best they are able to in these days of doom and glum. Some predict that the worst is over and the world is beginning to recover from the worst economic crisis in a hundred years. Try to tell it to the people who have just lost their job and seen the factory they worked in going south to Mexico or closing forever.This situation came about by the greed of our financial institutions and brought every country in the modern world to stagger to a horrible stop. Bailouts and propped up car plants and factories that really deserved to go out of business are working on tax dollar money.
When we studied economics at university we were told that the free market enterprise system was the only way for countries and business to operate. Competition and the profit motive would be the driving force of our nations and individuals wishing to get ahead. The word socialism was a nasty word and still is for many but the rich and powerful interests are lining up to use our taxpayers dollars to become even more rich and powerful.It is peculiar that Marx was speaking about these situations years ago and only now are we dusting off these writings to see what went wrong.
I am not supporting Marx's theories but I do realize that socialism in some form are necessary for the division of the wealth of any country to provide basic services. In Canada the country was brought together by the building of the railways and paid for by tax dollars. Our roads, education facilities, health care and justice systems are all funded by tax dollars. There may be some in America who would like to look at the recent bailout of General Motors where the money was provided and the people now own GM. Is that socialism?
Socialism is only a bad word if we relate it to communism. Our whole Christian ethic is based on a form of helping you neighbour and respecting each as equal in the sight of the supreme power. We could talk about this forever and never come to a consensus but let it be enough to say that this economic difficult time has shaken many of our beliefs and will see a different world when this is all over.
My wish is that our system of values and ethics will be such that our common needs and goals will prevail over our selfish interests.
I don't think fingers can be wagged entirely at the banks, H.
ReplyDeleteThere is no excuse for someone living on a school teacher's salary to be living a rock star's lifestyle.
There are people out there living hand-to-mouth who still feel the need to carry around a $2,000 handbag or "fix their life" with a $750 pair of shoes - even in today's economy. I can't begin to tell you the number of jobless high school students I've seen this week alone with iPhones (minimum of $60+ per month - I have a simple $10 per month a pay-as-you-go plan that I share with my son). These kids have plasma televisions in their bedrooms, all of the latest and greatest tech toys, designer logos stitched on their asses and they frequent tanning, hair and nail salons. Who is footing their bills...? What are they learning about financial responsibility, the TRUE cost of living and living a sensible lifestyle vs. a SHALLOW/FAKE one? What are people teaching their children about financial responsibility and ultimately their personal survival? You have to wear a label or a logo on your ass - preferably the most expensive one we can find because that makes you "cool" or "important" or "better" than the rest? Feh!
How are these kids going to make it on their own when they leave the nest???! These very same kids will find themselves struggling and up-to-their-eyeballs in debt!
These very same individuals will fudge their financials when the go to the bank for cash or credit. They stretch themselves beyond their personal means and entire families are destroyed based lies and deceit so they can wear $250 blue jeans and drive a $85,000 truck??? We all know know the #1 reason why marriages fall apart these days = MONEY.
Greed of our financial institutions...? What about the greed of Western society as a whole? The bank doesn't tell you to run out and buy that $3,500 Danier leather jacket (what's the difference between a $3,500 jacket and a $50 jacket - the both do the same job!). The bank doesn't wake you up in the middle of the night and tell you you just HAVE TO run out and pick up that 61" plasma TV. The banks don't tell you you absolutely MUST live in a great big fancy house in an exclusive neighborhood and your kids MUST go to a private school and you JUST HAVE TO drink a $20 bottle of wine every night for dinner.
There's a book called The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanely and William D. Danko which is FULL of common sense. Financially stable people do not wear designer clothing, they do not live in fancy houses, they don't drive the biggest or fanciest flashiest cars. The people who ultimately choose to live the high life when they cannot afford it will have nothing come their retirement. You CAN'T blame their personal and financial bankruptcies on the banks. WE make our own lifestyle choices.
So you go to the bank. You sign a contract. You GUARANTEE them you're good for the money. You promise! And, you've lied. You're not good for the money. You can pretend you're good for the money and sign on the dotted line but ultimately, what happens....? And what happens when several million others do the same...?
Sincerely,
HBB