The US is all an illusion...

[MC]

It's all make believe here in the US...roads, bridges, monuments, hospitals...everything has been created by fiat bullshit currency. It's funny what the US has done on loan more less...a loan they could never possibly pay back. Look at the vast empire we've built here...all on a farce. Yet it's done and here to stay so it's tangible.

The US is perhaps the most crafty, conniving nation in the history of the world. The country with the biggest GDP and most workers/output can conquer all with what fiat and fractional lending has done for the US. The fact that our currency is...scratch that HAS collapsed (more less) and is backed by air is proof that they have paid workers in defaulting IOU's it would seem. I'm beginning to wonder who the idiot is here though. Me who tries to live within my means while saving shrinking USD along the way, or the frivolous people? They are imitating what the US has done and which has worked so well to build an empire. They are buying things they can't afford just as the US government does decade after decade. I seemingly will have nothing left as the USD becomes stretched further and further thanks to inflation devaluing my unbacked savings vehicle. Those that drink their paychecks away will at least have had fun doing it. Those that are spend happy will have tangible items where I will have defunct currency in a defunct bank account. As they say...live & learn right?

Rant back...please. I love to rattle cages and provoke thoughts. If I can turn just 1 person on to become a free thinker I'll be a happy man!

[MC]

LOL...spent way too much time on this but it was worth it! It's true...tell me it's not.
Well ok...the rich took over well before the internet but you get the point!

The point is they lull us into complacency and show us what we "need" to be cool in the media. They use news to scare us or sell us $hit they know is making them the most $ at that time, then they create and push the next fad in our faces. It's not "cool" to have thoughts or a style of your own. Unless you strive to fit in something must be wrong with you right? It's not accepted to go off the beaten path or to question what we are being spoon fed. Do so and you'll be polarized like a circus act. They are the rich and we are the sheep.

Hey...this MC guy says the market is toppy and has no pro participation...what an idiot, the DOW is at 14k making new highs. Maybe it's my skateboarding background from way before it was "cool" to do individual sports. Maybe it's that I've always questioned "authority". Maybe I have always been happy to be a black sheep, whatever it is I'm thankful and proud to be a free thinker!

[ON THE GRIND]

Excellent Read MC, Excellent coz I agree!

[DJ South]

So... short usd?

Although I can't say that I agree completely with everything (or maybe it's just the lack of credit to the many people who deserve it), it was definitely an interesting post with a funny ass chart lol. I think the way this country has become the #1 super power (arguable by some I guess) was completely genius.

[Simonyadig]

Originally Posted by MC

It's all make believe here in the US...roads, bridges, monuments, hospitals...everything has been created by fiat bullshit currency. It's funny what the US has done on loan more less...a loan they could never possibly pay back. Look at the vast empire we've built here...all on a farce. Yet it's done and here to stay so it's tangible.

The US is perhaps the most crafty, conniving nation in the history of the world. The country with the biggest GDP and most workers/output can conquer all with what fiat and fractional lending has done for the US. The fact that our currency is...scratch that HAS collapsed (more less) and is backed by air is proof that they have paid workers in defaulting IOU's it would seem. I'm beginning to wonder who the idiot is here though. Me who tries to live within my means while saving shrinking USD along the way, or the frivolous people? They are imitating what the US has done and which has worked so well to build an empire. They are buying things they can't afford just as the US government does decade after decade. I seemingly will have nothing left as the USD becomes stretched further and further thanks to inflation devaluing my unbacked savings vehicle. Those that drink their paychecks away will at least have had fun doing it. Those that are spend happy will have tangible items where I will have defunct currency in a defunct bank account. As they say...live & learn right?

Rant back...please. I love to rattle cages and provoke thoughts. If I can turn just 1 person on to become a free thinker I'll be a happy man!

I agree with everything here and I'm a little surprised at the part about who's the bigger idiot. Not because I disagree but because it's impressive to see you think about the situation from the other perspective, the viewpoint of the "idiots".

I believe the answer lies in the ability to balance it all. If you go into super save mode and always put your pennies away for down the road, only buy what you can pay for in cash, and live well below your means, you may be missing out on enjoying some of the luxuries that we are blessed enough to have available. If you live everyday like your last and blow all your cash, go in debt to spoil yourself, and basically enjoy a lifestyle you can't even come close to affording, you're ensuring a lot of misery down the road.

But if you can balance the 2 ways of thinking, ideally you'll be able to retire a happy person and still enjoy the path to retirement. The problem is it's harder than just realizing this. After you come to this conclusion you need a method that will allow you get there. If you're working at McDonalds and supporting a family, you probably aren't going to be able to balance the 2 styles when you can't even afford to support your family. Luckily we have a vehicle that has as much potential as just about any method out there; the markets. So sacrifice a few years of your life for the big picture. You won't have to be the guy that is working his life away and being smart with his money only to end up wishing you drank it away and "enjoyed" it. You can be the guy you outsmarts the majority of the population and enjoys the nicer things in life while still being prepared for the future.

Very few people I know have the intelligence, discipline, perseverance, patience, etc. to paper trade everyday for what seems like forever. If a person like that can't make it in this world, then the only trait you need must be dumb luck. [/rant]

[MC]

Despite how I made it sound, I am far from a penny pincher. Hell, with all the tech gear I buy at times I am a bit too frivolous even. I also don't drink or do drugs, never had the desire to either. I was really just trying to relate to the other side of the fence like Simon said. He hit the nail on the head...it's like the markets and all about balance. I feel pretty well balanced at this stage of my life. A nice portion of that I owe to my study of the markets for last 2 years.

DJ, I'm sure there are a fair amount of wise people, but in my samplings over almost 32 years it's been quite lopsided with idiots. Americans in general are in the dark and brainwashed on many things. On top of that, in general they are arrogant and think the party can't possibly end. As for the US being the superpower and crafting that being a stroke of genius...I agree. And glad you found the chart funny, I was lol'ing the whole time making it.

[DJ South]

Originally Posted by MC

Americans in general are in the dark and brainwashed on many things.

Id argue that pretty much the majority of "normal citizens" of not only the US but every country are "brainwashed" as you call it. I think it's at least partly human nature.

Originally Posted by MC

On top of that, in general they are arrogant and think the party can't possibly end.

I don't know if I agree with you on this. That generalization is almost arrogant in itself (for the sake of debate of course ). Id like to think that im aware of at least some of the problems our country faces and I think we have a tough road ahead in the next 10, 20, 50 years, ect, but you would never know this by looking at me or anything. You never know... maybe most people HAVE thought about it but have decided to live in the present and almost be ignorant to the fact that "the party wont go on forever."

If something didn't make sense let me know, I like to ramble.

[MC]

Originally Posted by DJ South

Id argue that pretty much the majority of "normal citizens" of not only the US but every country are "brainwashed" as you call it. I think it's at least partly human nature.


I don't know if I agree with you on this. That generalization is almost arrogant in itself (for the sake of debate of course ). Id like to think that im aware of at least some of the problems our country faces and I think we have a tough road ahead in the next 10, 20, 50 years, ect, but you would never know this by looking at me or anything. You never know... maybe most people HAVE thought about it but have decided to live in the present and almost be ignorant to the fact that "the party wont go on forever."

If something didn't make sense let me know, I like to ramble.

OK...I agree that the global population in general could very well be clueless and/or brainwashed. It is very much "human nature" and it's used against the majority of people daily. I can only speak on my experience though...and that's with Americans. Bottom line is the lions share of success & profit goes to the elite few and does so at the expense of the majority which are sheep.

Maybe in Cali it's a different landscape since the housing prices crumbled so badly. Did the morons that took loans they had to have known were bad news get a wakeup call after the bubble burst? Are they are just NOW more in touch with our countries problems? Look at the number of people across the US that "HAVE thought about it but have decided to live in the present and almost be ignorant". Ignorant is a very fitting word IMO. How many said "the US must step in and save bank XYZ, they are too big to fall"? How many people have you asked that realized the Federal Reserve is not US property but a public company more less? How many know about fiat currency and fractional lending? Ask around and then if/when most of the people look at you like you have a 2nd head and dismiss facts we'll reconvene here.

Just because I'm blunt and not afraid to speak my mind doesn't make me arrogant. You've known me long enough to know giving me the title of arrogant isn't true I would think.

It seems you're a "glass half full" type where I'm the "half empty" type. Nothing wrong with either side and if we met in the middle maybe we both would be closer to right.

[DJ South]

haha i was by no means giving you the title of arrogant. I definitely agree with you that there are a small majority of people on top (aka rich get richer) and I think the whole housing situation really woke a lot of people up. Also bear sterns and indymac woke a lot of people up too. Im glad people dont think we are all-powerful and perfect because if they did than I think wed really be screwed.

[MC]

Give it a few years, way less than a year after the trend is fully reversed. News takes care of the mental part, these times will be a distant memory for many. After all, many Americans are people you aptly proclaimed "live in the present". Being part of the #1 superpower many have the uncanny ability of "out of sight, out of mind". Or maybe that should read "401k stopped bleeding, all is fine". I was guilty on all counts before I dug in and decided to educate myself on the markets. There is no school that will ever teach what I've learned I bet. Our education system is a major rant of mine also, but not for today. haha

I really do hope this tank job woke people up and it will have a lasting effect. I want the future to be different, why else would I write the things I do! I want common sense to make a comeback. Though it's tough to expect citizens to change when the government is setting the example and they are so screwed up and seemingly above reform. Plus the media has such a chokehold on many minds that it's scary when you step back and really remove yourself. Look at all the crap we are fed on TV. I would be out of the conspiracy theorist closet if I said IMO the media is essentially centrally controlled and is dumbing the world down to sell more crap and take further advantage of the masses. Whoops...guess that closet is open now.

Someday, somehow me and my big mouth will play a role in helping bring this country to reform. Maybe it even starts on TB, you could be part of history!