Late Cycle Capitalism

[SuburbanFarmer]

Just roughly measuring it: our Trade Deficit is about 3/4 $trillion, so we’re consuming at least that much more than we’re producing. More than half the population receives government assistance, so they are obviously consuming more than producing. As a whole, productivity could be much higher.

I’m thinking Star Trek “replicators” level of productivity before 10 hr workweeks are a thing.

What on earth makes you think that 'max productivity' could ever rise to match 'max consumption'?

[Martin Hash]

I think you’re trying to be cynical but I’ll remind your that indeed the equation must be:
Consumption = Production

[SuburbanFarmer]

I think you’re trying to be cynical but I’ll remind your that indeed the equation must be:
Consumption = Production

If your equation is using the monetary values of Consumption and Production, then that's a recipe for a balanced budget.

If you're talking about actual Productivity of Physical Materials vs. Consumption of Physical Materials, then that's a recipe for environmental balance, maybe. Or even a balance of real wealth.

However, the real world shows that a massive imbalance of both can be achieved. Monetary value of Production has shifted downward to a tiny fraction of itself every decade since the Industrial Revolution. That's why I made my comment - the average worker's actual productivity (amount of work done per hour) has exponentially increased, even in my lifetime. Yet their pay has barely increased whatsoever, adjusted for inflation.

Their consumption of materials not increased, unless you want to get into environmental damage in the harvesting of rare earths, etc.. But personal consumption of actual stuff has not. Their consumption of labor has fallen by massive proportions, because everyone supplying them works less to produce each thing.

[Martin Hash]

You’ve read my stuff; if the gain from increased productivity doesn’t start getting spread around, democracy will cure it the wrong way.

[SuburbanFarmer]

You’ve read my stuff; if the gain from increased productivity doesn’t start getting spread around, democracy will cure it the wrong way.

Couldn't agree more.

So then, if you're laying it out as an Ideal, I'm with you. That has little or nothing to do with present state, though.

[Martin Hash]

Everybody who posts to this forum is living a great life, as evidenced by them posting to this forum. They have the internet, free time, their mental & physical faculties, interests, optimism, logic, social life; who could ask for more? We all don’t want it to end but we’re pretty sure it will, not because we are going to end it, but because it simply can’t continue like this.

[SuburbanFarmer]

Everybody who posts to this forum is living a great life, as evidenced by them posting to this forum. They have the internet, free time, their mental & physical faculties, interests, optimism, logic, social life; who could ask for more? We all don’t want it to end but we’re pretty sure it will, not because we are going to end it, but because it simply can’t continue like this.

I could most certainly ask for more.

Saying simply that 'things are better than they've ever been' is to ignore that you're being fiscally raped behind the scenes. The staggering wealth of this nation is distributed in the worst possible way. That is why the current state cannot continue.

[Martin Hash]

“Perception is reality.” - everyone says so

I assure you that you have a good life. I didn’t say it couldn’t be better, just that introspection is worth a lot.

Concentrated hoarded wealth and democracy don’t mix.

[jediuser598]

“Perception is reality.” - everyone says so

I assure you that you have a good life. I didn’t say it couldn’t be better, just that introspection is worth a lot.

Concentrated hoarded wealth and democracy don’t mix.

You don't really know what forum members are going through, even if they have access to this forum. Some forum members, if they are to be believed, are in very bad states of being. I wouldn't say what they face day to day constitutes a good life.

And reality exists whether we percieve it or not. It also doesn't matter if we acknowledge the truth. Just because flat earthers don't acknowledge that the earth isn't flat, doesn't mean the earth is flat.

[Martin Hash]

I have lots of experience with people whose lifes aren’t good. They couldn’t post coherently here. If you can keep your shit together, make a logical deduction, get some WiFi, believe me, you’re doing better than 3/4ths of the people out there. And if you can post here, you’re in the top 10-15%.