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The contempt for the middle class
Yesterday I was at my friends house. This special on the "crumbling middle class" came on ABC7. I told my buddy "isnt that horrible, that the middle class is evaporating?". My buddy, being a rich dude says "fu** them". Then he says, "they need to go pick strawberries". Right then and there wanted to rip his head off. More and more I have distanced myself from this buddy of mine. Even though he is a millionaire, he isnt big time. Yet he has this "elitist" attitude about that makes me sick. When i talk about rising oil prices and the effect it will have on the economy he says "i dont really care, ive got plenty of money to fill up my suburban". Yeah, ok. We will see what happens when the "strawberry picking middle class" can no longer afford that consumer products that you sell.
The main point is this: if this little fish has such a elitist attitude and views the suffering middle class with such contempt imagine how the wall street oligarchs view the rest of us! This guy makes less then a million a year, imagine the multi millionaire pin stipe bandits.
Unreal.
Print
This guy makes less then a million a year,
Thats middle class in my book. If he thinks he's the big shot capitalist just remind him who actually owns the means of production. The bankers. For whom a million dollors is small change.
“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes (American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader. 1929-1968)
Its around 700k a year. Upper middle class is probably where he fits. Nonetheless, his attitude reeks.
Upper middle class fits, but its still middle class. I think you should set that bear on him. Do you think the bear will eat him faster than inflation will eat his 'wealth'?
“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes (American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader. 1929-1968)
Oh wow im so glad you said that! For months ive tried to convince him to convert some of his cute little FRN's into gold or silver bullion. To this day he refuses to buy. He is convinced that gold is in a bubble and everytime it falls he texts me and laughs at me. This guy is CASH heavy and has a few million in the bank. To this day he is completely exposed to bens printing press.
Lately i dont go see him much anymore. "Those who have ears to hear, let them hear". He had the blessing of meeting someone like me who has the knowledge and foresight regarding the economic environment. He has refused to listen. So i stopped talking.
I am assuming he hasn't watched the CC? If not, perhaps give him a copy of the DVD (I find that this can be a more sure fire way of someone watching it than saying to them "go watch it at www..." , but I wouldn't waste too much time being frustrated with him. There will be more open-minded people in your life wth whom you can foster useful relationships.
good luck
“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes (American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader. 1929-1968)
I am assuming he hasn't watched the CC? If not, perhaps give him a copy of the DVD, but I wouldn't waste too much time being frustrated with him. There will be more open-minded people in your life wth whom you can foster useful relationships.
Bearmarkettrader, I agree about not wasting time being frustrated, but I hope you'll learn there and report here. The guy with the revolting attitude is someone you identified as a friend and buddy. You seem to have an opportunity to learn about getting through. Please stay on the case, if you can keep learning. Building community requires such outreach and persistence of us.
The guy is proud of his fortune, such as it is. Do you know why his pride has the qualities you've described? Why does it seem extreme? Did he begin behind the start line or well after the starter's pistol sounded? Was he victorious despite competition from the sure winner? Did no one believe in him before? Start the learning by gaining such understandings.
His pride is distracting him, for now. It may have to run its course.
Your option, of course.
David Eggleton http://woburnite.com/blog/5 | http://www.appliedecologics.com "There is a chief way for the production of wealth, namely, that the producers be many and that the mere consumers be few." - a Confucian observation (of ecosystems, I believe)
Building community requires such outreach and persistence of us.
Its true.
“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes (American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader. 1929-1968)
Be careful and don't expose all your ideas because even the folks you haven't talked to in ages will remember you when they reach the point of uncomfortable (notice I didn't say desperation) and they will want what they know you have. For someone like your friend, it won't even take true desperation before they feel they are desperate. Either be prepared physically and emotionally for helping them when they come knocking OR shut up and stop trying. That goes for anyone you've ever talked to that you know hasn't taken heed and at least begun to prepare.
I know a family with 3 very young children that we love very much and that haven't prepared at all and I just know we'll be helping them if disaster strikes. This weighs heavy on me but what can you do? I think it's really important to wrestle with these decisions now while we have the luxury of time and the ability to plan. As much as we all just hate the pompous ass millionare, are we prepared to turn them away when they remember you in their time of need?
Point is, if you're gonna share your insight then be prepared to answer the knock cuz it's gonna happen one way or the other, it's commin!
So funny this friend of yours is ! The poor folk have him way out numbered ....they will eventually take what they need or want . What skill does he possess for survival and how many friends can he depend on ? He probably can not even protect his own self behind the walls of his castle let alone plant the strawberries . I have a friend that said a similar thing then*BOOM* he is living in a much homier part of the city finding he really did not need all that much space ( LOL) And saying he will clean hog pens if he has to. Lots of luck there those jobs are taken . Who does he think made him rich ? Lots of little poor people .... why would he hate them so? Well I guess this is only going to get worse , when they become a mill stone around his neck.
I treasure my friends with skills to make things work, those that can scrounge around like rats. And YEAH they have asked recently " How much worse can it get?" Now we get the door open and get down to business of what really counts.
We will sell him some strawberries $ 4 a pint . ( so far ) wonder how much he will actually pay for them ??? He darn well better use some of the big bucks to buy him a gardener with a big gun . Oh and one that can make strawberry wine , he's going to need it .
FM
"As flies to wanton boys are we..."
King Lear, IV.i
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