The "American way of life" : questionable ?

The different economic plans launched here and there (much in the USA : not far from a BILLION dollars !) have for goal to retrieve the former growing rate of the economy.
That is, the renewal of the former "American dream" (dixit Obama) through the preservation of the American "way of life".
That is, produce ever more, consume ever more, being ever more rich for that.
We feel as if we were a bicycle : the faster we go, the easier it is to stand up.
Do YOU feel so ?
Don't you think it would be a good thing to stop this "fuite en avant" (forward fleeing) ?
To find an other economic and social model seams to me more pertinent.
We have reached somewhere, a turning point.
Are you aware of that, and prepared for that ?

reply to post by orkson


I've been thinking along the same lines myself. I'm not an economist. It's hard enough just keeping my checkbook balanced! But what I keep wondering is how much is enough? To me, it seems more important to have a healthy economy than a growing economy. In my experience, "more" or "bigger" is not always better.

YES! The 'American Dream' is a sham, wasn't it basically Freud’s nephew Edward Bernaise who created it anyway purely to overcome the last time the economy was on the verge of collapse? They said that when the factories could produce enough toothbrushes and flannel suits for everyone the market would stagnate, without growth it would then collapse - due to the fact of being based on debt and empty numbers already, so he created a desire to constantly have the newest best fad. This let the companies make billions while demand was never satiated.

It's a joke system, greed is not a way to create a society. We all blame the bankers and the government but they're only giving us what we've demanded -easy credit, cheep rubbish and the illusion of affluence.

When times were good none of these people ever where it all came from, no one stopped to say 'can the country afford this?' or 'if this only costs a dollar how much did the guy making it get paid?' No one cared, no one demanded reliable repairable white goods, you all went for the newest most gadget covered washing machines, even if your old one was better. You didn't asked for beads and trinkets and they gave you what you wanted! You sat at the table and drank the fancy wine, ate the caviar and lobster - now you have the audacity to complain when the bill gets delivered!

The american dream needs to be replaced, how about hard work, honesty and fairness? something like that.

On the subject of "enough" I had launched an other Thread :

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The "echo" of this thread is quite ... demonstrative :

NO, the Americans are NOT ready to question their "way of live".

This means that the people who consumes half the energy in the world, who provoques quite half the pollution on earth, whose military budget is superior to the total of all the others in the world, thinks that everything is all right, and should even be "better".

Wow ... Just have a look on reality, please ...

Your money was strong ... it's becoming monkey's money. When China who belongs in dollars (trade surplus) more than you produce in one year decides, you're done. Bankrupcy is unbelievably an option.
Your domestic demand is plunging down.
Your car industry is sinking.
The unemployment is plumetting.
Your wars, your "smart wars" have driven against you even your allies.
Israel, is entangling you into an injust cause and disasters to come.
One half of the Americans are obese, 20% Diabetic.
Your heroes, the billionaires, are mostly crooks and thieves.
Greed and envy are the fuel of the "American way of life".

And ... you're not prepared to change your "way of life".
Questioning it is felt like an insult ...

I'm not an America Hater. I sometimes admire what America is able to do (ATS for instance). There are really sweet, openminded, kind and smart folks among the American people.
But I tell you : YOU and WE are on the wrong path. This path leads to general hate and destruction.

It's time to invent a new world.
A world less stressed by the aim of richness and power, more sweet, openminded, kind and smart ...

You could show the way for that.
No many peoples on earth can.
You are one of those.

Yeah i agree with the OP. The continuityof this way of life, will only further erode any chances we have at standing on our feet in the 21st century.

People's mindset are completely backwards from start the finish. To the way we consume, work, relax, entertain ourselves.

It's all either negative, or not positive enough.


Good post OP.

There's an other thread going on for the moment :
www.abovetopsecret.com...
Good one.
"Californian spirit" : big houses, big cars, big loans ... and bankrupcy !
Reminds you sometyhing ?
Scaring for the less ...