Posts by wanderingcrane5

northernsailor63 said:I guess this isn't my first crisis, and I doubt it'll be my last. Every crisis seems to bring out something positive eventually—new values, maybe some solidarity, or just understanding what others are going through. It might even cause a bit of discomfort for the wealthy. I mean, nowadays, having excessive wealth—especially if it was unearned—might actually give you a stomach ache. Is that kind of money really worth it, or is a good night's sleep more valuable? I wonder if there's any real satisfaction in being rich when you're surrounded by such extreme poverty. As for sacrifice, I’d gladly share my last crust of bread with my dog, and my family would step up to help one another selflessly until they're completely exhausted.

I’m with you on most of that, except for the part where you say you hope this isn't the last crisis. God forbid we get hit with another one like the ones I've already had to deal with.
But look, on the flip side, there's truth to what you're saying because these crashes do force society to improve. They act as a reality check for arrogance and people who think they're untouchable. Back during the Sanders era, when everything felt like this fake, hollow celebration, the thing that pissed me off the most was how everyone suddenly thought a new age had dawned—an era of endless prosperity for everyone. People were blowing cash left and right, building massive luxury condos, and completely ignoring the fact that such a lifestyle wasn't sustainable. Hopefully, they've finally come back down to earth.

Daniel Garcia24 said:In principle, I agree, but my focus is really on those who will emerge from this upheaval entirely unscathed while still finding reasons to complain—though, granted, there are plenty of people who won't be so lucky.

There's always going to be a crowd of losers complaining just for the hell of it.

Daniel Garcia24 said:Like I said, I wasn't referring to the unemployed, the wealthy, or the profiteers in the suburbs...

Read my post a bit more carefully and you'll see who I was actually targeting; please stop trying to reduce everything to such broad generalizations.

The sad truth is the crisis is widespread and hits everyone globally. It absolutely kicked my ass.

Melissa Peterson19 said:I’m highly adaptable, though it depends on whether the crisis hits me personally or if society collapses entirely. In the latter case, I’d have to strip everything back. Honestly, I could live in a cave and spend hours staring into a fire after eating wild boar. I have a tendency to catastrophize my own misfortunes, which keeps things interesting. I also have the ability to build something out of nothing—take scrap metal or heavy waste, and I can improvise, refine, or improve it. Manual labor isn't a chore for me; it's a satisfaction, whether it's tending a garden, working a vineyard, or various crafts. We’d rely on herbal remedies or old-school folk medicine. Poverty has its perks depending on your mindset. Living without electricity forces you to find joy in the small things; you stop wanting much and become modest. Long evenings spent socializing instead of scrolling through internet forums... we would survive.
Everything I just said is contingent on one thing: if I don't have to deal with my aging mother and mother-in-law, who are 83 and 92, my wife and I would adapt just fine!

That’s a beautiful sentiment right there. But you missed one crucial detail. You, the guy who loves that lifestyle, would be living right next to people who absolutely hate it. People who wouldn't bother doing the hard work themselves, they'd rather just swoop in and steal everything you worked for.
So, while you're busy being a handyman and scavenging scrap metal, I suggest you also track down a few broken AK-47s and figure out how to assemble one that actually works. Not sure where you'll find the ammo, though.

jadeorca42 said:It's pretty obvious you've never actually lived without running water or electricity. Sure, you can improvise with water using jugs, tanks, or buckets, but electricity isn't that easy to fake. What do you think it's like trying to shower in the middle of winter by pouring water from a pitcher that you just heated up on a gas stove or a wood burner? (Unless you happen to have a gas water heater, I suppose.) Or how do you dry your hair without a blow dryer? Just sitting by the fireplace smelling like smoke? Or ironing clothes with an old-school charcoal iron? Or washing your hands in freezing water until your knuckles swell up like knots on a vine after one winter? Or doing laundry by hand because there's no machine, and you can never quite rinse the soap out properly? And since you can't spin-dry anything, you're stuck hanging wet clothes all over the house near the stove or fireplace, making the whole place feel more like a laundromat than a home. Then there's the summer—no fridge means nowhere to put meat or leftovers. You'd be buying groceries day-by-day just so things don't spoil—eggs, milk, meat... everything. Not to mention having no light during those long winter nights, where kids might have to do their homework by lantern light and end up wearing glasses by the time they hit puberty. I've only listed a few perks of 20th-century life; I'll let your imagination do the rest for the 21st century...

But hey, if you're still interested and want to learn how to survive (NNNI), I can offer some lessons on what life is actually like without power. The price? A tiny little thing!

Bauhaus generators, man. You can find all kinds.
Obviously, they run on fuel, either gas or diesel. If you get one that runs on diesel, that’s the move. Just grab some heating oil and you're set.

I’m obviously just messing around a bit here.

As for hair dryers, I’ve never bothered using one. I have a girlfriend who basically wouldn't even know how to wash her hair if she didn't have a blow dryer handy. It's just pure habit.
I mostly wash my hands in cold water. But shaving is a whole different story.
Having a washing machine is honestly such a blessing, I won't even complain about it. Washing clothes in a creek is a thing of the past.
Drying clothes... I have a washer-dryer combo, but I never touch the drying setting.
The spin cycle is basically the modern version of wringing out laundry by hand.

Daniel Garcia24 said:But let’s set aside the clergy and all those other distractions for a moment..

One interesting pattern I’ve noticed regarding this topic—and it seems to apply to quite a few people—is that their actual day-to-day lives haven't shifted an inch because of the crisis. Their income remains steady, their living conditions are unchanged, and some are even managed to 😁 more than before. Yet, the second they catch a headline on CNN claiming the country is in a state of emergency, suddenly this becomes their entire world, and they act as if they are personally caught in the middle of 🤷

Then again, it isn't exactly surprising; Americans can be steered quite easily by the right narrative. It’s a predictable cycle: we’ll head to the polls at the end of the year to exercise our democratic rights, only to spend the next four years complaining about the outcome, before the whole loop starts all over again.

What the hell are you even talking about? Are you just some kid living off an allowance from your parents?
People lost their jobs. There is literally no better way to realize a crisis is happening than that.
Once the layoffs start rolling in, even if you manage to hang on, you’re sitting there watching your friends, your coworkers, and your own family get canned. You start fearing for your future. You come from some wealthy family and spend your days hunched over a white Apple in some cafe near Central Park? Then maybe open your eyes and look around for once.
This is how people working in those glass office towers in Brooklyn talk—government bureaucrats whose biggest struggle is that gas prices went up and they didn't get their summer bonus. If you had to dig through a dumpster and realize that once you lose your job, you’ll never hold down anything decent again, then you’d actually understand what a crisis looks like.

Because a crisis isn't just some temporary phase that rolls in and out. For a lot of people, it means being permanently stripped of their rights. And one of those is the right to work. Once they label you as redundant, you stay redundant forever.

Daniel Garcia24 said:I’m doing better now than I was before the recession hit, but I’m not about to join the ranks of those folks who pine for the "good old days" of the mid-century just because they feel a sense of nostalgia. I won't claim things are objectively better today simply because my own circumstances have improved; unlike them, I can actually look around at the broader landscape and see that, on a macro level, things have generally taken a turn for the worse.

Life back in the USSR wasn't any better for me. Simple reason: I wasn't working because I was still stuck in high school. Now I've got a paycheck.
But honestly, looking at the big picture, right up until the moment they raided the federal treasury—which is exactly what Mexico did, following international orders to tear America apart—America was a way more powerful nation than America is today. When you factor in how much technology has actually advanced from then to now, life back then was relatively a whole lot better.

Noah Cruz75 said:"Everything" just means money to you people. Is everything about the bottom line? That's how you see it. But then again, wouldn't Judas betray anyone for cash? Don't worry though—people aren't serving the country anymore; they're doing the exact opposite.

Honestly, you hit the nail right on the head. It’s pathetic how modern society tries to force everyone into being a slave to the dollar under the threat of being an outcast. Just look at those young capitalistic sharks that old fossil Velimir Srića keeps praising. In their eyes, you're either stacking paper or you're a total loser.

Noah Cruz75 said:Just give everything up and hand it over to the poor; you'll have a hundred times more waiting for you in heaven.

It’s almost like they don’t even bother asking if we actually want to sacrifice anything.
The real question is what exactly we're losing... and before long, it’s gonna be everything.

Brandon Ramirez said:I’m not entirely sure which sub-forum this belongs in—mods, please feel free to move this if I’ve got the wrong spot. Thanks. 🙂

The current global crisis has been weighing on my mind lately. So many people are losing their jobs, facing eviction, drowning in unpaid bills, and even having to give up long-time pets just to get by. The stress and pressure are just relentless...
I honestly have so much respect for individuals who can handle these kinds of life-altering setbacks and still find a way to navigate a completely new reality.
I'm curious—how would you all handle a situation like this?
Would you turn to illegal work, try making and selling something, liquidate everything you own, or focus on protecting your kids, pets, or whatever else matters most?
What would be the absolute last thing you'd ever give up—the one thing you'd hold onto even if you were living on nothing but bread and water?

For me, giving up my pets would be the hardest part; I'd rather go hungry than see them suffer. But honestly, losing my phone would also hit me incredibly hard—I'm a total addict when it comes to the internet and staying connected with people. It sounds silly to some, I know, but I don't think I could handle that level of isolation on top of everything else. You need some kind of outlet to stay sane, right?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
🙂

A phone is the most expensive thing you own when you're unemployed. Believe me, it's a total money pit. When you've got a job, you don't even notice it. But when every single dollar counts, it becomes an insulting burden. That's why mobile carriers have such garbage terms; people are getting more hesitant to sign up for plans that bleed them dry. It's why you can't find a decent data plan anywhere. It's either a subscription with pathetic amounts of data (so you can just go play Mafia Wars on Facebook), or some outrageously overpriced prepaid deal.
Luckily, when things go south, I don't have to give up walking or being out in nature, and if I've invested in a solid, reliable computer that won't die on me when I need it most, I still have that. I can work, I can create, or if it's a laptop, I can sit somewhere with free Wi-Fi (like a public library) or edit photos from my hikes. A computer is the absolute last thing I'd ever give up.
Phones are designed specifically to pick your pocket. Almost everything you do on one is a service you're paying for. Those services aren't a big deal when you're working, but they become insanely expensive when you're living off $133 in unemployment benefits, or even less than that.

Nathan Bailey65 said:I wouldn't trade a single second of it... because if I'm destined to go down, I might as well go down in a blaze of glory.

😎

That's not actually a bad way to look at it. The problem is I've been through a few phases where I truly hit rock bottom. Back then, I used to think some force would always swoop in and save me at the last second, or that there was always a little more depth left to fall into.
Unfortunately, I hit the concrete hard and fast, and nothing softened the blow. That's why I try to fly, and when I do fall, I make sure I have a parachute. But during those falls, I learned that people who won't lend you a hand when you're down deserve to have their wings and parachutes clipped once you're back on top. And I do exactly that. That's my outlet. Especially since my faith in all kinds of losers has repeatedly slipped right out from under me.

Scott Hall39 said:If you don't have a state, people's rights are totally vulnerable, so your argument falls apart. You can't just force reality into a narrow little box and call it the truth!

Look, if that's the case, then us just surrendering ourselves to the global market while having a weak government that doesn't even protect us—or more accurately, one that tries to protect us now but faces massive pushback from every single corporate lobbyist out there—basically means we're sitting ducks.

Anthony Garcia19 said:What I meant was that the core of this topic is really about hoarding wealth for oneself. It’s more about holding onto it than why someone wants it in the first place—whether that's greed, power, or insecurity—or even what you mentioned about having no specific motive at all (just money being a byproduct of doing work you love). Either way, it boils down to the main question: "Why do you need so much cash?" (that's the title, after all!). Why stack up such massive amounts that you could never actually spend?

A bit late on that one, though. Anyway, I'm off to grab some 🙂!

The bottom line is fear.

Scott Hall39 said:If all that matters is power, then politics is definitely the way to go.
Sure, money is just another form of power. But looking at it purely from a material standpoint, it isn’t hard to see why people always want more. You get used to comfort fast. Look at the current economic crisis. People are struggling because their standard of living is slipping back to what it was a few years ago—even though they were actually worse off back then. When your salary jumps from $50k to $100k, your lifestyle shifts. You start buying better clothes, eating at nicer restaurants, and so on. If you have $20 million, you don't have a private jet. Once you hit $100 or $200 million, suddenly you can afford one.
But it’s not just about the stuff. It's a mindset—that drive for new challenges and breaking records. Some of the wealthiest people out there live relatively modest lives, but they stay driven by the work itself.

The thing is, nobody would even care about this crisis if it were just about paychecks shrinking. This whole situation is a nightmare because people are losing their jobs entirely. That isn't just a drop in living standards; it's an absolute catastrophe. You can't save anything when you're starting from zero. You can't live on zero. And there's no such thing as a paycheck lower than nothing.

Anthony Garcia19 said:It's true that power can buy you freedom, but you don't need to be powerful to be free. Financial independence is enough. Once you achieve that and keep stacking cash just for the sake of it, it's no longer about being free—it's about wanting to control others. That's where the hunger for power comes in.

So, saying people without a drive for power have "small needs" doesn't really track. If someone is chasing total personal autonomy, their needs aren't small. Honestly, craving power isn't a sign of big ambitions; it's just a sign of a small mind...

And honestly, having too much cash usually just means you're becoming a slave to that money.
Because you're constantly living in fear of losing it all.

Let me break this down for you.
Think about some guy working a standard 9-to-5 at a place like Target or a local office; he pulls in a decent middle-class salary. If he loses that job, it’s not the end of the world. He can find another one pretty quick, or just borrow a bit from a friend to cover the bills.

But now, imagine this guy owns yachts, manufacturing plants, luxury cars, and massive estates. Suddenly, he’s hit with insane tax bills, and his entire lifestyle depends on maintaining that image. He needs the high-end cars to get around his properties and keep up appearances, and he has to dress like a million bucks because that's what people in those elite circles expect—if you break the social code, you're an outcast, your business partners bail, and your spouse might even walk out halfway through a divorce settlement...
So here's the kicker. If he loses a massive chunk of his wealth... there's no coming back from that. He can't exactly knock on his neighbor's door to borrow a few million bucks. Meanwhile, the cars, the designer suits, and the mansions still need upkeep, and the IRS doesn't care if your bank account is shrinking—those taxes stay exactly the same.

That’s why the ultra-wealthy are always obsessed with hoarding more. It's not just greed; they're forced into it by the way things work. That's just how the system is built. In American capitalism, there is no such thing as standing still. You're either scaling up or you're crashing and burning.

Anthony Garcia19 said:So, it actually *is* a psychological issue, isn't it? 😉
At least for those who should be recognizing the full scope of this situation—and its impact on the country—but they won't. Instead, they hide behind legal loopholes designed specifically to protect the very people who caused the damage in the first place.

That’s the cold, hard truth right there.
But it isn't some simple fix. Nobody ever set out to design a society specifically to hoard wealth for a tiny elite while grinding the working class into the dirt; that’s just straight-up systemic corruption.
First, you build a government meant to protect the people. Then, that power gets concentrated, and they start twisting the laws to serve themselves while using those same laws as a shield. These days, it feels like the modern Pharisees are the ones doing all the interpreting of the Bible.
Then comes the brainwashing, where everyone gets it drilled into their heads that an elite class is inevitable and that there's no other way to run things, across every single sector of society. Even the poorest folks end up believing they can't survive without the wealthy. That's why revolutions always fail. As soon as some regular person grabs a seat at the table, they end up acting just like the old guard because they don't know any better. Worst of all, nobody seems to know any better, and even plenty of "intellectuals" think this is just how the world works (your classic Machiavellian types).

That’s why it’s on philosophers to actually act like human beings and try to wake people up.
Someone mentioned Chomsky. I’ve read his stuff and the guy is spot on. But I’ve also spent time debating his critics and reading their arguments. Long story short, they either dismiss him as a joke or label him as subversive. Basically, he’s fighting a losing battle. They’ve already built this massive machine designed to discredit him. To pull off what he does, you’d need a whole movement, not just one guy or five others trying to make a dent.

Hannah White2 said:Look, this is basically true most of the time—it’s just not something everyone can handle. That whole greed thing? It almost always stems from some deep-seated psychological issues, sure. But then you’ve got those people who actually get it—they realize that if they don't grab the cash themselves, someone else is just going to swoop in and snatch it up without even knowing what to do with it...

Look, taking the money is fine by me, provided you actually plan to put it to good use. And I'm not talking about blowing it on massive yachts, mansions, or luxury cars.
You start a business, create jobs to feed tons of families, and make your own life a bit easier in the process. To me, that's what actual responsible money management looks like.

Sure, basic consumerism keeps some people fed, someone else maintains a boat, and another person designs houses... but none of that comes anywhere close to true financial responsibility.

But we're talking about greed and hoarding here. This isn't about REINVESTING capital. So, within the context of this discussion, I think anyone just sitting on piles of cash is basically just terrified of being hungry or broke again.
And honestly, there's an element of pure momentum to it too. When you're running with a crowd of people all clawing for cash, the money starts flowing to you almost without effort. It literally feels like it's falling from the sky because you've embedded yourself right in the middle of those aggressive, high-speed acquisition cycles.

Anthony Garcia19 said:Zachary Mendoza2 says:

Honestly, why wouldn't someone want power? The world is huge and filled with so much you can reach out and grab. There's plenty to enjoy. And when you actually have something, you can share it. You can actually change things.

Why frame it that way? Why assume it's a good thing for one person to hold everything just to decide who gets a slice and who doesn't? To me, that’s just pure ego. It's basically trying to play Bog.

Plus, you mentioned changing the world. Who's to say their standards are actually good for everyone else? They're the ones making the calls, and there's no guarantee their version of "better" works for the rest of us.

It really just comes down to having the guts to fight for it. Sadly, a lot of people lack that drive. They just retreat into their shells and accept being powerless. It's a shame, because I bet a lot of them could do great things if they actually stepped up.

Usually, people see those in charge as corrupt megalomaniacs, while those in charge look down on anyone unsuccessful as just being cowards.
I think that kind of resentment and class divide pushes a lot of decent, smart people in the wrong direction. They decide not to seek influence just so they don't end up becoming "them."

When capable, honest, and bright people fail to reach their potential, it might be due to a lack of grit, but I don't think it's because they don't want power. More often than not, they get crushed by others who are desperate for control and willing to use any means necessary to get it.

Look, there's nothing wrong with having stuff.
But let's be real: right now, it’s impossible to own anything without essentially taking it from someone else. That whole dynamic won't change until we actually invent Star Trek-style replicators and tap into basically infinite energy sources.
As it stands, anyone holding onto wealth—whether directly or indirectly—has taken it from somebody else.
That other person probably wasn't given the chance to sell their labor for what it was actually worth. Maybe they were just crushed by circumstances or stuck in a broken system where their hard work isn't valued.
Meanwhile, you’ve got the first guy who’s a master at selling hot air, doing practically zero actual work while raking in massive amounts of cash.

The fact that some talented, honest, and brilliant people never reach their full potential might have something to do with them lacking guts or drive, but it has absolutely nothing to do with a lack of desire for power. More likely, they failed because their efforts were suffocated by everyone else's desperate, cutthroat grab for power, where people don't care what methods they use to get ahead.

Suffocated doesn't even cover it. They're constantly being undervalued. Think about it: why is a farmer working the soil treated like nothing compared to some corporate middleman? Those middlemen are parasites that destroy actual value, yet they get paid through the nose. Farming is essential; it's a top priority for survival. So why does society treat that work like it's worthless?