From: Rosie11R-AT-pseud.pseud
Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2001 20:02:49 -0500
Subject: Re: M-INTRO: the future


The situation that Tamar describes is very real in the US.  Hans mentioned in the reader that this is one of the problems with private property under capitalism, one person can with hold a commodity I need to survive in order to force me to exchange with him or sell him my labor power, and this can be a dangerous and potentially violent situation.  
The bigger is better propaganda fed the US consumer by corporations does not take into account people's actual resources.  The was made obvious recently by the car buying frenzy many American's participated in.  They weren't "getting American moving again", or proving their patriotism, or even getting a good deal, which buying a car new off the lot is not.  They were enriching the share holders of the large American automakers, while layoffs and unemployment climb.  Unfortunately, many people feel a new car is a necessity, and those without the means to obtain one may resort to theft or violence.  This is one aspect of the increasing violence in our society, and safety is certainly a large part of our standard of living.


Tamar_Herzberg-AT-pseud.pseud wrote:

>Chancey's right. 
>
>However, it is not entirely true that people in
>America have the best standard of living (in levels of
>consumerism anyway). 
>
>The Gini for the United States is the highest among
>rich countries (in other words: the gap between
>richest and poorest is bigger in the US than it is in
>other countries). Your ability to consume is
>"propaganda", so to speak, since some people in
>America always live with that notion that they *can*
>purchase/consume and "reach higher", when in fact they
>can't. 
>
>Some jobs that you know only from teenage or college
>years (such as working for McDonalds), are what these
>people work in. It is not feasible that these people
>will ever achieve what the "propaganda" tells them
>they should get (a big house with big TV, big SUV and
>big pool, or something like that). 
>
>Tamar
>
>
>
>
>
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