Comments on: In which I write about something of which I know very little http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/ An American Expatriate - Stepping Up From Down Under Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:09:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Jessica K http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5101 Jessica K Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:51:47 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5101 Hey, am I reading this wrong? Cause I agree with practically everything I just read... weird. Just kiddin. Jeff and I faced the same thing when we were buying our houses (we're on #3 now), but thankfully we know our monthly budget, and my parents drilled a healthy fear of debt into me! We know plenty of people who weren't so fortunate, and I feel terrible for them. How dare the media place blame on people who were taken advantage of by money hungry lenders?! That's just plain wrong. I gotta tell you, Pres. Bush's address the other night scared the be-jeebers outta me. All I could think was "Great Depression." (eek!) Jessica Ks last blog post..<a href="http://justjessie.typepad.com/justjessie/2008/09/panic.html" rel="nofollow">PANIC!!</a> Hey, am I reading this wrong? Cause I agree with practically everything I just read… weird. Just kiddin. Jeff and I faced the same thing when we were buying our houses (we’re on #3 now), but thankfully we know our monthly budget, and my parents drilled a healthy fear of debt into me! We know plenty of people who weren’t so fortunate, and I feel terrible for them. How dare the media place blame on people who were taken advantage of by money hungry lenders?! That’s just plain wrong.

I gotta tell you, Pres. Bush’s address the other night scared the be-jeebers outta me. All I could think was “Great Depression.” (eek!)

Jessica Ks last blog post..PANIC!!

]]> By: Sherrie http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5090 Sherrie Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:32:18 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5090 I am stealing the second comic from you for my classes in 2 weeks. Most of my lessons are given at the Landesbank and they love to talk about American credit systems (Canada tossed in there as well). They can not believe that we dont pay back our credit cards in full at the end of the month. I am happy to see however that you pointed out that it is not the borrowers fault that this system came crashing down. Distraction is the key word, and it is so much easier to blame those who took advantage of what was offered to them to fulfil their dreams rather than the system that created the mess to begin with. Capitalism is our friend, only the lazy dont benefit. Until it bites us personally that is. Then we begin to think a little more. Sherries last blog post..<a href="http://stickyapplekisses.com/?p=229" rel="nofollow">In Switzerland</a> I am stealing the second comic from you for my classes in 2 weeks. Most of my lessons are given at the Landesbank and they love to talk about American credit systems (Canada tossed in there as well). They can not believe that we dont pay back our credit cards in full at the end of the month.

I am happy to see however that you pointed out that it is not the borrowers fault that this system came crashing down. Distraction is the key word, and it is so much easier to blame those who took advantage of what was offered to them to fulfil their dreams rather than the system that created the mess to begin with. Capitalism is our friend, only the lazy dont benefit. Until it bites us personally that is. Then we begin to think a little more.

Sherries last blog post..In Switzerland

]]> By: Florida Girl In Sydney http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5086 Florida Girl In Sydney Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:30:07 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5086 Yep. Yep. Yep. Everything you said. So do you have posts about why you moved to Australia and how long you're here-- etc? I'd love to read them. Florida Girl In Sydneys last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FloridaGirlInSydney/~3/401386372/intervention-needed.html" rel="nofollow">Intervention Needed?</a> Yep. Yep. Yep. Everything you said.

So do you have posts about why you moved to Australia and how long you’re here– etc? I’d love to read them.

Florida Girl In Sydneys last blog post..Intervention Needed?

]]> By: aish http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5085 aish Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:04:47 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5085 read a book about this kind of madness, it is called ´The Shock Doctrine´and is written by Naomi Klein. It was an interesting book but makes you feel kind of small and powerless. read a book about this kind of madness, it is called ´The Shock Doctrine´and is written by Naomi Klein. It was an interesting book but makes you feel kind of small and powerless.

]]> By: Toasty http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5084 Toasty Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:46:05 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5084 I also don't understand a lot of what is going on, but I like your take on it. I did see President Clinton on the Daily Show last night who had some pretty solid ideas on how to fix the whole mess. But doesn't he always?!! Toastys last blog post..<a href="http://myinnerteen.blogspot.com/2008/09/speaking-of-heavy-feet.html" rel="nofollow">Speaking of Heavy Feet...</a> I also don’t understand a lot of what is going on, but I like your take on it. I did see President Clinton on the Daily Show last night who had some pretty solid ideas on how to fix the whole mess. But doesn’t he always?!!

Toastys last blog post..Speaking of Heavy Feet…

]]> By: Coal Miner's Granddaughter http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5078 Coal Miner's Granddaughter Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:45:15 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5078 What I know, from what I read, experience, see, and hear, is that an -ism in any extreme form (capitalism, socialism, Heatherism - OK, so I made that last one up) is bad. I think we need a mix to somehow keep us in the middle. That being said, everything is cyclical. The economy will bounce back. I don't know how or when, but it will. And then it will crash again. Because some of those in our population will forget this "disaster" and will be doomed to repeat it. Ah, pessimism... Whoops. Another -ism. Never mind. What I know, from what I read, experience, see, and hear, is that an -ism in any extreme form (capitalism, socialism, Heatherism - OK, so I made that last one up) is bad. I think we need a mix to somehow keep us in the middle. That being said, everything is cyclical. The economy will bounce back. I don’t know how or when, but it will. And then it will crash again. Because some of those in our population will forget this “disaster” and will be doomed to repeat it.

Ah, pessimism… Whoops. Another -ism. Never mind.

]]> By: Gypsy http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5077 Gypsy Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:55:52 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5077 For all the economic hoopla, I can pretty much only look at the TV in consternation. I don't understand any of it, but it does scare the soup out of me. Gypsys last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Strangedarkgypsygirl/~3/400803948/" rel="nofollow">I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller*</a> For all the economic hoopla, I can pretty much only look at the TV in consternation. I don’t understand any of it, but it does scare the soup out of me.

Gypsys last blog post..I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller*

]]> By: courtney http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5075 courtney Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:44:29 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5075 Gah! You said Bush was right! Image ... shattered ... world ... crumbling ... I really have no idea how to fix the economy. All I know is that it's bad - REALLY bad. But I do agree that the United States has made it generally easy for people to live outside their means, and it appears to have finally caught up with us. No matter who gets elected, he CAN'T be worse than this. Right? Right? Gah! You said Bush was right! Image … shattered … world … crumbling …

I really have no idea how to fix the economy. All I know is that it’s bad - REALLY bad. But I do agree that the United States has made it generally easy for people to live outside their means, and it appears to have finally caught up with us.

No matter who gets elected, he CAN’T be worse than this. Right? Right?

]]> By: Matthew http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5074 Matthew Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:01:48 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5074 Seems like you gave a very good brief summary of how the "feces has hit the air conditioner" (my Kurt Vonnegut quote for the week). We now know a consequence of pure, unregulated capitalism. I don't consider myself a socialist per se, but I've always had the same thought about capitalism. It is about wealth, even if it means hurting many people to obtain it. Capitalism can breed competition, and in many economic sectors, this might be a good thing. But, there are many in which human (and societal) health should take a higher precedent than quarterly economic gain. For example, public safety (the police force, fire departments, and possibly in the future, health care). I don't know if this situation requires a pure transition to socialist control, but the government needs to learn from this enormous disaster and place in the proper regulation and public economic transparency in an effort to prevent this from occurring again. That is the question though. Should the government give out 700 billion dollars without first looking into the problem and placing in some regulation so that the money is not as badly managed as the companies were before the by-outs? I feel like the Bush administration is reacting to the symptoms and not trying to fix any problems. Seems like you gave a very good brief summary of how the “feces has hit the air conditioner” (my Kurt Vonnegut quote for the week). We now know a consequence of pure, unregulated capitalism. I don’t consider myself a socialist per se, but I’ve always had the same thought about capitalism. It is about wealth, even if it means hurting many people to obtain it. Capitalism can breed competition, and in many economic sectors, this might be a good thing. But, there are many in which human (and societal) health should take a higher precedent than quarterly economic gain. For example, public safety (the police force, fire departments, and possibly in the future, health care). I don’t know if this situation requires a pure transition to socialist control, but the government needs to learn from this enormous disaster and place in the proper regulation and public economic transparency in an effort to prevent this from occurring again. That is the question though. Should the government give out 700 billion dollars without first looking into the problem and placing in some regulation so that the money is not as badly managed as the companies were before the by-outs? I feel like the Bush administration is reacting to the symptoms and not trying to fix any problems.

]]> By: Alex http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5073 Alex Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:31:45 +0000 http://www.afreeman.org/2008/09/24/in-which-i-write-about-something-of-which-i-know-very-little/#comment-5073 I had to have someone explain to me what happened. (Please see the excellent explanations from my brother-in-law Justin at www.esmon.net.) I'm not afraid to espose my lack of knowledge on the topic... But I agree with your basic assesment of our market system. It is increbidly self-serving. Alexs last blog post..<a href="http://www.esmon.net/?p=1219" rel="nofollow">At least it’s a well-organized addiction</a> I had to have someone explain to me what happened. (Please see the excellent explanations from my brother-in-law Justin at http://www.esmon.net.) I’m not afraid to espose my lack of knowledge on the topic…

But I agree with your basic assesment of our market system. It is increbidly self-serving.

Alexs last blog post..At least it’s a well-organized addiction

]]>