Joe Bageant: "We were freer men then, however poor"

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...there is no way in hell to convince that 20% or so who are in the otherwise imaginary middle class that there are so many of us out here, partly because they look around their suburbs or urban apartment neighborhoods and don't see anyone in our situation, and partly because most of us do not admit it to ourselves. Because to do so would be to accept personal failure under the American myth of "personal accountability and responsibility." But the fact is that most of us are trapped and always have been. Compounding matters is that we are buried under an avalanche of cheap goods purchased on credit cards, cheap slave-made clothing that makes us look better off than we are, debt financed new cars and trucks and homes that will soon be going back to the mortgage companies and banks that rented them to us during the boom.

Tell ya what. If I had life to live over again, I would have stuck with the bread and butter sandwich kind of poverty (in our house it was "coffee bread soup," which is white bread with instant coffee and canned milk poured over it.) It was raw poverty but it was honest. We were freer men then, however poor. Probably because there was not the constant pressure to go into debt for necessities. In fact, it was not even possible because we could not get credit in those days. Now the country depends entirely upon our debt as the basis of the wealth of that minority who actually are wealthy.

I look over there at you from within this overworked 200-million mule team that is pulling the load for this nation and give ya big old honk. And I pray that the mule in front of me doesn't fart. Meanwhile, the bankers geeing and hawing and cracking the whip more than ever.

Keep on pulling and don't worry. There's a stroke or cancer around the corner, at which time we will get some rest while the doctors and hospital chains battle then insurance companies for the last few bucks in our pockets...

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http://www.joebageant.com/joe/2007/11/we-were-freer-m.html

:thumbsup:

The advertising media, alleged "news" media, the educational system, and the work place all support a Pavlovian conditioning system that brainwashes us to extol useless labor that supports a corporate system of thievery, and that "rewards" us with overpriced, often shoddy, products whose purchase and upkeep enslaves us to our corporate masters.

What is real is Las Vegas, Disney World, and American Idol. Trees, lakes, rivers, flowers, birds, mountains are merely economic resources to be exploited. Sure, go see nature, but do so riding in our 350 HP dual overhead cam four-wheel drive go-anywhere offroad SUV. "Grand canyon isn't really very grand unless you pay us to fly you through it in our super-duper helicopter ride."

Afraid of losing your factory job? Get up off your lazy butt and take our fast track computer course and find yourself an exciting high paying career in the computer field. (disclaimer: we are not liable if that great computer job you just spent the past year studying for is outsourced to India by the time you graduate.)

Getting old pookie? Starting to feel some aches and pains? You guys can't maintain an erection as long as you could when you were a teenager? Have we got a drug to cure your every problem. Just look at these happy people who take our product. Your doctor says this drug is not good for you? Find another doctor who will prescribe it for you. (Disclaimer: Neither we, nor your doctor, are responsible if this drug causes you discomfort, health problems, or severe medical damage. You asked to take it.)

Bad credit, no credit, no assets. Want to buy your dream house, but don't think you qualify for a mortgage. We have mortgage money to lend you. Just sign away all of your assets to us and we will take care of everything. Please note, if the devil should offer you a better deal than ours, come back and we will renegotiate terms.

Except in his day things were far worse under the Great Depression, inequality far more cavernous and offending to the nature.