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A Disillusioned 99'er Shares His Disappointment With The American Dream, Welcomes Death
"Mark", a member of the ever growing cadre of disillusioned, disenchanted and disgruntled millions of American unemployed, has written a letter shared by A Company of One, in which he explains the plight of 99'ers (those whose extended unemployment benefits are set to expire) in which he chronicles his plight and his terminal disappointment with the American system. One can only imagine how all the "99'ers" would feel if they did not have the benefit of living at least partially subsidized for 2 years in the socialist state of America. If Bahrain is any indication, where the government's attempt to purchase the love of its people just failed today, pretty soon not even the 99 weeks of EUCs will do much to suppress what is an unmistakably rising anger among the broad US population.
From Mark's letter:
To the unemployed, sick, disabled and poor:
Hello,
I'm unemployed over two years now, a 99er without any benefits for
three months. I followed Unemployed Friends almost from its start, never
posted until now, but am grateful for my time with you all. I did as
asked with calls and e-mails, etc. I've a confession to make to you all.
I'm a criminal.
I've obeyed the 10 commandments and all laws except: I'm unemployed
and that's now a crime, I'm poor and that's a crime, I'm worthless
surplus population and that's a crime, I'm a main street American
Citizen born and raised in the USA and that's now a crime, and I'm
euthanizing myself as I write this note -- so arrest my corpse. This
isn't a call for help, the deed is done, it's not what I wanted. Death
is my best available option. It's not just that my bank account is $4,
that I've not eaten in a week, not because hunger pangs are agonizing
(I'm a wimp), not because I live in physical and mental anguish, not
because the landlady is banging on the door non-stop and I face
eviction, not that Congress and President have sent a strong message
they no longer help the unemployed. It's because I'm a law abiding
though worthless, long-term unemployed older man who is surplus
population. Had I used my college education to rip people off and steal
from the elderly, poor, disabled and main street Americans I would be
wearing different shoes now -- a petty king. Hard work, honesty, loving
kindness, charity and mercy, and becoming unemployed and destitute
unable to pay your bills are all considered foolishness and high crimes
in America now. Whereas stealing and lying and cheating and being greedy
to excess and destroying the fabric of America is rewarded and
protected -- even making such people petty king and petty queens among
us.
Since the end of 2008, when corporate America began enjoying the
resumption of growth, profits have swelled from an annualized pace of
$995 billion to the current $1.66 trillion as of the end of September
2010. Over the same period, the number of non-farm jobs counted by the
Labor Department has slipped from 13.4 million to 13 million -- there is
no recovery for the unemployed and main street. We taxpayers have
handed trillions of dollars to the same bank and insurance industry that
started our economic disaster with its reckless gambling. We bailed out
General Motors. We distributed tax cuts to businesses that were
supposed to use this lubrication to expand and hire. For our dollars, we
have been rewarded with starvation, homelessness and a plague of fear
-- a testament to post-national capitalism.
Twelve years ago, I lost the last of my family. Ten years ago, I lost
the love of my life, couldn't even visit him in the hospital because
gays have no rights. I fought through and grieved and went on as best I
could. Seven years ago, I was diagnosed with Diabetes and Stage 2 high
blood pressure with various complications including kidney problems,
mild heart failure, Diabetic Retinopathy. These conditions are
debilitating and painful. I am on over eight prescribed medications,
which is very difficult without insurance and income. But I struggled on
and my primary caregiver was very pleased with my effort overtime with
my A1C at seven. Still these physical disabilities have progressively
worsened, and I have had a harder and harder time functioning in basic
ways. All the while, I give thanks to God because I know there are many
more worse off than me -- and I tried to help by giving money to
charities and smiling at people who looked down and sharing what little I
had.
I am college educated and worked 35 years in management, receiving
written references and praise from every boss for whom I worked. Yet,
after thousands of resumes, applications, e-mails, phone calls, and drop
ins, I've failed to get a job even at McDonalds. I've discovered there
are three strikes against me -- most 99ers will understand. Strike one
-- businesses are not hiring long-term unemployed -- in fact many job
ads now underline "the unemployed need not apply." Strike two -- I am
almost 60 years old. Employers prefer hiring younger workers who demand
less and are better pack mules. Strike three -- for every job opening
I've applied, there are over 300 applicants according to each business
who allow a follow up call. With the U3 unemployment holding steady at
9.6percent and U6 at 17 percent for the past 18 months, the chances of
me or any 99er landing a job is less than winning the Mega Million
Jackpot. On top of that, even the most conservative economists admit
unemployment will not start to fall before 2012 and most predict up to
seven years of this crap.
I believe the Congress and President have no intention of really
aiding the unemployed -- due to various political reasons and their
total removal from the suffering of most Americans, their cold-hearted,
self-serving natures. Had they really wanted to help us, they could have
used unspent stimulus monies or cut foolish costs like the failed wars
or foreign aid, and farm subsidies. The unspent stimulus money alone
cold have taken care of ALL unemployed persons for five years or until
the unemployment rate reached 7 percent if Congress and the President
really wanted to help us -- and not string us all along with a meager
safety net that fails every few months. In any case, if I were to
survive homelessness (would be like winning the mega-millions) and with
those three strikes against me, in seven more years, I'll be near 70
with the new retirement age at 70 -- now who will hire an old homeless
guy out of work for nine years with just a few years until retirement?
So, here I am. Long term unemployed, older man, with chronic health
problems, now totally broke, hungry, facing eviction. My landlady should
really be an advocate for the unemployed -- she bangs on my door
demanding I take action. A phone call and a "please" are not enough for
her -- she is angry. She is right to be angry with me, I am unemployed
-- as apparently everyone is now angry with us unemployed.
Two hundred and eleven and social services cannot help single men.
Food banks and other charities are unable to help any more folks -- they
are overwhelmed with the poor in this nation. So I have the "freedom"
to be homeless and destitute and "pursue happiness" in garbage cans and
then die -- yay for America huh? It's the end of November and cold. A
diabetic homeless older person will experience amputations in the winter
months. So I will be raiding garbage cans for food, as my body
literally falls apart, a foot here, a finger there. I have experienced
and even worked with pain from my diseases -- hardship I can face. I
just cannot muster the courage to slowly die in agony and humiliation in
the gutter.
I have no family, I have no friends. For the past two years, I've had
nobody to talk with as people who knew me react to the "unemployed"
label as if it were leprosy and contagious. I am not a bad person, in
fact people really like me. But everyone seems to be on a tight budget
these days and living in incredible fear. It is hopeless since we all
are hearing more and more that we unemployed are to blame for
unemployment, that we are just lazy, that we are no good, that we are
sinners, that we are druggies, yet we are the victims who suffer and are
punished while the robber baron banksters and tycoons become senators,
congress, presidents and petty kings. So the only option left for me is
merciful self euthanasia.
It is with a heavy heart that I have set my death in motion, but what
I am facing is not living. So off I go, I have made peace with God and
placed my burden on Jesus and He forgives me. This nation has become
evil to the core, with cold-hearted politicians and tycoons squeezing
what little Main Street Americans have left. It is not the America into
which I was born -- the land of the free and the home of the brave with
kind folks who help neighbors -- it is now land of the Tycoon-haves and
the rest of us have-nots who march into hopelessness and despair.
Every unemployed person I have met over these past two years have
been saintly. Sharing what little they have, and being charitable --
being kind and patient and supportive. Isn't it amazing that we
Americans who suffer so much, have not taken to the streets in violence,
riots or gotten out the guillotines and marched on tycoons and
Washington in revolt as would happen in most other nations? But rather
we plead with deaf politicians to please help us. We don't demand huge
sums -- just 300 bucks a week, barely enough to cover housing for most.
Most of all we say, please help us get a job, please allow us dignity.
I can't help but juxtapose our plight to the tycoons and politicians.
They are never satisfied with their enormous wealth, and always want
more millions no matter whom it hurts. They STEAL from pension funds,
banks, the people and government, and little Wall Street investors. Then
rather than face punishment, they become petty kings in this world.
They are disloyal to America, unpatriotic, and serve their own foreign
UN-American greedy causes and demand more and more and more. I feel that
this is not the nation into which I was born. I was born in America,
the land of the free and the home of the brave. America, where people
give as much as they receive. America, where all people work for the
common good, and try to leave a better and more prosperous nation for
the next generation. America, where people help their neighbors and show
charity and mercy. This new America is alien to me -- it is an America
of greed and corruption and avarice and mean spirited selfishness and
hatred of the common good -- it is an America of savage beasts roaring
and tearing at the weak, and bullying the humble and peacemakers and
poor and those without means to defend themselves. I am not welcome here
anymore. I don't belong here anymore. It's as if some evil beast
controls government, the economy, and our lives now.
I must go now, my home is someplace else. Goodbye and God bless you
all. God bless the unemployed and poor and elderly and disabled. God
bless America and the American people except the tycoons and politicians
-- may God retain the sins of tycoons and politicians and phony
preachers and send them to the Devil.
Mark
h/t Mike
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Nothing sad here. Mark is an egomaniac - just look how many times he uses the word I in his rant. His version of the world is without merit as he looks to blame everyone but himself for his plight. 99 weeks on the TIT isn't enough compassion from the taxpayers - he needs more. Always its more. Tell me Mark, how many weeks is enough?
What kind of "Cry Me A River" crap do we have here?
The thought just occurred to me that Tyler may have posted this letter to differentiate between creators/producers vs. parasite mind-sets among the ZH community. Hm....
Hope and Change.
That's right Freddie..."Hope" that America steps up the creating, producing and saving nation that we ought to be and "Change" the parasitical governmental mind-sets that are destroying who we once were.
This is such convoluted claptrap. I'd say phony on my BS meter. or written by a total split personality.
ORI
http://aadivaahan.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/oil-crisis-in-a-thousand-words/
sad
Not sad...Pathetic.
Well, it's good to know that if you ever find yourself in that situation, you won't be asking anyone for help.
Even if you landed in the situation through no fault of your own.
I may ask for help if needed (may I have a sandwich today, I'll pay you tomorrow) , but I will not sit on my ass and collect for 99 weeks with a sense that I am entitled to other peoples money. In addition, I would not get angry and point fingers once the 99weeks has ended. Nor will I kill myself.
Most of the "poor" in this country are overweight, have a roof over their heads, a refrigerator full of food, big screen tv and a playstation. If you want to see real poverty, all you have to do is take a trip to Mexico and you don't have to go far across the border. If you want to see REAL poverty go to Equador. Sorry, but most of the "poor" people here in the U.S. just want the rest of us to maintain their lifestyles. Go cry to someone else.
http://guerillatics.com
I believe you've made your point... please, just go away.
no
NO, motherfuckers in here need to acknowledge the fact that being "poor" in USA has absolute FUCK ALL to do with being poor in pretty much any other country on earth. And until you understand the difference, you will never truly understand why some populations riot and other don't. Fucking dipshits; as much as i hate USA at it is right now, we do an UNPARALLELED job of keeping the poor pacified
Nor will I kill myself.
Thats too bad.
Yes, you are. For once, we agree.
sorry to read this, but you should never go away without putting up a strong fight and taking down some bastards .......the names are plenty , so do your best to keep the innocent out of the fray
You're a jackass.
And fight how exactly? With what exactly? The American cops turn to violence faster than Iranian ones.
Hmm.. how about some banksters? Or congresscritters? Or IRS agents? Pick your flavor my friend, it is a target rich environment.
If I knew death was imminent (and no, killing myself because the government benefits ran out is NOT acceptable), I would try and make some sort of statement. Death is just death. Death with a purpose is much more.
PS: Attention Uncle Janet and minions. My comments are not meant in any way to incite or condone violence against our masters. That is all.
Strong stuff. I admire you in a way.
Ditto.
You should probably contact him and set him up for a christmas tree bombing.
Oh wait he's not 15. He'll figure you out you fucking piece of fbi trash.
You should probably stop posting immediately; you are hazardous to your own well-being.
Interesting response from a self procalimed tough guy.
Hell, he wasn't dying so he could have just taken out some bad guys, put down his gun and received 3 hots and a cot for the rest of his life. Healthcare too!
I don't think he thought that through very well.
ahh, the old 'fight psychopathy with psychopathy' gambit, always guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser....
Fuck censorship! I respect any resistance fighters.
"And fight how exactly?" Seek training, or at least buy a book on the subject.
"With what exactly?" I recommend an AK and a 1911.
"The American cops turn to violence faster than Iranian ones." I agree. Many of us will die. Edit: All of us will die, of course, but whatever.
I completely agree, dying quietly in your home your only doing them a favour, go out with a bang and take as many of those mothafukers with you as you can
Do what Joe Stack or Jared Loughner did, but aim better
Stop.
Now that someone replied, he can't edit it.
These types of posts should be deleted, for the safety of the posters...
Agreed. Not to mention the ZH community at large. This type of thing will get ZH shut down faster than any number of articles that Tyler could post.
Violence... however understandable should never be used.
Learn from the Tunisians and Egyptians... we merely have to learn to say "Enough" with a strong enough and united enough voice and the nightmare will start to end.
what if "they" say no?
Egypt? LOL. One outcome of many...how about Iran? China? North Korea? Bhutan? Myanmar...jeezus I'll be up all night at this rate.
Peaceful protest fails more often than it succeeds. This shit about violence...are you gay or something?
I love it how people latch onto the few exceptional cases where a bunch of people banged pots and everything turned out fine. Or has it? Is Egypt really better? You're already counting chips in a card game where they haven't even flopped yet.
And for what, to try to convince yourself that real change can be had without suffering, pain, bloodshed? To what, try not to get your hands dirty?
If it really comes between their eating and yours, they will not hesitate to use violence. People here babble on for days about how the "leaders" are all psychopathic bullies yet you really think they are going to respect your words?
Jeez, even the military has figured out that surgical bombing doesn't win wars, yet you think you can hold hands and say enough and it will....
Something about a constitutional "right to bear arms" tells me you are wrong!
Call it a hunch :)
Azan--when you say stupid shit like that I have this horrible visual of Big Sis strapping one on and doing something just terrible to your private parts.
gee, thanks.
Well, what do you expect from a guy that's used to taking it up the ass?
Ooh, anonymous flags from anonymous fags. Thanks for proving my point.
I get the feeling you flag yourself for attention.
just because you own a keyboard doesn't mean you know how to use it. Ugh
from the tone of the letter, he didn't seem to have the energy to fight anymore...
I agree. Higher value targets get their attention too.
+1 (or more, if you have access.)
+ 308 If you're on the way out people, at least do some community service and print off the Sex Offender registry for your local area. The world could always benefit from less child molesters. Take a few of them with you.
GOP sez "We're ready to cut more benefits from these folks!" ---> all the while giving tax breaks for those who have little use for them. God help America from herself.
stop with the MSM crap
And don't forget the GOP healthplan "Don't get sick". And the follow up plan "If you get sick, die fast". America the beautiful.
You've described Obamacare perfectly. It's all about slashing costs by slashing services while funneling profits to bureaucrats and their corporate cronies.
Hi Mr. Grayson, so now that you were booted from congress, you troll ZH to pass the time?
Can't you do something more productive like Al Gore did in his spare time?
You mean like ethanol fuel pump monkeying (until recently) and living in homes all over the world that were less "green" than many who don't do "green".
Whatever clownfrak.
Ps-Its rationed healthcare stoopid. They will look at the stats and if you don't fit in the chart they will send you off to croak quietly. Its bad enough now. It will be worse when the government totally takes it over. I mean after all, they are SO AWESOME!
X,
stop accepting the premise. GOP... Dems... weapons of mass destruction...
you're being schooled. prime sheeple for the shearing.
the only reason they keep you around is for your next wool-coat/contribution to their game.
until you figure this out, you *are* the problem. more-so than bush/maobama will ever be.
Xilbaba prime example of govt school knee-jerk indoctrination and complete mind control.
Republican, Democrat - there's no fucking difference.
Read Carroll Quigley's "Tragedy & Hope".
Left wing, right wing, with regards to politics they're both from the same bird.
I junked you for your assignment of a "nationstate fiction" as female, then applying a male "God" to save "her" - the sooner these artificial labels are dis-spelled, the better - they're re-enforced to divide us.
That's why people need to save as much money as possible when they are young and working. Oh, and try to keep healthy too because if you get sick and you have to pay your own medical expenses, your savings can go poof just like that.
To have their pensions robbed to pay the banksters like they are doing in Ireland?
...and when the retirement portfolio manager invests in gold, he's commanded by the central bank to sell it off. At least in the Netherlands... for now.
A sure confirmation that there lies the correct path for these times. A 99er who had bought a single silver round with every check would be sitting on a glimmer of hope for a coming force majeure. What was silver 99 weeks ago, ~ $14?
Yeah, with the house, kids, cars, and $100M of student loans, those kids should have plenty to sock away, especially when their retirement plan is a government scam to funnel money into high risk investments.
Yes. First 25 years preparation to acquire. Second 25 Years acquisition and saving. Last 25 years, live off what you have saved and acquired.If you rolled through 25 to 50 yo borrowing and spending, then you screwed yourself.
My son is graduating from college in appx 6 weeks. I built him a 1Br/1Bth apt as I believed he would be attending law skool nearby. I told him to think twice about $150,000 to $200,000 in law skool loans. He refuses to take over my business, which would have him earning over $100,000 in two years - and he could still live in the apt rent free. I am waiting for reality to slap him across the face, but looks like students loans are the new "zero intererst CC" of this generation.
Have you read the latest New York Times article: "Is Law School a Losing Game" by David Segal?
Jan. 8, 2011
All about the huge costs of law school and lack of jobs available forthwith....
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/business/09law.html?pagewanted=all
Your son should read it and weep....
~Misstrial
.< worlds smallest violin playing for these people who believe they are entitled to the American dream.
World's largest violin playing for those people who believe that the American Dream still exists.
+ cello soliloquy.
Everyone IS entitled to the American dream. It's just that what we call the American Dream these days isn't the real American Dream.
The American Dream is working your way up through society, from the bottom to the top, within your lifetime, by virtue of your own hard work. That dream is mostly gone, destroyed by the socially stratifying university/student debt system. Those that are rich enough to pay cash get through fine. Those that aren't get through with crushing debt that ensures they live in poverty for the remainder of their life. The ironic secret to success now is to NOT go to college. You will advance much faster (in most cases), and be debt free.
We both agree that it is not an entitlement.
Why so glum? There's a chicken in every pot.
Michael Moore says Cuba is a nice place. Maybe you could relocate? Egypt is festive these days. Perhaps Spain.
Not all of us have that bastion of democracy, Israel, to fall back on with our dual citizenship. I wouldn't have any worries if I were you either.
Instant Kabbalah's gonna git you...
gov is taking care of its chosen
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GENERAL_MOTORS_BONUSES?SITE=AP...
A Company of One's Website is "suspended". Wonder why....
Very sad
I'll go out on a limb and suggest that perhaps he couldn't pay the hosting bill?
I am Chumbawamba.
I heart Chumba. Happy V day buddy!
Probably because this letter first surfaced back in November as a "Thanksgiving" letter.
This is the guy who first posted it: http://bud-meyers.blogspot.com/
the entire US financial system is & has been a criminal enterprise, add to that most of the political structure..............get over it & learn to pick its pockets
or burn them at the stake. (banksters and politicians)
In stark contrast to the "89ers" of the Oklahoma land rush, this generation's "99ers" will come to symbolize the loss of America's "unlimited opportunities."
Just as those who don't need a loan (but "owe" huge sums of money) always have access to a loan, those who already have a job will have access to another job before those who don't have either a job or unlimited opportunities.
It is clear that where this man went wrong was depending on the state for salvation. Should have cultivated more relationships and community.
Indeed, then he would have nepotism to fall back on.
Nepotism actually isn't that bad. When you are hiring, you don't REALLY know much about the people you are interviewing. If you have more information on a given applicant, you know he is less likely to fail catastrophically at his job. Further, your increased relation with the hire means you have more leverage over them, so you can make them do a good job through friend or family ties. For example, nepotism would have provided a great help with someone that was hired at my lab (before I started here) who came for one week, and then took medical leave, and used various methods to extract continuing salary from the lab funds without ever coming back into work. If the lab manager or PI knew this person or his family, they could have had forewarning that he was a scumbag or sickly, and could have induced him to come back to work rather than draining funds that were supposed to go to research.
Not bad for the Employer, not bad for the Employee, but bad for the un-connected prospect trying for his piece of the American dream. You're completely self deluded.
Right, and interviews are prejudicial against people that don't interview well. Come off it. If you know someone, you know someone. There is less risk involved in hiring them.
In your world, letters of recommendation should be banned because not everyone can get them. Hell, we shouldn't allow any information on the background of the potential employee to be used in order to minimize risk. Jobs should just be assigned by lottery!
Sorry, who was self deluded?
Nepotism is Nepotism. Don't gray the lines pal. Maybe if the sorry soul who wrote this article had your connections, he wouldn't have any problems getting employment, which is the point, remember?
my god this article has really brought out the stupid fucking shit head assholes en masse. So now vetting job applicants is bad? it's amazing how folks who were obviously born with a silver cock in their throat will nevertheless speak out on issues well below their paygrade
Nobody ever said vetting job applications was bad. We were discussing nepotism. That's different. Your conflation of the two speaks volumes.
God bless America. Home of the brave land of the Free.
I think you mean't, God bless Egypt. Home of the brave land of the Free.
America land of the demoralized, home of the homeless.
A truly sad piece.
But there is a lesson here: get out of debt, increase mobility, and prepare as though tomorrow will be worse.
I'm lucky to have my youth. My heart goes out to folks like this who are both too old and inqualified for any type of work, even part time.
I'd like to think I'd fight until the end, no matter what. But it's impossible to know how I'd act in this situation.
The most likely way that Jack will survive and suceed in these times is if Jack be nimble, and Jack be quick.
No matter what one's age is there isn't a whole lot of mercy goin' on in this country.
I'm a renter; many people who bought homes who are now behind on their mortgages get to live rent-free going on nearly 500 days in California.
http://www.housingwire.com/2011/02/10/calhfa-implements-2-billion-keep-y...
As renters, we don't get any breaks like that; we get evicted in 45 days or less if we don't pay the rent.
Also: there are entire sections of coastal Cali where there are few persons between the ages of 28 - 49. And no small children either. Older boomers priced out those of us in these age groups a long time ago.
So, although I have compassion on the author and I am saddened that he turned to something so permanent, nonetheless many in his age group (60's) have done the same to those younger financially by "making a killing" in real estate.
~Misstrial
um, the lesson is BTFD.
Quite frankly, the whole "get out of debt" thing is a heaping pile of BS. You can walk away from a lot of it by filing bankruptcy.
Debt slave is just terminology for the uninformed and brainwashed (or the hyper-moral)
All that being said, I haven't done it, I just question why people urge others to get out of debt when perhaps the money might be better spent on survival.
In any event if TEOTWAKI ever happens, I think debt would be the least of folks problems.
I see you point re: debt free advice, but I disagree with it.
The idea that someone else has first claim to my assets has never sat well with me. I don't like the feeling of owing anybody anything.
Default - be it strategic or otherwise - is entirely new to me. To be honest my mind isn't quite made up on it yet.
+1
I am allergic to debt and have never had any. Of course, you don't get any credit for things you buy outright. Truly, debt is the lifeblood of our system. It does not appreciate those who attempt to live within their means.
Indeed so Cindy. Tis' why I hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and most of all, pray.
I believe most suffer from "normalcy bias", to which the thought process is, "nah, can't happen here nor will it ever happen to me."
Indeed so Cindy. Tis' why I hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and most of all, pray.
I believe most suffer from "normalcy bias", to which the thought process is, "nah, can't happen here nor will it ever happen to me."
de-fucking-pressing.
Just last week I was involved in a conversation where all four participants did not know any older homosexuals that are happy.
I think you may have missed the point of the article...
Not too sure of that...if you are an older homosexual, parents dead & no children, to whom do you turn in times of need? When you get to the end of your life & your body fails you, who will help you? Sad, but I think people finally realize this when they get too old to do anything about it.
My ex use to work in a hospice. Good luck with having your kids visit and take care of you when you are old and infirmed. In 4 years working there, she saw people die by the dozen every year without even one visit by their "loving" children.
+1
not all parents were "loving" - I know what you're saying, and there is a generational problem with empathy, but it needs saying that some parents were truly abusive shits, and die alone for a reason. . .
What a crock! What about single men and women who choose not to marry and reproduce? Nothing at all to do with being gay.
That being said, I'm thank my parents everyday for giving me siblings - we are close and have been there for each in the past and will be in the future.
Saddest part is that this person doesn't even have friends to fall back on. In these days, having a community whether family and/or friends is critical.
I hear what you're saying, but I was pointing out that the message of the letter was not to highlight the golden years of the homosexual american male. It was about unemployment benefits (i.e. lack of), and the fact that the supposed author was a homosexual was incidental. It's possible for heterosexual seniors to find themselves without friends, family, or recourse against the harsh winter. Such things happen...
Answer a question for me if you will: is sexual orientation a choice or a biological predisposition?
+1. Look at all the junks, but the truth is a bastard, isn't it? Fags have a crisis about every 18 months. Must come with the faulty wiring... "born that way" or some shit.
"My landlady should really be an advocate for the unemployed -- she bangs on my door demanding I take action. A phone call and a "please" are not enough for her -- she is angry. She is right to be angry with me, I am unemployed -- as apparently everyone is now angry with us unemployed. "
I feel sorry for Mark but what does he expect his Landlady to do? Pay to put a roof over his head? Perhaps she cannot afford to pay the mortgage, insurance and taxes on his home without taking food from her own family's mouth.
I don't know why you were junked, I commented the same thing below. People don't realize that for the little mom/pop landlord, they have sacrificed in the past to make sure that they have income in the future. Most landlords that I know weren't given the property that they rent, they've had to work doubletime to pay the crap off and repair it at the same time....depriving their family and themselves of instant gratification in hope of future reward....the American Way.
This whiny shit is straightoutta Atlas Shrugged. People working in their own self interest, producing excellent work to paying customers is what makes our economy dynamic, not these fucking government handouts extracted at gunpoint from workers who are actually, you know, working.
Be careful...your compassion is showing
Compassion is when I voluntarily take money out of my pocket to help some one in need. Theft is when the government, at gun point, takes money out of my pocket to help the connected.
this is hardly out of Atlas Shrugged; Dagny Taggarts whiny brother weeped for the down-trodden as a measure to compensate for his own ineptitude, and jealousy over his sisters superior skills and intellect.
No, no -this is nothing short of tragic. I am sorry Mark, but America has become (once again) the land of the thief and the home of the slave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO18F4aKGzQ
In their best light, Rand's works were allegories that focused on the extremes of human personalities. This man clearly is neither. While extolling "people working in their own self interest", just make sure that you aren't praising James Taggart. There are relatively few Dagnys around.
In her best light, Ayn Rand celebrated self-reliance.
As a religion built around the Utopian fantasy world of the Noble Capitalist.
And creating the conditions for even the less talented to contribute and succeed through effort. The climax monologue suggests that a key motivation for capitalism is to give people like Eddie Willers' life a purpose beyond their inherent abilities. Mark is among the hundreds of millions of Eddie Willers in this world.
Wow, I've never heard that one before. It makes alot of sense. I always had a vague dislike for the guy and a pronounced sense of annoyance for the "deep" examination of self and society that those dweebs kept reciting. Aha! You're right. It's the fat kid's redemption.
Wow, my best junking ever. 21 and counting!
I wish he would have followed Patrick Swaze's advice in Red Dawn and let his grief "turn to something else".
Becoming despondent and killing yourself is not a good solution.
Exactly, turn it to something else. A nation of despondent demoralized americans, the rest just accept whats going on, and anyone wonders WHY the elites do what they do? Zero opposition!
Totally agree - for this guy his end was simply his beginning being played out to conclusion. Nowhere along the way did he break his line of thinking and change course. He is no better than a rat running down a pre-programmed course only to find out someone took the cheese and now what's he going to do dead end.
No thought to maxing out his credit cards hit a few banks and join the Mexican drug cartels - I'm sure he could have gotten a nice gig cutting coke into Kilo's in some sunny place south of the Boarder....
Or do like the guy in Tunisia produce seller - go to the Federal Reserve building near you and light yourself on fire in front of CNN and FOX....
I mean go out with some style - but sadly he went out the way he was conditioned to think, and had he even thought of something else he most likley wouldn't have even been wondering what to do when he got to the end of his personal customized maze....
This is exactly what socialism creates - and as an added bonus to those in power the end product of their worn out commodity is non-violent, it just fades away.....
I was right with you until you jumped the shark on socialism. Folks should stop using that term loosely--when the shit hits the fan they'll know some serious regret when they're ignored like the Little Boy Who Cried Socialist Wolf.
At the rate things are going, I won't be surprised if there's some real socialism in our future. Largely because of the capitalist freaks who ran the world into the ground and then drained the carcas for a couple more years under cover of red herring warnings about "socialism."
absofuckinglutely, and it won't be "Obama socialism" either, it will be the claws of the bald eagle itself ripping whatever you have left out of your wallet. Because that has always been the endgame of democracy
suicide stats worldwide show males as being more prone to seeing death as a "solution" - rather than adapt and survive, they most often opt out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_and_suicide
of course, many perspectives, many arguments as to the "why" - but overwhelmingly it would appear that the standards set (what it means to be "a man") culturally and adopted personally are not healthy for men, long term.
If it rhymed it would be a country song.
Could somebody send this article to Jan Hatzius, please?
Revolution.
Sad commentary. I do not believe he will be the last. He is or was obviously in the depths of depression.
"He is or was obviously in the depths of depression."
Along with the rest of our economy.
Collective mental depression
The standard of living has been declining for the vast majority of Americans, and stories like the one above are becoming more common. When you consider the enormous amounts of money the government wastes on stuff--the opportunity cost of that is literally not just a lowered standard of living for the masses, but life and death....
Too many plates spinning to catch them all... Events in the Middle East, EU, Dollar, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc are symptoms of a dying American Empire.
Ironically, that puts Obama in the same category as Churchill.
...or Nero.
You forgot the "g."
.
Gods speed Mark.
I thought this would be enjoyed by the community here. I love how the computer voice interprets the Ber-nack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUY16CkS-k&feature=player_embedded
This letter is really sad, but the reality is that any boomers that want to survive this era are going to need to embrace the underground economy and start planning to fight, or do as this guy and resign themselves to suicide. You've got to hide your wages, run your business under the table, and begin to live life in a two tiered market system. There are the true stores of wealth (land and resources) with which you barter, and then the false stores of wealth (cash, stocks, etc) where you don't fight the powers that be. Run up a massive debt, buy the dips, and try to keep up with inflation. If you loose the game, at least you have real assets under the table to survive. If you win, maybe you too can become a bankster after getting massive bubble gains through leverage and then getting out at the right time.
You must be a newbie.
GIve him a break... he's only been around for a week.
I thought the boomers wanted to buy the world a Coke and live in perfect harmony?
.
Yeah um, thanks Captain Obvious.
Ps--Nice job blowing your OPSEC.
Mark didnt BTFD? Missed his chance at the American Dream! Which you have to be asleep and dreaming to believe in.
Sad story. Am I the only one who thinks it's 100% propaganda?
Definite propaganda. This will be on snopes.com in 24 hours.