economic squeezes

Wed May 9 11:02:22 CDT 2007

Dear Peter and all, 
    Your responses are intriguing. Re rich getting richer: In the 1950s, there was a more steeply graduated income tax and estate tax, so the disparity between the middle class and the very rich was somewhat moderated. These taxes have been taken away by the plutocracy (government by the wealthy) in this country in the last generation, so that's part of what leads to the phenomenon of the "obscenely" wealthy. Other trends, also, reflect the kinds of in-group support of executives by other executives who have been hired as part of the board of directors in this good ol' boy's network. 

     Re downsizing life, this becomes trickier in a "culture of maximal discontent"--not only for oneself, but for one's kids. Parents have a tendency to want the best, and the problem with kids and the best---special classes, schools, protection from bullies, etc.---is that kids are a "money pit," and the temptation is to work harder so the kids will have the expected advantages. Some of this includes just keeping up with what the other kids' families are doing for, say, birthday parties. These have gotten increasingly elaborate in some quarters.

     The point I want to emphasize is that people can accommodate to increasing stress, deceiving themselves that the costs are insignificant; these costs, though, accumulate, and the gradual stress increase is expressed not only in terms of psychosomatic illness, allergies, etc., but also less time for social reciprocity and participation constructively in community building, professional or geographical (i.e., local). 
      And they may hardly notice that this "squeeze" is happening, and easily rationalize the positive elements. I'm all for looking at the bright side, but that shouldn't mean entering a state of denial about general cultural or socio-economic situations that could and should be critiqued.    -- warmly, adam

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Peter Howie 
  To: Adam Blatner ; list at grouptalkweb.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 10:43 PM
  Subject: Re: economic squeezes

  Hi Adam,

  When you present in this manner, for some reason, I take the time to read it. An irony - taking time to read about not enough time.

  It reminds me of a book by Jame Gliek called "F*s*t*r" which I haven't read despite owning it. 

  I am caught up by a range of stories and narrative line that flow through our societies. Such as a "rich getting richer". Well that is a pretty obvious thing  - what else are the rich going to do? - Once a person's wealth is greater than what they consume then they begin to accumulate and the accumulation tends to accelerate when the accumulated amount begin's to accumulating as well. I guess this line relates to the idea that their wealth comes from others getting poorer which is a spurious economic argument these days. And as for the 'poor getting poorer' - possibly in the States but not in Australia where the poverty line is continually raised though the application of social services, economic growth and subsequent opportunities to join the treadmill. However the difference between the rich and the poor is getting bigger. But poor is fairly stationary (despite incremental improvements) while any wealth increase will make the gap bigger. Maybe the discussion is around obscene wealth of the likes of Trump et al. 

  One of them main economic arguments that I am aware of is that money needs to flow. Maybe it is flowing too quickly. Many folks around here are 'downsizing' their lives to give themselves more time for family, life, leisure, study, reading, fun, play, social time, doing nothing, prayer, meditation and time to smell the roses. When I see and hear about this I don't get so concerned regarding 'decay' as you might Adam. 

  However the hustling idea is a good one. I also notice a lot of people acting like 'chiselers' that is being always on the lookout for their advantage. I notice it most when my grandkids want a little bit more than I am easily prepared to give.

  Cheers for now

  Peter Howie
  Brisbane, Australia

  At 12:59 AM 9/05/2007, you wrote:

    Dear All,
         Re economic stresses in our times: I would suggest that there is a state we might 
    call "hustling" that operates between prosperity and demoralization. In prosperity, there 
    is surplus time/energy to build the society, and the sub-societies. The decline of 
    civilizations comes with a general sense of economic and social decay, and I'm beginning 
    to think about that.
         There are developed countries, and under-developed countries. I've heard about decay, 
    but haven't been faced with it. I heard about the Great Depression of the 1930s, but it 
    was over before the morale of the culture could drop.
            Decay may be more gradual, involving a longer period of "squeezing" the middle 
    class. I think that's what is going on, more dramatically in Russia, perhaps, but also in 
    the USA. People are hustling, busy, feeling stressed, and every encouragement for giving a 
    bit---who has anything left over to give?
             Trillions of dollars are being spent on armaments and the support systems, 
    salaries, oil, etc. for Iraq. Down the tubes. That money leaves everyone correspondingly 
    drained. No money left for this and that.
             At work, equally tight. No money for psychiatric treatment, or at least, it's 
    rationed, so the treatment becomes hurried.
          Management competence is measured in terms of how many corners you can cut and still 
    fool others and yourself that you haven't cut quality. but of course you have.
         I think this mid-level of decay, hustling, can go on for years. People can still 
    think of themselves as reasonably prosperous, and the advertisers and media support this 
    image. Yet they aren't, they need to keep busier to keep up.
         I think decay can lead to its own sub-type or component of demoralization, a 
    hardening, all rationalized. No time, no time. Those other things, hospitality, 
    reciprocity, answering emails... not important.
           If decay continues, it leads to depression, demoralization, helplessness, giving 
    up. The boundaries may be fuzzy. Perhaps it leads more to desperateness and the 
    rationalization of immorality, crime, fudging the ethics.
        In the hustling stage, there is also increased entitlement. Why can't I get some too? 
    If some get if free, why  can't everything be free. It's my right. (what, after all , is a 
    "right" but a social agreement?)
                (My son has been surprised at the emails he receives: He's developed programs 
    for teaching people how to get the most out of programs---in his field of desktop 
    publishing, he's considered a major figure, an expert. But people seem to
    resent the not-excessive cost of his instructional programs. Most interesting.)
        Indeed, my son read the above and wrote:   I think you're quite right. There has been 
    a radical change in how we function. Most of my colleagues simply expect to work 2 or 3 
    people's jobs. Many people I know in management positions are now forced to fly economy 
    class at all times, including frequent trips to Asia, Europe, etc., then just sigh and say 
    what can be done, as the budgets have been slashed, even in economic boon. Everyone I know 
    is exhausted.
         A friend of mine nearing 80 noted one of the most interesting changes over even the 
    past 30 or 40 years is that hardly anyone has time to read the newspaper anymore. He said 
    that even the most stressed out, overworked person would still have time to read the 
    paper. No longer. Too much hustle.
         Hustling at 36,000 feet on my way to a conference in Chicago, David> Blatner
                           What might be your thoughts on this?  -- Warmly, Adam 

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