The New Criminal Class
I want you to imagine for a moment how a drug dealer works. A drug dealer preys on people that are prone to addiction. Innocent people in the respect that they simply don't know how to deal with life's problems. So they turn to tobacco, prescription drugs, booze, and illicit drugs. Dealers need addicts, addicts bring in revenue. We have a huge amount of people in this country, maybe as high as 1/2 of us beyond age 16, who are addicted or who regularly use these substances. Clearly it is under reported. But the proliferation of big tobacco, big booze, big pharma, and drug cartels really tell a different story.
We are a country without a spiritual solution. We rely on the quick fix. But I'll save that rant for another day. Today, I'd like to focus on our addiction to money and wealth. Why is it that we support this new criminal class, these men in suits pushing debt?
The answer is simple. We are fearful. We don't really feel good about ourselves. We think that we have to have bigger houses, luxury cars, boats and RV's. That somehow possessing all of these things will show our neighbors that we have made it. We must prove to the world that we are "successful." We fear not having enough money, of running out. Missing that retirement expectation we have on golden pond. Because somewhere deep down inside all of us, we think that buying all of that shit, can somehow make us feel better about ourselves. It soothes our fears. For most of us, money is the quick fix. Our entire capitalistic way of life is built on that premise. We are bombarded by ads that exhibit happy people with cool cars, big houses, straight teeth. If you need more attention, perhaps you need this wrinkle cream, that makeup, or a boob job. All of this marketing is designed to prey on one thing. Your insecurities. And it works. The evidence is all around you.
Our new age drug dealers understand this flaw in us. They know we don't feel good about ourselves. That create an image that says, you can't feel good like this guy or gal- unless you buy our product.
And somewhere beneath all of that unconsciously driven behavior, there is some guy in a suit or perhaps a gal with a plunging neckline, pushing loan documents your way. Sign here, you'll feel better about yourself. If we can convince you, perhaps you'll come see us again. The new criminal class, the bankers push debt. They look for a whole new class of addicts. Credit cards, personal loans, margin loans, cars and houses. They addict you to debt. Oh sure, you sign- that's your role. Everyone else does it, don't they? You don't want to be socially isolated, do you? Of course not.
The best part about this gig is that it's all legal. Bankers loaning you something they don't have. Loaning you fictitious margin and debt- holding deposits of other peoples' money as their reserve. In any other line of work we'd call that fraud or theft by conversion. Banks call it "lending" like it's some charitable pursuit.
I cut this new criminal class out of my life four years ago. It wasn't until a month ago when I decided to wade back in. To buy a house- simply because it would be cheaper than the rent that I pay. Let me tell you how that's worked out.
The new criminal class got their ass kicked a few years ago. To their credit, they have managed to co-opt our entire country and escape all scrutiny. So now they are trying to sell houses for one half of what they used to be worth. The new criminal class got backstopped by the victims so that they don't have to unload all of their collateral all at once and drive prices to the floor. Instead they sit chilly on vacant houses- hoping for a rebound that isn't going to come. And while my two latest offers, now over three weeks old, have garnered no reply...interest rates have backed up 1 and 1/4 percent. Time is on their side or so they think.
You see, I don't need a house. In fact, I don't even really need to live in the U.S. and subject myself to the vagaries of the new criminal class. They aren't doing me a favor- I know that. They are greedy, bankrupt, and desperate. You see, they haven't figured out that guys like me have figured out that we don't need guys like them. You want to rid yourself of the drug dealer??? Find a spiritual solution and quit buying his dope. If you want to rid yourself of the new criminal class, don't buy their debt and all the delusions that you will find some mystical, happy life in a foreign car. I got a newsflash for you banker pricks. We don't need you.
So next week I am going to withdraw my offers. I am going to get my earnest money back and I am going to buy more silver with it. I am going to withdraw all of my cash from the bank that I am making nothing on. I am going to invest it in a foreign account maybe in Iceland or Australia. Iceland was the only country that was smart enough to understand that more debt was not the solution. They understand the new criminal class. Iceland faced their fears and found the solution. They are up and running- just like we might have been if we had the courage to tell the debt dealers to go screw themselves. For some real hope and change, read this. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/business/global/08icecon.html
We are a country without a spiritual solution. We rely on the quick fix. But I'll save that rant for another day. Today, I'd like to focus on our addiction to money and wealth. Why is it that we support this new criminal class, these men in suits pushing debt?
The answer is simple. We are fearful. We don't really feel good about ourselves. We think that we have to have bigger houses, luxury cars, boats and RV's. That somehow possessing all of these things will show our neighbors that we have made it. We must prove to the world that we are "successful." We fear not having enough money, of running out. Missing that retirement expectation we have on golden pond. Because somewhere deep down inside all of us, we think that buying all of that shit, can somehow make us feel better about ourselves. It soothes our fears. For most of us, money is the quick fix. Our entire capitalistic way of life is built on that premise. We are bombarded by ads that exhibit happy people with cool cars, big houses, straight teeth. If you need more attention, perhaps you need this wrinkle cream, that makeup, or a boob job. All of this marketing is designed to prey on one thing. Your insecurities. And it works. The evidence is all around you.
Our new age drug dealers understand this flaw in us. They know we don't feel good about ourselves. That create an image that says, you can't feel good like this guy or gal- unless you buy our product.
And somewhere beneath all of that unconsciously driven behavior, there is some guy in a suit or perhaps a gal with a plunging neckline, pushing loan documents your way. Sign here, you'll feel better about yourself. If we can convince you, perhaps you'll come see us again. The new criminal class, the bankers push debt. They look for a whole new class of addicts. Credit cards, personal loans, margin loans, cars and houses. They addict you to debt. Oh sure, you sign- that's your role. Everyone else does it, don't they? You don't want to be socially isolated, do you? Of course not.
The best part about this gig is that it's all legal. Bankers loaning you something they don't have. Loaning you fictitious margin and debt- holding deposits of other peoples' money as their reserve. In any other line of work we'd call that fraud or theft by conversion. Banks call it "lending" like it's some charitable pursuit.
I cut this new criminal class out of my life four years ago. It wasn't until a month ago when I decided to wade back in. To buy a house- simply because it would be cheaper than the rent that I pay. Let me tell you how that's worked out.
The new criminal class got their ass kicked a few years ago. To their credit, they have managed to co-opt our entire country and escape all scrutiny. So now they are trying to sell houses for one half of what they used to be worth. The new criminal class got backstopped by the victims so that they don't have to unload all of their collateral all at once and drive prices to the floor. Instead they sit chilly on vacant houses- hoping for a rebound that isn't going to come. And while my two latest offers, now over three weeks old, have garnered no reply...interest rates have backed up 1 and 1/4 percent. Time is on their side or so they think.
You see, I don't need a house. In fact, I don't even really need to live in the U.S. and subject myself to the vagaries of the new criminal class. They aren't doing me a favor- I know that. They are greedy, bankrupt, and desperate. You see, they haven't figured out that guys like me have figured out that we don't need guys like them. You want to rid yourself of the drug dealer??? Find a spiritual solution and quit buying his dope. If you want to rid yourself of the new criminal class, don't buy their debt and all the delusions that you will find some mystical, happy life in a foreign car. I got a newsflash for you banker pricks. We don't need you.
So next week I am going to withdraw my offers. I am going to get my earnest money back and I am going to buy more silver with it. I am going to withdraw all of my cash from the bank that I am making nothing on. I am going to invest it in a foreign account maybe in Iceland or Australia. Iceland was the only country that was smart enough to understand that more debt was not the solution. They understand the new criminal class. Iceland faced their fears and found the solution. They are up and running- just like we might have been if we had the courage to tell the debt dealers to go screw themselves. For some real hope and change, read this. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/business/global/08icecon.html
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