The Economy

Posted by username on Sept. 26, 2008, 10:24 p.m.

According to some, there will be another depression due to the economic strife. I only have a very vague understanding of it because I don't know much about economics. It was brought to my attention in this thread - http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?t=7289318

To be honest, the prospect excited the childish and idealistic part of me. It's terrible I know, it will probably be much worse than this, and more complicated.

This is what I imagined:

When it first happened, many had lost their jobs and homes and were forced to go elsewhere. They put their money together to buy fuel, and crowded into their cars.

Later, bikes became the primary means for transport, due to fuel being unaffordable for most. Riding bikes in the middle of the road became normal and permissable. Laws regarding squatting and camping in public places were relaxed.

Abandoned restaurants and petrol stations remained on the roadside, as a nostalgic reminder of the past. Corporations no longer existed. Plastic bottles and wrappers and graffiti covered billboards remained, like relics from the past.

Some people lived like bohemians in hippie communes. Permanent campsites were set up. People were creative with what they had. Clothes were old, recycled, or D.I.Y. Old furnature and blankets were used, arranged nicely inside the tents, caravans, or old vehicles that really had no use anymore but to be slept in. Things were kept until damaged beyond use, and recycled in some way.

Food was no longer processed, pre-packaged and sold at the supermarket. Instead, people started to grow their own food in these communes. They kept chickens, and grew vegetable gardens and planted fruit trees.

Children amused themselves with old toys, their imaginations, and their own games. There were no more new shiny plastic toys or video games imported from China to be sold at the nearest chain store. Others amused themselves by reading, surfing, playing guitar or a home-made instrument, or making things.

Here is a list of things I made to carry by yourself:

- A bag you can easily carry.

- Practical, comfortable clothes with many pockets. A trench coat, perhaps. Shoes that won't break any time soon. And the rest.

- Knives. Scissors. Safety pins for when your clothes start to fall apart, maybe one of those little sewing kits.

- Matches or a lighter.

- Spare batteries, a torch.

- Canned foods and instant noodles. Instant coffee packets. A reasonably sized bottle of water.

- First aid, medical needs. Bandages.

- Personal hygeine items. Hair brush, tissues, toothbrush, etc. You don't want to become feral.

- A bible or a survival handbook or whatever your favourite book is, a journal or notebook, pens, photos. Chalk, writing on the road is fun.

- A usb on string around your neck with all your pictures and sentimental emails and music stored on it, incase you get a chance to use it again.

- A bike with tyre repair stuff.

I might think of more stuff later.

I'm tired of writing now.

What you you all think about this situation, how do you think it will actually effect you? It probably won't effect me as much, being in Australia.

Comments

DSG 16 years, 1 month ago

then again, seeing as how you were on CHRISTIAN FORUMS, zeitgeist part one will probably offend you. [there are 3 parts, part 3 is the economic theory]

username 16 years, 1 month ago

I won't be offended. I'm used to stuff like that. People should say what they like against religion IMO. Usually they make a good point anyway,

bendodge 16 years, 1 month ago

If the US suffers a depression it affects everyone. The US has been setting up for another great depression for some time now. It mainly centers around bad credit practices and government overspending. Now the bill is due, and our Congress is trying to "save Wall Street" be spending $700 billion they don't have, which has a horrible side effect of nationalizing out financial industry (think socialism).

This will only make things worse in the long run, but politicians are under extreme "do something" pressure and they feel they must be able to say "I did something about the sour economy!" next time they are running for reelection. So those of us in the USA need to write all of our congressmen immeditely (I already have) and tell them to oppose Henry Paulson's bailout plan. It's time lendors who took too much risk felt the pain of their losses, and it's also time Congress quit forcing them in part to do that through "fair housing" bills, which often force companies to give a loan to anyone who can stutter "I wanna home loan."

It's important to note that this bailout plan is being rushed through as quickly as possible (Paulson wanted to do it in a week), in the hopes that people will take too long to react. Thankfully, some congressmen like mind (Bill Sali) have been applying the brakes, and it's slowed down some, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do all we can to prevent our generation (and probably the next) from facing the astronomic debt this would shackle us with. (The plan costs several grand for every person in the US, including babies.) Write your congressmen right now and help prevent this disaster.

DSG 16 years, 1 month ago

@bendodge: word.

DSG 16 years, 1 month ago

@username EXCELLENT. pleaseee watch zeitgeist. its FREE, on google video. u can go watch it immediately. It will challenge christianity but hey… how can you be truly faithful if you cannot face adverse opinions, yes?? then if you can make it through the 9-11 conspiracy part [which in my opinion is very well presented, and intelligently argued with no arrogance and he sites his sources, uses bulletproof arguments, and has excellent accounts from big names in government and anyone around 9-11 including the chief creater of the WTC saying that building was demolished without a shadow of a doubt] I feel so unamerican but I cannot deny what I know is true in that video.

F1ak3r 16 years, 1 month ago

Hmm, you would happen to know a Callum, Sean, or maybe Sheldon?

[deleted user] 16 years, 1 month ago

I haven't even watched Zeitgeist, the reason being that it comes across as just another one of the conspiracy videos based on scaremongering.

Also, you aren't being loaned money by the government, you work for it and it is given to you, and then it is yours. You can spend it one material goods or keep for yourself, and in turn, those things become yours. It's not like the government owns everything you have and because of that the economy collapsed.

Quote:
It mainly centers around bad credit practices and government overspending.
This. Lending money to people that can't pay it is practically throwing it away. I also don't like how the government will just bail out all these companies that have fucked up. They would rather throw everyone in to debt than lower our standards of living (which is something I believe needs to happen).

flashback 16 years, 1 month ago

Quote:
Pfft. The only equipment you ever need is a towel.
Is yours modded or vanilla?

bendodge 16 years, 1 month ago

Word? I didn't use Word to compose that. It was composed on 100% open-source software!

Flea1991 16 years, 1 month ago

I'm not entirely sure of the reason why everyone watches the news or listens to main-stream media. After all, are the media members not general humans like us?

IF the US does go through another depression for some time, I think it would be grand. People have it so nice right now, they don't appreciate it. (The US isn't the only country facing major economic troubles right now, look at Russia who had to close their trading floors for almost a week, or the UK who are in their largest recession in 50+ years)

Things will become harder as taxes will be raised, but due to media attention on the election and a bail-out plan just before someone new is put into office, I believe we will avoid another deppression…for now.