Will We Remember This Era as Good Times?

I think we all know that there's a lot of anxiety and hardship out there, but I really feel that a lot of this is more anticipation than reality.
*people have jobs, but fear they'll lose them.
*people have places to live but worry they won't be able to stay.
*people worry about the price of food (and energy) but it's available.

I've been reading about WWII and in many parts of the world, at least in Europe and Asia, food was literally not available, housing was not available, no electricity, utilities, no buses or trains.

I know there are homeless. I know in some places (Johannesburg) there are occasional blackouts. And I wouldn't be surprised if these things increase.

I can't help but think that the system--Western civilization--is really really great for most of us, but I fear it's fragile, and a single event could tear everything down. FEMA camps? food shortages? water shortages? pandemics (not like Covid but really fatal stuff like Spanish Influenza).

so while I'm not super happy with my life now, I do have a place to live and a steady income and three hots and cool stuff like internets and air conditioning.
will I still have these things five - ten years from now?
how many of us will be living this well?

thoughts please. am I being an alarmist? unrealistic?

a reply to: Coelacanth55


Ummm...GAWD...I certainly hope not...

The great depression really sucked as well...couple that with the dust bowl...and there was allot of the not too distant past that sucked way better than what we witness today...

Seems to me...the past has been one long suck job after another...without any of those good vibrations either...

Civilizations are cyclical...ours just happens to be on the down hill slide...and then another civilization will rise from it's ashes...possibly radioactive ashes...and the song will remain the same...

Rinse and repeat...

Much as it ever was...much as it will ever be...

Soooo...anyone going to be around to witness it's last gasp...?

Dayam...I just loves me a decent feelgood load of hype tripe...





YouSir

a reply to: Coelacanth55

As a senior on limited income inflation has eaten away at the savings that should have seen us through our golden years. When that's gone we will no longe be able to afford the taxes on our home, let alone the ever-increasing cost for utilities.
It won't affect me at this point, but I sure do worry about my best half. He's worked really hard to get us where we were fouryears ago.

Over 63% of the new homeless population that's been added is senior citizens.

I've seen recessions in my life, but nothing like this. This feels like the cusp of a serious depression to me when I look around, and our leaders seem to be doing nothing but throwing more money at the various problems that any idiot can see isn't addressing the root cause; it's just enriching those at the upper levels heading these so-clled problem solving organizations.

You don't climb out of a recession by increasing taxes (Trump's tax cuts will expire this year), over taxing businesses so they move out of country, creating more money pit organizations, raising interest rates until they stop they flow of money, etc.

If we keep 'Building Back Better' the only ones' whose lives will improve are the 1% at the very top of the food chain. The rest of us will just have to eat (if we can find food), sllep and crap on the streets.

a reply to: nugget1

This is so sad. It always makes me sad to see elderly people homeless and a lot of times you can tell just by talking to them a little that its a situation like that where they couldn't afford some major upkeep to their home or weren't physically able and lost it to code enforcement or property taxes aren't affordable anymore.

Its total BS and not how we should be treating anyone let alone elderly people who already did their time working themselves to death for the machine.

I agree history is a suck fest and the times we have now are pretty good overall but there is room for improvement.

Plus we see more of the negatives than ever before thanks to cellphone videos and the internet.

We used to be semi insulted from the horrors of the world in that we only ever had knowledge of our own personal horrors not the combined horror of all humanity.

a reply to: YouSir

originally posted by: nugget1
a reply to: Coelacanth55

As a senior on limited income inflation has eaten away at the savings that should have seen us through our golden years. When that's gone we will no longe be able to afford the taxes on our home, let alone the ever-increasing cost for utilities.
It won't affect me at this point, but I sure do worry about my best half. He's worked really hard to get us where we were fouryears ago.

Over 63% of the new homeless population that's been added is senior citizens.

I've seen recessions in my life, but nothing like this. This feels like the cusp of a serious depression to me when I look around, and our leaders seem to be doing nothing but throwing more money at the various problems that any idiot can see isn't addressing the root cause; it's just enriching those at the upper levels heading these so-clled problem solving organizations.

You don't climb out of a recession by increasing taxes (Trump's tax cuts will expire this year), over taxing businesses so they move out of country, creating more money pit organizations, raising interest rates until they stop they flow of money, etc.

If we keep 'Building Back Better' the only ones' whose lives will improve are the 1% at the very top of the food chain. The rest of us will just have to eat (if we can find food), sllep and crap on the streets.

I had a really nice house on a golf course and was paying $12,000+ a year in taxes, insurance, and HOA; for what ? As we spent 4 to six months overseas every year we turned all the house hold electric stuff off except for the hot water heater.. The electric bill was around $39 a month when we were gone. The utility company put a smart meter on the house and the bill went to $81 a month while we were gone. Monthly bill went from close to $400 to over $600 a month when we were in the states after the smart meter was installed.

Instead of getting mad I sold everything and moved overseas. I still pay taxes to the USA as I receive retirement funds (over $600 in taxes a month... for what) .. My highest electric bill here has been about $150 a month during the high heat season otherwise around $100 a month. We have a farm and pay no taxes on the property nor on the harvested crops ... There is a VAT tax which IMO is a good system as those who have money pay an added tax on stuff such as cars (food is not taxed).. Not everyone can just get up and leave but for us and me it was a no brainer as there have been many times these last 15 years I have thought how lucky we were to be here and not there.

3 years ago we went back to the states and we planned on staying 3 months. It was a great trip and we visited friends and family in several states. I found it interesting that stuff we used to buy for 79 cents was now $1.49 and the bag was only half full. To rent a car the rates had more than tripled etc etc... We stayed 30 days and came back home and have no plans on ever returning. I fly for almost free standby ($35 each or $70 for both of us in first class) and yet there are no new places either of us want to travel to as we have been there done that. I never got to Russia and had a few chances as I had Russian friends (flight Attendants) but as this world turns I will/did pass on that trip with only a little regret.

I have never felt the need to go armed into any city here yet when in the states I never left the house (as did most of my friends) without a 9 mm or a 45 Cal as we all had our CHL. After 9/11 some cockpit crew members started carrying during their flights ... I never did, yet many of my first officers were willing to put up with the governmental B.S. to be allowed to get through airport security with a weapon.

a reply to: 727Sky

You're living the life, my friend ... enjoy it.

Cheers

a reply to: nugget1

Your well written comment illustrates one realization I've arrived at over the years.

We think we want to know "the truth" about what's going on.

But actually knowing it is not fun. Depressing, actually. I'll go to my grave with my eyes open, for whatever that is worth.

And, Nug-- I hope things work out for you and yours. We need all the calm thinkers we can muster these days.

Cheers

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

Thank you! Things always seem to find a way of working out; maybe not the way we would like them too but 'you can't keep a good man down' has effectively been my mantra before and will again if need be.

Worst case scenario is reverse mortgage; I hate those and see a RM as another way to transfer wealth to the upper levels.

All I know is if somebody does find a better way to address inflation the majority of citizens will be facing pretty bleak futures.

In the early 1970's low-income appartments were being built across the nation. I was still a teenager then and thought this would eventually segway into socialism; you don't bite the hand that feeds you. It was a giant step forward towards giving the government more control over a persons autonomy.
Look at us now! Nearly everyone, including the homeless walk around with a tracking device. Our every move every down to the last penny we spend is being recorded. No RFID chip was needed!

Oxfam Report: A net worth of $2.2 million is needed to be considered “wealthy”
The richest 1% of the world’s population, which includes the United States, captured nearly two-thirds of all new wealth worth $42 trillion created since 2020.

It lloks like the 1% are scrambling for the life boats while forcing everyone else to go down with the ship.
We will suvive, but this new future is going to strongly resemble China, IMHO.