Quote of the Day
We are just at the VERY beginning of the scaling back process. With the country losing jobs like crazy right now, people who want to scale back might not even be able to because they are just trying to cling to what they have right now. Think about all those MILLIONS of people who moved…
We are just at the VERY beginning of the scaling back process. With the country losing jobs like crazy right now, people who want to scale back might not even be able to because they are just trying to cling to what they have right now. Think about all those MILLIONS of people who moved to the Sun Belt over the last decade and bought those energy sucking houses in the deserts of Phoenix, Las Vegas, etc. Many of them are trapped. Their houses are worth half, their electricity costs are through the roof and they now find themselves in cities which were born of the notion that bigger is better. We don’t hear about the shift as much yet, because those people aren’t yet packing up in any serious numbers (my few friends aside) because they are just trying to figure out what comes next. I guarantee you though, that a lot of people feel trapped right now in a lifestyle which they now realize is not sustainable for the long run. It won’t be until the economy turns around that many of these same people will be able to do anything about it though. This is not a blip, I don’t think. This is an earth shattering tectonic plate shift that will reshape the way people view their lives all over the world. I think so anyway. I also think that it’s necessary, and will ultimately be a great thing for the human race.
— by 11217 in Brooklyn Rental Market More Stable Than Manhattan
There was a headline this last week that California had the largest number of people move away from the state this last year. 11217 may be right people will be fleeing the sunbelt.
11217, as you know, I agree with your post, as I wrote in the original thread. I don’t see your outlook on life as negative, defeatist, or whatever label someone else has for it. I also agree that now is a time of great challenge, and great hope for a better tomorrow. Not because of Obama, or some Divinely imposed national austerity, but because in times of challenge, we are able to take chances, strive for more, and become someone better than who we were.
In that quest is the opportunity to become less materially obsessed. That doesn’t realistically mean we don hair shirts, live in caves and retreat from our modern conveniences, but we realize that we are not defined by our latest and biggest flat screen tv’s, latest I-Phone, or most impressive car, apartment, or address. It’s not that we can’t or shouldn’t have those things, it’s that they are not really that important, and in realizing that, maybe we decide they can wait, or other things can take their place, like a good used car, or a zip car, instead of a new car, etc,etc. Maybe it’s not always all about us.
Congratulations on your QOTD. Keep ’em coming.
This is an interesting thread. I got a chuckle, which is rare.
11217: you know what you need asap? You need to get laid!
Sex is important to clear out all those backed-up negative feelings about America and consumers and people who live in Phoenix (I loved that!).
Good luck!
remember our motto here at Brownstoner:
Get the best bang for your buck!
I have to agree with sam on this one, the post seems a bit heavy on hyperbole.
This nation has been through a lot in the past decade; attacks on the homeland, war, natural disasters of biblical proportion and a virulent divisiveness stoked by a media which now serves its own agenda.
Despite all that, most Americans I speak to and see daily, continue to live their lives, go about their business and generally defy all expectations of failure.
I don’t think we are at the point, as a nation, where we are resigned to negativity. If anything, we are at the opposite point, one of renewed hope. I’ll give that to Obama, although I didn’t vote for him, but that’s the difference, I’m not looking for a recount.
what’s more, if we look at our past as any measure of our future, we have come back from far worse.
No, I think what’s called for here is something entirely foreign to much of the baby boomer generation which has been driving our self-destructive, self-loathing, mea culpa ridden national discourse since Vietnam.
Backbone and Grit.
And before some snotnosed punk tries to go all ironic on me about stating this, let me say, that you will only be proving my point about how far up our collective asses the politically correct crowd has shoved our heads and psyches.
Take a look at the international pages of your precious NY Times and you will see a hard world out there, one filled with oppression, despots, genocide, war and general nastiness.
By comparison, our 7% unemployment rate, $1.99/gallon gasoline and hand wringing over not having that house in the hamptons yet, seems quite tame.
It won’t be easy, but as Sartre said;
“life begins on the far side of despair”.
RaginCajun is the same poster as someone else whom I recently decided I dislike but has a different name. Clearly the same person but different name… same tedious writing style.
everyone today survives because they are the recipient of money made from the sale of something. scaling back will just f of us all.
i was thinking of starting a social networking plea for everyone to start buying stuff. and lots of it.
you can only scale back so far. we’ll do better by making more money, not spending less. spending less only results in a domino effect of then making less.
And you might want to let Mr. B know to put an alert at the top of the blog making sure that everyone knows that you are not allowed to read or post here unless you own a multi-million dollar brownstone. According to your incredibly disgusting final post, that would rule out half the readers. I’m sure he won’t mind.
Oh I forgot the best one…
“bullshit”
I will let the rest of your comments speak for themselves. I think it’s quite clear here who needs some help.
Ignorance is bliss, right Sam?
“Maybe you should be less judgemental of others”…..
– “I think you need to get out more.”
– “Believe me, you are not the most optimistic person I know.
In fact I think you sound like a happiness anorexic.”
– “it all stems from jealousy you know.”
– “11217, you sound a little depressed”