As most citizens have already noted, our economy is in shambles. Our government owes 2 ½ trillion dollars, conservatively, to China alone. The average American is $8000 in debt to credit card companies, and 43% of us spend more than we make each year.
If every working person in the US was forced to make payments towards our national debt, we would all pay in excess of $600 per month in order to pay it off in 15 years.
Proverbs 22:7
“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
Does being in debt make us slaves? Yes, both on an individual basis, and as a nation.
By implication, a nation state that is beholden to another in order to pay the bills must necessarily adapt a different foreign policy than one without debt. Additionally, the lender takes on a position of authority over the state which is borrowing. Because the lender has made an investment, they have a keen interest in the internal politics, policies, laws, and the monetary decisions of the borrowing nation. This is especially true when a powerful and militarized country is the lender.
An indebted state can never be truly free.
The Parasite :
A powerful nation that is owed money could easily invade the borrower, seize all assets equaling the amount owed, and in so doing satisfy the debt. However, this is not profitable.
Imagine a tapeworm. Does this tapeworm attempt to kill the host? No. It feeds off of them for a long period of time, stealing nutrients away at a slow pace. Why? Because if it siphoned off too many nutrients it would kill the host, and then would itself promptly die. It is better for the parasite to take small amounts over a long period of time, than to take large amounts of nutrients over a short period of time.
This is also true in regards to debt. The lender stands to gain more money over a protracted period of time, if it can keep you in long term debt. It is in their best interest.
Likewise, a lending nation is more profitable if it can keep the borrowing nation indebted, preferably over many generations. This guarantees an economically enslaved state that is not only indebted, but also malleable when threatened with not being allowed to borrow further.
The Drug Dealer:
A nation, once indebted, considers borrowed money as part of that nation’s budget. When this occurs, the populace will revolt if any austerity measures are taken in order to lessen the debt. Because of this, nations simply pile on more debt in order to appear strong, and to appease the citizenry.
Consider a drug dealer. They will often offer up their illicit substances for free a few times in order that a person become addicted. After addiction has occurred, the drug dealer will start charging, knowing that the buyer is now enslaved to the drug, and will do almost anything to be able to pay for it. The addicted person has now become guaranteed income for the dealer.
After addiction, the drug becomes part of that person’s body chemistry. The body needs it to function. If a person attempts to deprive the body of this drug, the body will revolt by entering into a phase of withdrawal. Not wishing to experience the pain and torture of the withdrawal, the addict will often return to using the drug.
This is just like cheap and abundant credit. This is why you see credit card advertisements for “ 0% APR” or “No Payments For 12 Months!”. They want you to become addicted, enjoy the life lived outside of your means, and for you to offer up payments for the rest of your life. This is all done to your detriment and to their betterment.
Credit is the drug, and borrowing the disease.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
'TIS CHRISTMAS TIME by John Marc Seeley
'TIS CHRISTMAS TIME
Early this morning I had cause to observe the parking lot of a Target store near where I work, and I simply had to write about it :
There was a line as far as the eye could see of people standing and sitting in line to get into this store. Because it was cold, raining and a long wait until opening time, many of these people brought folding chairs, blankets, coats, and even umbrellas.
Over the several minutes I took in this sight, I could hear the dull roar of idle chatter, which was occassionaly pierced by loud, imbecilic laughter. Moments later, a sudden hush came over the assembled group. I could hear a muffled voice overcome the silence, which was then immediately followed by riotous applause, screams and whistling. Interesting.
I couldn't help but wonder what would possess a person to spend 14 hours in the cold rain in order to purchase discount Chinese electronics manufactured by corporate slaves in a Communist nation. Avarice. Decadence. A religion of worshipping baubles.
Quit being a consumer and start being a human. If you find yourself mindlessly applauding the opening of a store like some intoxicated primate, you need to realize you have a problem with consumerism and trinket-lust. Fix it.
Early this morning I had cause to observe the parking lot of a Target store near where I work, and I simply had to write about it :
There was a line as far as the eye could see of people standing and sitting in line to get into this store. Because it was cold, raining and a long wait until opening time, many of these people brought folding chairs, blankets, coats, and even umbrellas.
Over the several minutes I took in this sight, I could hear the dull roar of idle chatter, which was occassionaly pierced by loud, imbecilic laughter. Moments later, a sudden hush came over the assembled group. I could hear a muffled voice overcome the silence, which was then immediately followed by riotous applause, screams and whistling. Interesting.
I couldn't help but wonder what would possess a person to spend 14 hours in the cold rain in order to purchase discount Chinese electronics manufactured by corporate slaves in a Communist nation. Avarice. Decadence. A religion of worshipping baubles.
Quit being a consumer and start being a human. If you find yourself mindlessly applauding the opening of a store like some intoxicated primate, you need to realize you have a problem with consumerism and trinket-lust. Fix it.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
What's new?
No longer playing in the band. So sad...I miss playing!
Still working my dead-end, mind-numbing job.
Looking at furthering mt studies (yuck)
I need to do some real blogging, and dedicate myself to it.
Still working my dead-end, mind-numbing job.
Looking at furthering mt studies (yuck)
I need to do some real blogging, and dedicate myself to it.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The BOOK - whaddya think?
The first chapter of my yet untitled book of Living Like a Cheapskate! This is a tongue-in-cheek book full of blurblets. Don’t expect to find a rehash of old-timey budget saving tips such as “cut coupons” or “turn your undies inside out to use ‘em twice”. No, no, the reader will find real tips that will allow them to more easily slither through life with a fuller wallet. All these tricks set forth in the book, if used, are the reader’s responsibility to do so in a responsible manner. I will not be sued for any shenanigans that the reader engages in. Maybe the Devil did make you do it, but it wasn’t me. I am just the idea man.
- Paul D Seeley
The Premise, The Problem
A fact of life is that most of us want to live. And in doing so we must use resources to sustain our biological organism, not to mention or mental and spiritual sanity. However, most people in our culture consume way more than they need, and for no particular reason.
We are known as a consumerist culture for a reason. What drives our economy and culture is the constant desire to accumulate and use up a never ending string of material goods. From infants, we are acculturated with the idea that more is better, and bigger is better. This mindset stems from the belief that those who die with the most toy wins. In the end, those that die with the most toys....still die. I can only speculate that those who are dead, if given the chance to look back through their Chunnel of life, would realize how much of their waking existence was spent in pursuit of acquiring certain objects. Some of these objects may be necessary, but many are not.
Where does this drive to acquire come from? The television is the most efficient medium in selling the drama. Most American children spend over 4 hours a day in front of the Electronic Babysitter. That is 28 hours a week. That is 120 hours a month. Ad nauseum. Ad infinitum. During their marathons of watching cartoons, etc., children view commercials. Commercials geared towards children generally feature an animated creature who tells the children (directly or through acting) that if the child has this new (fill in the blank) toy, or snack, then the child will be cool. Next time you watch a cartoon, look for the “wow” factor. Notice how children with the “cool” toys are in the “in crowd” and have more “friends”. Repeat this for 18 years. Now give the child access to the parental unit’s money, or less frequently his or her own money, and see how they shop till they drop! Is it any wonder they call it TV “programming”. Yes indeed good reader, children are programmed by companies, through the television to be spenders!! Although this is not the only crime TV is guilty of, this is the one that is pertinent to this readable diatribe.
Blame the parents. They have the power to kill their replacement (The TV), but they don’t. They are addicted to the same opiate of the masses...escapism. They also have this nasty habit of showing “love” to their children by throwing them money. There is a good substitute for hugs and quality time. “Here honey, spend this...I have to go back to work to make some more, I don’t have time for...”. Uh huh. On any given Saturday scads of soccer moms pull up to the doors of the local mall and dump their teenage assault teams, armed with powerful credit cards. It is enough to make any SWAT member jealous. The teens then prowl the mall in search of a “bargain”. Our Puritan ancestors would shudder at the notion that a pair of jeans made in a third world sweatshop, priced at $49, is a “bargain”.
Notice that how quickly new toys become boring, and new clothes are “so last year”. This is the way it works. Is it any wonder we have a looming national debt, which safely rests on the laurels of consumer debt?
Now speed up this child into young adulthood. Add these factors together: Going to college means I will be successful because I will get a “good” job making lots of money and I will be happy. Lies. All lies. Kids are
- Paul D Seeley
The Premise, The Problem
A fact of life is that most of us want to live. And in doing so we must use resources to sustain our biological organism, not to mention or mental and spiritual sanity. However, most people in our culture consume way more than they need, and for no particular reason.
We are known as a consumerist culture for a reason. What drives our economy and culture is the constant desire to accumulate and use up a never ending string of material goods. From infants, we are acculturated with the idea that more is better, and bigger is better. This mindset stems from the belief that those who die with the most toy wins. In the end, those that die with the most toys....still die. I can only speculate that those who are dead, if given the chance to look back through their Chunnel of life, would realize how much of their waking existence was spent in pursuit of acquiring certain objects. Some of these objects may be necessary, but many are not.
Where does this drive to acquire come from? The television is the most efficient medium in selling the drama. Most American children spend over 4 hours a day in front of the Electronic Babysitter. That is 28 hours a week. That is 120 hours a month. Ad nauseum. Ad infinitum. During their marathons of watching cartoons, etc., children view commercials. Commercials geared towards children generally feature an animated creature who tells the children (directly or through acting) that if the child has this new (fill in the blank) toy, or snack, then the child will be cool. Next time you watch a cartoon, look for the “wow” factor. Notice how children with the “cool” toys are in the “in crowd” and have more “friends”. Repeat this for 18 years. Now give the child access to the parental unit’s money, or less frequently his or her own money, and see how they shop till they drop! Is it any wonder they call it TV “programming”. Yes indeed good reader, children are programmed by companies, through the television to be spenders!! Although this is not the only crime TV is guilty of, this is the one that is pertinent to this readable diatribe.
Blame the parents. They have the power to kill their replacement (The TV), but they don’t. They are addicted to the same opiate of the masses...escapism. They also have this nasty habit of showing “love” to their children by throwing them money. There is a good substitute for hugs and quality time. “Here honey, spend this...I have to go back to work to make some more, I don’t have time for...”. Uh huh. On any given Saturday scads of soccer moms pull up to the doors of the local mall and dump their teenage assault teams, armed with powerful credit cards. It is enough to make any SWAT member jealous. The teens then prowl the mall in search of a “bargain”. Our Puritan ancestors would shudder at the notion that a pair of jeans made in a third world sweatshop, priced at $49, is a “bargain”.
Notice that how quickly new toys become boring, and new clothes are “so last year”. This is the way it works. Is it any wonder we have a looming national debt, which safely rests on the laurels of consumer debt?
Now speed up this child into young adulthood. Add these factors together: Going to college means I will be successful because I will get a “good” job making lots of money and I will be happy. Lies. All lies. Kids are
Saturday, March 13, 2010
And the wheel turns....
Another year older and not a penny richer! Ahh, oh well. Let us see....What has been happening since my last post? I still have the same job (and I am glad I have one). Brother and I now each have a FEMA trailer to live in, as we "build a house". Or perhaps assemble a shack. I also may be seen tearing up the town in a classic Buick Reatta.
The band continues to play, and we now (hat tip to Jennifer) have a website. http://www.folkswagon.us/
I have realized how much crap I have and am in the process of rightsizing. Thanks to Craigslist and my employer's own classifieds, I have been able to relieve myself of superfluous wordly goods, and perhaps bless someone in the process.
More to come
The band continues to play, and we now (hat tip to Jennifer) have a website. http://www.folkswagon.us/
I have realized how much crap I have and am in the process of rightsizing. Thanks to Craigslist and my employer's own classifieds, I have been able to relieve myself of superfluous wordly goods, and perhaps bless someone in the process.
More to come
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