Comments on: Capitalism – Prosperity or demise http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/ Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:25:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bob Widner, a twilight man http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-16994 Bob Widner, a twilight man Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:59:54 +0000 http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/#comment-16994 Spot on! Very well thought out essay. I'm a retired handyman and a full- time caregiver for my former wife. I quit thinking and reading about the medical cost horror stories or there would be no time left for daily, peaceful living. She has no assets to forfeit in case of a medical catastrophy, and with full-blown dementia she couldn't grasp it anyhow. So I just rock along hoping she can avoid getting clipped for a quarter-mil bill, and make sure we both have food and shelter and keep out of harm's way. I have nothing to contribute to the good or bad of capitalism but I feel it's the best system for most people. Face it, we're not all super-talented captains of industry or wizard inventors. For the average person anywhere, capitalism lets you keep food on the table and a roof overhead. There is one facet of capitalism that has fascinated me for years, and that is 'cost of living.' It hasn't changed in my lifetime. Prices are about the same today as when I first became aware of money. I was a pre-teenager during World War Two and remember prices well. Prices have increased about ten times since then, but people make ten times the wages they did then. A Pepsi was a nickle, now it's fifty cents. Decent steak was 75 cents a pound; today it's $7.50. Ground hamburger was 25 cents a pound; today it's $2.50. 'Wings' cigarettes (probably made from floor sweepings) cost ten cents a pack; today - okay, so some products were cheaper then. My first job was $1 an hour; today most people can earn $10 an hour. Our socio-capitalist system is badlly flawed, but it will work for a few more years, allowing most Americans to live a decent, productive life. Spot on! Very well thought out essay. I’m a retired handyman and a full- time caregiver for my former wife. I quit thinking and reading about the medical cost horror stories or there would be no time left for daily, peaceful living. She has no assets to forfeit in case of a medical catastrophy, and with full-blown dementia she couldn’t grasp it anyhow. So I just rock along hoping she can avoid getting clipped for a quarter-mil bill, and make sure we both have food and shelter and keep out of harm’s way.
I have nothing to contribute to the good or bad of capitalism but I feel it’s the best system for most people. Face it, we’re not all super-talented captains of industry or
wizard inventors. For the average person anywhere, capitalism lets you keep food on the table and a roof overhead.
There is one facet of capitalism that has fascinated me for years, and that is ‘cost of living.’ It hasn’t changed in my lifetime. Prices are about the same today as when I first became aware of money. I was a pre-teenager during World War Two and remember prices well. Prices have increased about ten times since then, but people make ten times the wages they did then. A Pepsi was a nickle, now it’s fifty cents. Decent steak was 75 cents a pound; today it’s $7.50. Ground hamburger was 25 cents a pound; today it’s $2.50. ‘Wings’ cigarettes (probably made from floor sweepings) cost ten cents a pack; today – okay, so some products were cheaper then. My first job was $1 an hour; today most people can earn $10 an hour.
Our socio-capitalist system is badlly flawed, but it will work for a few more years, allowing most Americans to live a decent, productive life.

]]> By: look inside here http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-8551 look inside here Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:32:16 +0000 http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/#comment-8551 <strong>look inside here...</strong> You are right I think you have said it very well... look inside here…

You are right I think you have said it very well…

]]> By: moody http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-7441 moody Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:02:23 +0000 http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/#comment-7441 New article just came out on money msn about how much you will need in medical expenses once you retire. Article basically confirms what I was saying in this article; it says that basically you;re screwed, but gives following solutions: Figure out where you stand. Save some more Get long-term-care insurance Take care of yourself. What a bunch of useless advices. That is exactly what I was saying about bullshitting. Not one solution mentions the actual problem or voting for your interest so this kind of thing DOES NOT happen when you retire. You can read the whole article here: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/AssessYourNeeds/WillMedicalBillsRuinRetirement.aspx New article just came out on money msn about how much you will need in medical expenses once you retire. Article basically confirms what I was saying in this article; it says that basically you;re screwed, but gives following solutions:
Figure out where you stand.
Save some more
Get long-term-care insurance
Take care of yourself.

What a bunch of useless advices. That is exactly what I was saying about bullshitting. Not one solution mentions the actual problem or voting for your interest so this kind of thing DOES NOT happen when you retire.
You can read the whole article here:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/AssessYourNeeds/WillMedicalBillsRuinRetirement.aspx

]]> By: Fyodor http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-7434 Fyodor Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:15:10 +0000 http://www.crankypot.com/2008/04/16/capitalism/#comment-7434 This is a great post. The American Dream is the biggest scam the elites have created against the working man. This is why poor people vote Republican: because they too want to be rich one day. "Don't complain, just work and consume attitude" that you point to is so entrenched into the American psyche that individuals vote against their interests: they vote for lower taxes for the rich (which means less resources and social services for them); and they vote against unionizing. Take this example. I have an American friend who constantly complains about Europeans being lazy and he points to the 35 working hour week in France. When the Sarkozy government wanted to increase it to 37 (and I think they have I am not sure though) the unions paralyzed the country with strikes. Because the French have learned to enjoy life: work, but also have long weekends and afternoons to spend with their families. Why is this a bad thing? But the American friend of mine did not say this is not sustainable, but that somehow the French people are acting irrationally for wanting this lifestyle? So, I guess he would prefer to work 50 hours per week! What this shows is a complete change in consciousness among the people. And in the small country such as Bosnia the effects of globalization are striking. I interviewed a woman yesterday who worked in the hospitality business before teh war, but since she has no degree or no specialized skills, and is 50 years old, no one wants to hire her now, and since there is a very weak (and almost non-existent) social net, she (along with her two 20 year old sons) lives on 150marks (about $130) per month. It hit me that her situation is not caused simply by Bosnia's war-battered economy, but by Bosnia's inability to compete in the global market. It is the story that can be found across the US in small idnustrial towns in Illinois and Pennsylvania. This is a great post. The American Dream is the biggest scam the elites have created against the working man. This is why poor people vote Republican: because they too want to be rich one day. “Don’t complain, just work and consume attitude” that you point to is so entrenched into the American psyche that individuals vote against their interests: they vote for lower taxes for the rich (which means less resources and social services for them); and they vote against unionizing. Take this example. I have an American friend who constantly complains about Europeans being lazy and he points to the 35 working hour week in France. When the Sarkozy government wanted to increase it to 37 (and I think they have I am not sure though) the unions paralyzed the country with strikes. Because the French have learned to enjoy life: work, but also have long weekends and afternoons to spend with their families. Why is this a bad thing? But the American friend of mine did not say this is not sustainable, but that somehow the French people are acting irrationally for wanting this lifestyle? So, I guess he would prefer to work 50 hours per week! What this shows is a complete change in consciousness among the people.

And in the small country such as Bosnia the effects of globalization are striking. I interviewed a woman yesterday who worked in the hospitality business before teh war, but since she has no degree or no specialized skills, and is 50 years old, no one wants to hire her now, and since there is a very weak (and almost non-existent) social net, she (along with her two 20 year old sons) lives on 150marks (about $130) per month. It hit me that her situation is not caused simply by Bosnia’s war-battered economy, but by Bosnia’s inability to compete in the global market. It is the story that can be found across the US in small idnustrial towns in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

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