General Discussion

TBF

(36,624 posts)

76. It is not Americans who demand "stuff" - it is capitalism that overproduces and creates this culture

Mon Jan 23, 2012, 10:29 AM

Jan 2012

of spend, spend, spend ...

Americans are working harder because they are forced to. Folks continue to be laid off and others have to pick up the slack (longer hours). That top 10% who is benefiting from those still laboring are buying "stuff" and paying their medical co-pays because what else do you do with the money. We are quickly turning into a 3rd world country with that top group doing most of the spending. Everyone else is lucky if they have money to put gas in their car for the week (and don't even talk to me about public transportation - down here in Houston it is the top 1% who kill any public transportation plans so don't even tell me "Americans want their cars". They aren't given a choice).

It all goes back to the capitalism. Change the system and particularly the rewards, and you will see a change of behavior.

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Why do we have to "Work so Hard" to make a living? [View all] glowing Jan 2012 OP

So rich people can be richer and buy islands and jets and armies. nt valerief Jan 2012 #1

Probably, because with time, we wouldn't allow psychopath's like Mitt Romney the glowing Jan 2012 #3

BINGO. snagglepuss Jan 2012 #5

You know, the Pres of our company eats lunch with us blueamy66 Jan 2012 #73

Put the top 20% to work at manual labor FrodosPet Jan 2012 #120

Really? Really? Really? guardian Jan 2012 #133

The top 20% own 80% FrodosPet Jan 2012 #142

So given my example guardian Jan 2012 #147

Really? joeglow3 Jan 2012 #149

No, it's the top half percent with all the money. nt valerief Jan 2012 #143

It seems like the ACTUAL hard workers get paid shit while the paper pushers get million $$$ bonuses. FarLeftFist Jan 2012 #2

Reminds me of this: PassingFair Jan 2012 #14

Who should we reward hard workers? Saving Hawaii Jan 2012 #48

Yes, hard workers. You know, the one's with the ACTUAL SKILLS to produce. The CEO is useless. FarLeftFist Jan 2012 #63

the paper pushers get million $$$ bonuses. AlbertCat Jan 2012 #78

More and more of the 99% are asking themselves these things lunatica Jan 2012 #4

Thank God.. I'm tired of a Job Defining me. glowing Jan 2012 #7

I am with you Lifelong Protester Jan 2012 #98

The working folk have to emulate the rich's work ethic so that they too can be rich. Fuzz Jan 2012 #6

If that were true, we wouldn't have a decent human being living... glowing Jan 2012 #12

Why do you hate America? Ripping people off and stabbing them in the back is the Fuzz Jan 2012 #16

lol glowing Jan 2012 #17

HA! I am amazed at how many non-rich people buy into that bullshit, never realizing that the SammyWinstonJack Jan 2012 #75

"Hard work is good for you." Usually said by rich people who don't work. Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2012 #8

I don't have that many years in yet, but I too am finding the "hard work" glowing Jan 2012 #15

Yeah, I remember hearing a talk Lydia Leftcoast Jan 2012 #31

SLAVE OWNERS???? AlbertCat Jan 2012 #81

Serious difference between complaining about the help and complaining about lazy slaves. intheflow Jan 2012 #86

The vast majority of the population got along with one servant or none Lydia Leftcoast Jan 2012 #87

Going into Civil War literacy rate among White Northern Males was estimated around 98%! ieoeja Jan 2012 #125

du rec. nt xchrom Jan 2012 #9

It's part of the overall plan. You have less time and energy to PA Democrat Jan 2012 #10

Bingo. Populist_Prole Jan 2012 #28

We just have to remind them, then EC Jan 2012 #11

Apparently the sorts of things NORMAL people consider actual work kestrel91316 Jan 2012 #13

It's important work, you know. AlbertCat Jan 2012 #82

So that Arab oil can keep on pumping PetroDollars. DU2012 Jan 2012 #18

Well, if you don't, the soshulists win. Or something. HughBeaumont Jan 2012 #19

Your rant reminds me of the promises we were told when I was young. Curmudgeoness Jan 2012 #20

I want my flying car. BiggJawn Jan 2012 #27

Exactly, which is why the US is the most productive country Curmudgeoness Jan 2012 #29

If the republicans hadn't stolen the election B Calm Jan 2012 #33

When does the world rebel against this? Zalatix Jan 2012 #46

Rebel against what? The2ndWheel Jan 2012 #67

Actually, most of the industrialize world doesn't have this problem, Curmudgeoness Jan 2012 #136

I guess Americans will rebel when the economy collapses. Zalatix Jan 2012 #137

We will see. Curmudgeoness Jan 2012 #140

I remember the promise that technology would give us more time. airplaneman Jan 2012 #51

That reminds me of another thing from the past... Curmudgeoness Jan 2012 #134

Because the pie is only so large and the official state secular religion that a few have TheKentuckian Jan 2012 #21

see Ted Rall's "Revenge of the Latch-key kids" hfojvt Jan 2012 #22

61 yrs old and working 60+ hrs a week B Calm Jan 2012 #23

Im 57 and work 2 jobs totaling 70+ hour a week. airplaneman Jan 2012 #52

I'm sick of it too - and the harder we work it seems, the less our pay increases. Initech Jan 2012 #24

And our pay is being reduced socialindependocrat Jan 2012 #25

K&R treestar Jan 2012 #26

It's particularly galling when you remember back to the late 1970s Remember Me Jan 2012 #30

A fair day's wage for a fair day's work NNN0LHI Jan 2012 #32

I know several people who have had jobs eliminated where they work, woo me with science Jan 2012 #34

Because we want so much stuff Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #35

That's silly - who can afford anything these days. TBF Jan 2012 #38

Lot's of people Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #40

Top 10% - what about the other 90% TBF Jan 2012 #42

That's great. Too bad it has nothing to do Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #43

Your "conversation" is a right-wing meme that has nothing to do with the OP TBF Jan 2012 #69

It's not a red herring Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #71

It is not Americans who demand "stuff" - it is capitalism that overproduces and creates this culture TBF Jan 2012 #76

Oh Bull Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #79

That's fine because I'm not buying TBF Jan 2012 #89

You are welcome to my debt Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #92

Your last line gives you away - TBF Jan 2012 #94

I agree Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #101

"I will fight for every single worker to have what you have." treestar Jan 2012 #96

Care to elaborate on your "case"? TBF Jan 2012 #99

Home size is about land area jeff47 Jan 2012 #106

The US hasn't grown much in the past 30 years Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #115

Growth really doesn't enter into it jeff47 Jan 2012 #118

I agree with most of what you said Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #123

Because it was very hard to build a house jeff47 Jan 2012 #135

I'm not sure where you live? I think where you live has a lot more to do with glowing Jan 2012 #58

It's not like NY though Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #72

"Simple living" - TBF Jan 2012 #77

Stop with the right wing meme BS Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #80

My "biases" entail getting rid of capitalism TBF Jan 2012 #90

We simply disagree on the definition of "fairly" Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #103

I guess so - TBF Jan 2012 #109

time to bail on your disruptor elehhhhna Jan 2012 #145

I live very simply now because I've never had a pot to piss in.. and this is after glowing Jan 2012 #83

Lots of good thoughts there Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #113

"Multiple Generation" housing is increasing in the neighborhood I live. hunter Jan 2012 #102

yet people in starving Africa own more and better cellphones than we do. provis99 Jan 2012 #61

And sadly, many places in rural areas in this country don't even have a cell signal. glowing Jan 2012 #84

hmm... chervilant Jan 2012 #65

I've noticed that as well. TBF Jan 2012 #93

Indeed. chervilant Jan 2012 #141

Enough with the right-wing talking points Hugabear Jan 2012 #110

Nice strawman!! Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #114

Each Apple employee generates $400,000 in profits per year. That's why. Fool Count Jan 2012 #36

I agree completely. nt TBF Jan 2012 #37

I usually work 60+ hours per week and Tuesday_Morning Jan 2012 #39

Too much or too little work are bad for you. gulliver Jan 2012 #41

I don't know if we work as hard as, say, the 12 year old slave laborers that produce chocolate jtuck004 Jan 2012 #44

Because we create more wealth for the 1% that way. Starry Messenger Jan 2012 #45

I hear you. Sometimes I feel the same way. But you know... Honeycombe8 Jan 2012 #47

"My young men shall never work," said he with a wave of the hand, Zorra Jan 2012 #50

Your email perfectly describes work. Honeycombe8 Jan 2012 #152

There are very little options of "choosing" where one works.. these days its seen glowing Jan 2012 #57

I have to say Skittles Jan 2012 #64

Just because you like it now doesn't mean you always will jeff47 Jan 2012 #108

I'm from the south. Women still do the holiday cooking and cleanup. Honeycombe8 Jan 2012 #151

Brings to mind a point and counterpoint. Snarkoleptic Jan 2012 #49

It makes you free, don't you know? 2ndAmForComputers Jan 2012 #53

How else do you plan to be a "successful American"?? Beartracks Jan 2012 #54

conversely, if you are rich you must have worked like a dog to get it. Quantess Jan 2012 #139

But of course, they worked in shipping! Beartracks Jan 2012 #150

50 years old working 60-80 per week.. SomethingFishy Jan 2012 #55

I feel the same way.. I just want to be able to work enough that it pays the bills, glowing Jan 2012 #62

"Why are so many who work hard not making a living?" would be a better question. n/t gkhouston Jan 2012 #56

That's a great question. I hope people start asking these politicians when they glowing Jan 2012 #60

Work....there's just no money in it! n/t pitchforksandtorches Jan 2012 #59

because the 1% took the lion's share of the 99%'s advances. Festivito Jan 2012 #66

Try the books... druidity33 Jan 2012 #68

Technology only raises the bar on what we are expected to accomplish ehrnst Jan 2012 #70

All by design, isn't it? Evil bastards, aren't they? SammyWinstonJack Jan 2012 #74

So VERY true. chervilant Jan 2012 #85

keeps us busy, occupies our minds stuntcat Jan 2012 #88

I'm reminded of Herman Melville's "Typee" Courtesy Flush Jan 2012 #91

K & R !!! WillyT Jan 2012 #95

Is US economic policy based off the politics of the beehive? shcrane71 Jan 2012 #97

They want us living in factories, like the workers at that awesome Foxconn village redqueen Jan 2012 #100

Jon Stewart did a nice bit on Foxconn jorno67 Jan 2012 #104

Hard work has never bothered me guitar man Jan 2012 #105

We don't kctim Jan 2012 #107

What A F**king Joke and Sanctimonious Hooey HangOnKids Jan 2012 #112

Of course you don't kctim Jan 2012 #116

Almost every low wage manufacturing job where I have worked required a lot of hard work Nikia Jan 2012 #119

You only need a 'high paying' job kctim Jan 2012 #124

I am saying that pay does not often correlate to "hard work" Nikia Jan 2012 #127

Ah, I follow kctim Jan 2012 #130

Please, take that right-wing tripe somewhere else Hugabear Jan 2012 #148

Stop playing on the Internet and get back to work :) snooper2 Jan 2012 #111

K&R B Calm Jan 2012 #117

Grunt David Jeffrey Spetch Jan 2012 #121

One of the things that I disliked about my former workplaces Nikia Jan 2012 #122

We all must work; pay all that money into Social Security; and drop dead young! n/t Tom_Foolery Jan 2012 #126

I remember reading a news article describing how much money "Business" was losing on Angry Birds Evoman Jan 2012 #128

I once had a Japanese assistant who was training to teach Japanese to foreigners Lydia Leftcoast Jan 2012 #129

To SOME EXTENT, it might depend on where you live in the US BrendaBrick Jan 2012 #131

kick Blue_Tires Jan 2012 #132

Kick nt woo me with science Jan 2012 #138

K & R! lonestarnot Jan 2012 #144

K&R Great Post! n/t PhoenixAbove Jan 2012 #146