Big Bottom
"Big bottom drives me out of my mind, how can I leave that behind..."
Ok, I admit I am re-interpreting Spinal Tap's song but desperate times calls for desperate measures.
The bottom, the abyss, dark, harrowing, uncertain, lonely. The good news, if there is any, is that you are not alone there. There are now millions of Americans in the hole with you, scared, blind, looking up toward whatever light might appear.
Yes, a rescue was needed, certainly for the people who lost their savings, having salt poured in their wounds while the CEOs that caused it were getting salt scrubs and yes, even to keep the financial markets from imploding. But I think we need to examine the bottom a little more rather than trying so hard to get away from it.
What is the bottom? Rock bottom they call it. Where you can dig no more. Where you have to look at how you got there. Where can we change? Barack Obama talks about change. So did Jung. He said, "Only that which changes, remains true."
The American dream is NOT that everyone is entitled to credit based on no ability to pay it back. It is based on the idea that anyone can try, to be free from persecution, and can, if they work hard, build a life. That is the dream. Not that you get a new flat screen because you want it and can get it for nothing now and nothing for a couple of years. What we are learning is that EVERYONE has to pay. It seems that only the fat cats are not paying but I think even the fattest cat is still afraid of the smallest, hungriest, scrawniest, group of cats. Fat cats are slow, lethargic, sleepy.
When people in the public eye crash and burn from the excesses of their addictions people snicker and love that these mighty (ego swollen, entitled, out-of-step with reality types) have fallen.
What we can learn from their bottom is that the recovery they seek, we all are seeking. Recovery. A word we now ALL use daily. We are all addicts. Consumerism is an addiction.
The Serenity Prayer that many of us start to employ does help.
Grant me serenity to accept things I cannot change (my biology, other people, the world economic markets, our government).
Courage to change the things I can (our government, how we can lend a hand and support those who need help, who didn't get the breaks we did, how we spend, protesting against greed, corruption, racism disguised as patriotism, ourselves: weight, abusive behaviors, addiction to spending and to foreign oil, selfishness).
Wisdom to know the difference.
When the bottom starts to rise, and it WILL, what will we do differently?
Gas is now at $77.70 a barrel. Will lower gas prices make you jump in your SUV or will you still carpool with your co-workers as you have been forced to during this crisis.
Will you rip up your credit cards?
Will you demand more efficient, renewable power sources?
Will you help your local economy? Support local businesses. Do your research on who is really working, at a corporate level on sustainability and growth. Today, in the paper they talk of a merger between GM and Chrysler. The question needs to be asked, are they merging the old, bad, guzzling ideas OR are they joining to embrace the boom that will follow with expansive change, and innovation... America's brightest doing their best?
Will you change? Will you change so your children will be raised around change, so they won't be afraid of it?
Will you vote for change?
The future is green
The future is change.
The future is now, right this second.
The bottom is here. We are all in this together.
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Jamie
The best article I've read in years.
My husband died from cancer 4 years ago and I have an observation about Obama based on my loss.
I believe the reason so many women trust and genuinely like Barack Obama is because, in him, we see the best in the men WE love. We see the way he smiles at his children and how demonstrably he loves his wife. We know he cares about the less fortunate and thinks about how to help them. We know he isn't perfect, but he works hard, pays his bills, makes time for his family, searches his soul now and then, and tries to be a good person. He makes you feel protected while wanting to fight by his side. He might even ask directions from a stranger. Those are the general qualities most of us value in our fathers, husbands or sons.
It's my heartfelt belief Barack Obama is a good and decent man, and I'm proud to give him my vote.
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There is NO doubt that change must happen! I am depressed this morning - I just got my IRA Statement yesterday and had a pretty sleepless night. It is difficult to deal with being a couple who has always done things right. We never abused credit - in fact we each have one credit card and pay off the entire balance every month. We own our home so there is no mortgage payment due and we have no outstanding loans. We relocated to AZ from Calif. and were able to cash in on our mortgage-free home in Calif. and invest in a nice, efficient southern AZ home where our utilities are 1/4 what they were in Calif.. In short, we did things the "right" way. I was even wise enough to pull everything out of the risky stock market over one year ago knowing election year cause investment issues. My investments are in the worry free equities and funds that are considered nearly risk free. I lost $97K last month. That is every penny my account has gained in nearly 10 years. It looks as if this month will close with me loosing my actual cash investment (the amount I contributed to the account in cash) so I am not just talking about loosing speculative money I earned on paper. I doubt I will see this get much better in my lifetime. All of this so the wealthy could accumulate more $$. The selfishness in this country is despicable.
Good information Jamie,
admitting that one cannot control one's addiction or compulsion;
recognizing a greater power that can give strength;
examining past errors with the help of a sponsor (experienced member);
making amends for these errors;
learning to live a new life with a new code of behavior;
helping others that suffer from the same addictions or compulsions.
" Despotism & Democracy " Encyclopedia Britannica Films Harold D. Lasswell Ph.D Yale 1946
YouTube 9:56 mins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfrQalpmdqk
"...Consumerism is an addiction." It certainly is, Ms.Curtis. And it's fueled by rampant corporate marketing machines that spend millions on researching how to get consumers to buy their products, and then spend millions more on putting that research into play. I'm not saying consumers don't need to act responsibly, but in your own words, we're addicts, and to say they enable our addiction would be putting it mildly. I, myself, was a target of predatory lending practices by one of America's largest banks that has since been the beneficiary of a bailout. They started by sending me unsolicited letters a few months before one Chistmas, offering to lend me money for the holidays. Despite a total lack of response on my part, the unsolicited letters continued for months after Chistmas offering to help with the holiday bills or anything else I might need the money for. It got to the point where, included in the letters were what appeared to be cheques, made out to my name, in the amount of thousands of dollars. The cheques wre non-negotiable but it was clearly written: "call us this morning, you'll have your money this afternoon." They were offering me up to 80% of my gross income. It was very difficult to resist. What scared me away was the 28.5% interest rate that was part of the small print. However, I did keep some of the letters as proof of how far they will go.
Oh my, yes, Ms. Curtis. I agree with everything you've written here, particularly about our addictions as a society to living above our means.
I'm a teacher in a low socio-economic area, and every year I find myself listening to 2 kinds of children: those telling their parent(s) bought them a new PSP3 simply because they behaved well at school; and the ones who break my heart when they tell me they told their parents they really want Santa to bring them a bike, but were told that Santa can't always bring them everything they wish for (translation: "Santa's broke this year, kid.").
While I try not to judge and love them all the same, quite frankly, I'd much rather have my incoming daughter befriend and hang out with kids who come from families like the latter when she starts school. My husband and I are very, very specific about how we want to raise her...and it doesn't include rewards for things that should be expectations.
I also find there's a certain "entitlement" attitude that's growing among the children I work with...and when I meet their parents, I understand why. So I teach my kids they can do anything, be anything, they want to be--no limits, as long as they get an education, work hard, and have real expectations. I just don't know if it's being supported at home.
This article should be distributed to every major newspaper's editorial section across America.
Well, kudos for injecting the wisdom of Spinal Tap into the election....
Maybe one thing that needs to be injected into this economy talk is the Bankruptcy Bill. I wonder how many of these foreclosures that the Republicans say are attributed to minority and preditory lending, are the stepchildren of the healthcare crisis?
I personally know several people who have lost their homes to foreclosure because of catastrophic illness and skyrocketing healthcare costs. Hospitals are suing and winning because people don't have bankruptcy protection. Under previous laws, someone could file bankruptcy and a judge could restructure payments to mortgages and/or healthcare providers to keep people in their homes, fed and safe.
Totally off the subject, but I was doing some reading from Germany and could you just imagine Sarah Palin "don't cha know"-in Merkel??? Merkel would order her immediately removed from her sight, saying, "I miss the creepy guy who massaged my shoulders..."
"Working hard" really has no relevance. Producing is what counts.
The future is unwritten...know your rights!
Jamie,
Sometimes we all have to reach bottom to see our way back up. That is when we, as a nation, band together and show how great a country we can be. Maybe we all need the guidance of a "community organizer".
Ms Curtis -
Tell your hubby that there's lots of us that want him to get together with Michael and Harry, to wear those silly wigs for yet another godamned reunion tour.
SPINAL TAP was a great band, damnit! While they're at it, tell the FOLKSMEN to get busy as well.....
... Besides, we're living in a HELL HOLE!
Thank you, Jaime!
I hate to admit this to myself but I can't wait for the greedy ones to fall down financially like they've down to a lot of us poor folks.
I have never, ever had a credit card, loan, new car, house of my own.
I have always paid my bills in cash, most of the time on time. Even if they were late, they would still get paid. For this, you have bad credit. I tried to buy a used car but they wanted 27% intrest! You would think someone would sell you a car knowing that they will get paid. NOT.
I know how these lenders rip us off. I know what it is like working 60 hours/week and not having money left over. Maybe thintgs will change.
Thank you Jamie!
You are right, we are all in this together.
"You can see yourself in both sides...."
Peace.
Yeah, your right!
Dear Ms. Curtis,
Great piece as always. But I take exception that we've reached "the bottom"; I think the bottom could be, and might be, much, much worse. For the first time in my 54 year old life, I have real fear about my future and that of my sweet 13 year old daughter.
I'm no economist but things are looking very bleak, particularly for those of us within reach of retirement age and with relatively modest savings/investments. I always felt that with my smarts and belief in myself, I would always be able to "provide" for myself and my family. I'm not so sure of that anymore.
Regardless, Barack Obama is our best and ONLY choice at this moment. His election would energize our nation with its almost unfathomable "winning against all odds". Millions are together on this one; let's pray that this is OUR moment, this is OUR time.
God save our republic and our planet.
The future is green. The future is change. Personal responsibility is critically important. That being said...
There are many of us who have lived green for decades. Who have spent our lives in progressive change. Who have always taken personal responsibility. Who have worked hard to save a few bucks for retirement. Who have lived our lives with the mantra of "Live simply so that others may simply live."
However, doing those things did not protect us from getting scr*wed. This bailout is obscene. The majority of people are against it. The politicians voted for it. Or, I should say approved the $700 billion "rescue" when an additional $140 billion in "sweeteners" was added to the measure. Sweeteners? That truly adds insult to injury. $1 trillion for a war that shouldn't have been. Close to $1 trillion for this early phase of the bailout. AIG parties on...
I will vote for Obama. He is the only choice. McCain would be a horror. But I won't forget these bailouts. They simply cost the poor and middle class citizens too much life blood.
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