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From Here To Eternity

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Submitted by MN Gordon via Acting-Man.com,

“Gentlemen-rankers out on the spree,

Damned from here to Eternity,

God ha’ mercy on such as we,

Baa!  Yah!  Bah!”

 

— Gentlemen-Rankers, Rudyard Kipling 

Insults and Offenses

For the first time in 80 years, vast numbers of hardworking, industrious people are finding themselves up the creek without a paddle.  Buying a home, paying college tuition, and squirreling away a few nuts for retirement has become discouragingly difficult.  What’s more, the presumed benefit of these endeavors has become ever more suspect.

These days there’s a trifecta of offenses debasing the rewards of hard work, saving money, and paying one’s way.  Quite frankly, it’s insulting.  There’s nothing less to make of it, particularly for those competing in the rat race for their family’s daily bread.

 

happy1

Promises, promises …

Cartoon via polyp.org.uk

 

 Plain and simple, central bank fiat money creation, multiplied by commercial banks through fractional-reserve banking, propagates financial and economic chaos.  The experience of long periods of money supply expansion punctuated by abrupt, episodic contractions, has the effect of whipsawing the working stiff’s labors to get ahead.

On top of that, the middle class is being squeezed by stagnant incomes, declining savings rates, and escalating debt burdens.  Unskilled jobs are meager and low paying.  In addition, professional services jobs have become commoditized via temporary employment services.

The global economy is in the midst of a restructuring that has been underway since before the turn of the new millennium.  The associated growing pains are agonizing.  The old rules for success, which included a college education and a cubicle job at a large corporation, no longer apply.  But the new rules for success have yet to be written.

 

Cubicle adjustment

The hazards of cubicle life

Cartoon by Scott Adams

 

Stealing Your Life

Economic restructuring is a natural occurrence.  New technologies and increased global interconnections accelerate the change.  Nonetheless, at the same time workers are facing these natural challenges, the Fed is heaping on other encumbrances.

In short, the clever fellows at the Federal Reserve, with consent of the Treasury, inflate the money supply.  For each new digital monetary unit they create, value’s subtracted from the existing money.  This has the ill effect of covertly confiscating property from people’s wages and savings.  It also has the ill effect of reducing the notion of “an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay” to a fool’s tale.

 

Little

A philosophical moment in the felt-covered solitude of the quiet cubicle of contemplation

Cartoon by Scott Adams

 

For example, think of all the days you’d rather have stayed home with your family than schlepping and slogging the day away for money.  Think of all the time you spent on the road getting dumped on by clients while your kids were growing up.  Think of all the sunny days you missed because you were pounding the phones at the office all day.

For what?  So that after paying taxes and living expenses, what’s left over – your accumulated wealth – would be inflated away from your bank account? Remember, money, in addition to being property, also represents time and the sacrifices made to earn it.  When the Fed inflates your money away they not only steal your property…they steal your life.

 

From Here to Eternity

Certainly, this is a disheartening thought.  However, when it comes down to it, life is too short to be bitter.  The fact is, today’s incommodes are nothing new.  They’ll persist in some form or another from here to eternity.

Like life’s other injustices, the Fed’s shenanigans should be faced with a stoic grin.  The truth should be spoken quietly and clearly.  What is right and good should be articulated with frequent repetition.  The just message will endure.

Indeed, having the fruits stolen from one’s productive labor is demoralizing.  Nonetheless, one should still get on with the business of life…and do one’s part to reduce the abundance of nonsense circulating about.  Despite all the fraud and folderol out there, humility and veracity continue to be ideals to strive for.  When all else fails, wash the dishes, make the bed, and find some gratitude.

 

033-thanksgiving-cartoon

Beware of crafty Turkeys

Cartoon via you-can-be-funny.com

 

After all, Thanksgiving Day is approaching.  Pilgrims and Squanto, aside.  Some gratitude for blessings received and misfortunes taken away are in order. Money and markets shall do what they do…independent of what you think.  So don’t give them an extra thought.

Enjoy the moment.  Relish the time with your family.  Savor the feast.

 

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Wed, 11/25/2015 - 17:37 | 6840055 SILVERGEDDON
SILVERGEDDON's picture

GETTING FUCKED OVER - IT'S THE AMERICAN WAY.

LIFE HERE IS LIKE FOOTBALL, ONLY DIFFERENT.

YOU ARE NEVER GETTING THE FOOTBALL OR A TOUCHDOWN, BUT SURE AS FUCK, YOU ARE GONNA GET TACKLED ANYWAY.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 17:41 | 6840073 Nexus789
Nexus789's picture

Hit by the biggest bloke on the pitch 

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 19:03 | 6840300 Manthong
Manthong's picture

speaking as a colonial..

the most important word according to the oppressors...

"OBEY"

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:13 | 6840148 DutchR
DutchR's picture

Fucking territorial disputes,
so short sighted humanity.

Little Blue Marble

NO,
well
maybe YES , this planet is the only thing we have,

our BOAT.....
In
A Galaxy among Galaxy's

And what do we do

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 23:44 | 6841183 acetinker
acetinker's picture

In the past few days, I've been accused of lacking reading comprehension.  Not by the folks I responded to... unless they maintain multiple accounts.

Anyway, what did 'we' do?  We forgot where we came from.  'We' began to think of ourselves as masters of this domain.

Do I comprehend, DutchR?

Thu, 11/26/2015 - 02:05 | 6841494 larz
larz's picture

Nor are we paid like football players or any actor or sports celebrity silver

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 17:36 | 6840057 gaoptimize
gaoptimize's picture

I am lucky to be able periodically enjoy the good fellowship here at zerohedge and then come home to radiantly good and excellent people everyday.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:28 | 6840196 de3de8
de3de8's picture

It is good to know your not alone

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:51 | 6840270 Fascist Puppy
Fascist Puppy's picture

I've personally never met my not alone. 

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 17:38 | 6840059 cpnscarlet
cpnscarlet's picture

And say a prayer for Jim Sinclair and Andrew Maguire -

What will they do without a reputation to flog their book and services???

GOLD AND SILVER - The thing everyone knows about and no one can predict. Merry Christmas.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 17:40 | 6840069 NoWayJose
NoWayJose's picture

Instead of more signs, the mice should turn the corner and find the mouse trap!

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 17:50 | 6840092 Generic Property
Generic Property's picture

Enjoy the Feast. The exceptional American people surely earned it.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 21:46 | 6840788 dchang0
dchang0's picture

SOME exceptional (hardworking suckers of) Americans earned it. Everybody else, from that surfer who lives at the beach in La Jolla and throws lobster and steak parties paid for with food stamps to the fat-cat bankers who steal on a grand scale, stole it instead of earning it.

To the hardworking Americans who are the only real producers of value, I salute and thank you. You're still suckers, but without you, the whole house of cards falls down.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 22:35 | 6840959 August
August's picture

God truly loves all the suckers.

That's why he made so many of them.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 17:51 | 6840095 Nanur
Nanur's picture

Working for free is the American way.  Bus your own tables and use self-checkout, thank you for your patronage.  And don't forget to tip so I don't have to pay my employees out of my profits.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:07 | 6840133 gearbaby
gearbaby's picture

exactly the truth

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:10 | 6840138 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Remember when gas stations went self serve (except for NJ of course) several decades ago? It was shocking to many. Or when fast food asked you to fill your own soda cup and buss your own table? And so on. Death by a thousand cuts.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:19 | 6840170 DutchR
DutchR's picture

And hookers say, go Fuck youself.......Wait, or was that them United States federal officials.....

Must be the fluoride

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:35 | 6840212 NihilistZero
NihilistZero's picture

None of it would matter in a world of honest money.  If the establishments that offered the least services were not also the largest corporations who see the most benefits from fiat inflation, they would not be able to compete with those that offered more and better services.

IE: Inflated RE values make the leasing or purchasing of commercial property more expensive.  Large chains like McDonald's and KFC are better positioned to cover these costs.  Due to the increased start up costs and risks that are mitigated by franchise units, they dominate.  In a world of honest money and less regulation (which we had relatively recently) entrepreneurs of all stripes had the ability to build the capital necessary to start businesses and compete.  We have inflated away the very core of a market based economy, and that is equal access to said market for all.  While your savings is being inflated away before you can get into assets, the larger players watch the nominal value of their assets increase.  The game is completely fixed and sadly their are those that believe this fascism is actually capitalism.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:51 | 6840268 HopefulCynical
HopefulCynical's picture

Well said.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 19:38 | 6840397 RafterManFMJ
RafterManFMJ's picture

I predict in 5 years, you'll be actually cooking the food at McDonald's for yourself - so you "can get it JUST like YOU like IT!!"

And people will do it.

In 10 years, you'll bring you own meat in to cook - so you "KNOW just WHAT you're eating!!"

And people will do it.

In 15 years, some will volunteer to sweep up and haul out the trash in return for 20% off of the meal they cooked and supplied the components for.

And people will love it.

At no point will any frog say, "What the FUCK? Is it getting hot in here?!"

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 20:12 | 6840516 AGuy
AGuy's picture

Future of FastFood and caual dining resturants in 3 years or less by AGUG:

1. Kiosk cash registers. No cash (only Credit, Debt, or prepaid store card)

2. Automated produced meals. You have more choices of toppings, but limited meal options (ie no items that can't be produced automated)

3. Number of Workers decrease to just a few. Probably two workers and one supervisor.

With in 7 to 10 years. Machines will do most of the cleaning. Machines will wash the floors and clean the tables and benches. Layout of the seating area will be set up to make automated cleaning easier.

 

FWIW: Not really a good idea to eat fast food anyway. The Meat is mosly fillers (only about 10% of beef patties is beef).

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 21:26 | 6840722 Oldwood
Oldwood's picture

But when will burger-net become self aware and start poisoning us all to death?

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 21:51 | 6840805 MalteseFalcon
MalteseFalcon's picture

Will machines do the fighting, too?

Rock 'em sock 'em robots?

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 22:39 | 6840975 August
August's picture

But as long as machines can't do lying and corruption, the core of the US economy should remain intact.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 22:03 | 6840845 dchang0
dchang0's picture

I do remember those changes.

But I still prefer pumping my own gas to being required to indirectly pay the salary of a gas-station attendant in Oregon through higher gas costs... I actually like being able to get my own drink refills rather than wait for someone to refill it for me (this is meant for you, Chick Fil A restaurants).

I can't wait until the nation's fast food restaurants go to automation for ordering--having to wait for a person like a gas-station attendant or fast-food order-taker to get around to serving you is utterly infuriating in this age of Amazon one-click purchasing.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 18:30 | 6840199 wildbad
wildbad's picture

this article describes my life depressingly well

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 19:07 | 6840314 marts321
marts321's picture

Don't give markets a second thought? Fuck you trading is my way out of this serfdom! There's no success or happiness to be found in a cubicle, only a lifetime of depression and mediocrity, being talked down to by stressed out middle managers. No thanks!

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 22:19 | 6840856 dchang0
dchang0's picture

Very true. Here's another way trading is a way out of serfdom.

I tell people, "Trading (or gambling) your own money is the ONLY job in the world that doesn't have a boss or a customer that you have to make happy."

Think about it--a prostitute has both a boss (the pimp) and a customer (the John).

A President has customers (the citizens). A CEO of a publicly-traded company has bosses (the Board of Directors) and customers (the shareholders).

Mega-star-celebrities may not have bosses, but they have to please lots of customers who buy/consume their finished products.

Even in a non-monetized society where people barter for goods and services, a person still has customers (the other persons he/she barters with).

But individual traders are truly free of having to kiss anyone's ass. (Professional gamblers that are on TV do have customers--they are celebrities too, but a private gambler that gambles his own money is also free of having to kiss anyone's ass.)

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 19:46 | 6840424 wstrub
wstrub's picture

I am totally DONE WITH STUFF......All I want is time with my friends and family doing things I love......eating, hiking, drinking coffee or wine and talking.  That is ALL that matters.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 19:54 | 6840445 DaveA
DaveA's picture

I got that feeling a lot as a kid, when I'd finish my homework and chores just in time to go to bed. And there was never more than a two-day weekend between semesters; one-week vacations were always during a semester with tons of homework. By February I was just too exhausted to care anymore.

And that was a "good school" in an affluent white suburb. Fortunately, my college had a three-week break between semesters, which was enough to relax and recharge.

Now I enjoy a rich family life, home-school the kids, and the government pays *me*, at the expense of liberal suckers who dutifully keep their noses to the grindstone for someone else's benefit.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 20:16 | 6840531 Faeriedust
Faeriedust's picture

TUNE IN. TURN ON. DROP OUT.

Give The Man as little as possible.  Lie, lie, lie to the Heads of State.  Greet the Sun when she rises.  PLANT YOUR SEEDS.  Make no errors about who and what you love, and your choices may be dictated by necessity at times, but they will never be fully controlled by the greedy lies of parasites.

And when you can, toss a shoe in the works.  Rome wasn't destroyed in a day, but destroyed it was, by the death of ten thousand small cuts delivered by slaves, serfs, and poor free men.

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 22:58 | 6841032 tarabel
tarabel's picture

 

 

And may you stay.... Forever Young

https://youtu.be/VpXL1J9ho-k (fast)

https://youtu.be/dLU4jlR18UQ (slow)

Wed, 11/25/2015 - 20:38 | 6840598 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 The ONLY people buying, are the greater fools, holding the EXIT door.

Thu, 11/26/2015 - 04:46 | 6841673 Sir SpeaksALot
Sir SpeaksALot's picture

when you rob the bank, it s a crime,

when bank robs you - it is a business.

thieves deserve to be hung.

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