You'll be just fine...as long as you don't eat or drive

hope_full · Heavy Crude Joined: May 27, 2008 Posts: 236

http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/13/news/economy/misery/index.htm?postversion=2008051410

This makes more sense to me than the other reports I've been reading. According to CNN, the "misery index" is way, way up and government figures aren't telling the WHOLE truth.

Wren · Tar Sands Joined: Apr 30, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Oregon

Oh yeah. And we are NOT in a recession, in case you hadn't heard. It's actually not a "flood" in Iowa, right? Just too much rain. We're all going to be fine.
Thanks for that post!

Aaron

There is a huge gulf between the so called "blog-o-sphere" and the mainstream press isn't there?

I'm tempted to say that after 5 years, if I gotta choose between this, & the Matrix... I choose the Matrix.

I can't think of any recent examples where the press was so polarized as it is today. The publisher of "Common Sense" comes to mind... but that's so long ago.

Even the "yellow journalism" of Pulitzer's time, pales in comparison with the sophisticated machinery that is our lexicon today.

I'm sorry that I have no meaningful answers.

The best we can do is keep the dialogs going... Inform in the face of denial & even ridicule...
_________________
"When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F Roberts.

Praise HawkMan

JPL

Aaron

jdumars

One of the most frightening parts of the media's dominance in the collective perception is that because of corporate monoculture, the media actually creates its own reality. Or, more simply put -- people are more willing to believe what they experience through the media than their own experience, even if they are radically divergent. This is due to a very interesting phenomenon in the human brain that blocks the ability to see/process information which goes directly against your own belief system. I'd look for info on the study, but am too lazy right now. Anyway, the core belief system most people hold is radically influenced by the media and the self-reinforcing feedback loops that occur in our culture. What we wear, what we eat, the way we speak, virtually everything is driven almost directly from media.

This is going to be absolutely fascinating to watch as the gulf between people's experience and what the media is reporting becomes so great that it forces people awake to see how degraded everything around them is...

Imagine the moment when people realize things like...

Fast food/junk food is not really food
Driving is not a God-given right
Everything is about 100 times harder without gasoline/oil/machines
They are ultimately completely helpless
It's too late to prepare
There's no fix
Everything they knew was completely, utterly wrong

The hatred will run strong and deep, and will most certainly be directed at corporations, government and all the purveyors of lies. It would be the ultimate revolution.
_________________
Dismantle globally, renew locally!

Ludi

mos6507

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 878

The gov says inflation is low...it must be true?

It is in the gov favor to keep the inflation figures low so they do not have to pay high % rates on inflation adjusted bonds. This is what is scary. The gov has lied so much they are starting to believe their own lies now.

Fueling the problem of consumption is the games the Federal and World banks play with interest rates. They manage the economies in ways to fuel consumption and mask the real trend. You know the story..cries for Federal bankers to lower interest rates...so the stock market can go up...fueled by spending of the consumer.

It is drug habit that Greenspan got us hooked on and we just can't get away from.

Our economy is not based on sustainable health - it is based low interest credit to encourage compulsive spending, debt and living a life of constant consumption with a 'disposable mentality' when it comes to durable goods.

All this consumption to artificially fuel our economy to make our retirement funds only go up contributes to more and more global warming and the depletion of our natural resources. Then the governments juggle the numbers to make the inflation figures seem artificially low, so everyone's retirement portfolio will make them happy so they will continue to buy and consume more...and on it goes.

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 878

biofuel13

Well I guess according to the thread title I will be just fine.....because with this new diet my wife has me on I don't get to eat.....lol. At least I'll be prepared for when starvation really hits in a few months!

JPL

Aaron

JPL