Wandering Off Topic

[Wonderfulspam]

My smoking has always been my one expensive & shameful habit

I currently smoke & vape, but I smoke cheap rolling tobacco, not expensive brand tailor mades, pretty much everything I do in life I'm a total tight wad, it's all I've ever known.

My hybrid car is now about 12 years old, I bought it specifically for the reduced fuel costs.

The new hybrid gives the same mpg as my current one , maybe has a fancier stereo & looks prettier, but that's it, no point changing.

The new trainers I bought 10 years ago still fit & are now my gardening shoes.

I might treat myself to some new underpants next year, but I still get a full months usage from the current pair if I keep turning them inside out.

[Vertigo Swirl]

It wasn't the 'consumer society' that started me smoking, it was the fact that most of the population did it. As to my health; I've lived beyond my three score years and ten, having never had a serious illness, an operation or a stay in hospital. I recently developed high blood pressure and that's it.

You were influenced by other consumers, in society, to smoke.  Multi national tobacco companies have spent billions encouraging smoking and keeping people smoking - you are a victim/willing participant of that aspect of the consumer society whether you like to think so or not.  Unless you are living off grid and growing your own food then you are a participant in the consumer society, and no different from the countless millions in this country who are struggling to meet their bills who are not necessarily wild spendthrifts who have "bought into" the consumer society but who have come to expect a certain standard of living in what is supposedly one of the richest countries in the world.

[Wonderfulspam]

"come to expect a certain standard of living in what is supposedly one of the richest countries in the world"

Here's the thing.....

Britain's debt is 85% of GDP.

America, who if they sneeze the west dies, are $30 trillion dollars plus in debt!


U.S Dollar Printing.

We have been living beyond our means for decades, there was a financial crash in 2008, we've been trying to print our way out of it with quantitative easing, at the expense of the rest of the world, only China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Africa etc, are about ready to put a stop to it.

[Wonderfulspam]

We have devalued our currencies by printing, Hitler tried it , it worked for a while but never ends well.

Putin's demand of Roubles for gas bypasses the U.S/Euro hegemony, which, through it's printing, is causing massive inflation.

I've heard the phrase 'the great reset'

America, & the allies with it, have a choice. Accept the death of the U.S dollar as the superior global reserve currency, have a financial reset & reduced living standards, or go to war with the Eastern hemisphere.

America are behaving like they're willing to risk WW3 rather than suffer the inevitable financial reset, why?

Because we'd have to sacrifice all our excesses, freedoms & live within our means, like much of the rest of the world do.

[G-Unit]

You were influenced by other consumers, in society, to smoke.  Multi national tobacco companies have spent billions encouraging smoking and keeping people smoking - you are a victim/willing participant of that aspect of the consumer society whether you like to think so or not.  Unless you are living off grid and growing your own food then you are a participant in the consumer society, and no different from the countless millions in this country who are struggling to meet their bills who are not necessarily wild spendthrifts who have "bought into" the consumer society but who have come to expect a certain standard of living in what is supposedly one of the richest countries in the world.

Many years ago I realised that getting stressed and unhappy did me no good at all, and it's up to everyone now to accept that times are changing and to adapt. Happiness can still be achieved, even on a lower standard of living. Who knows - this could indeed be the end of the dominance of capitalism and it's values.

[Mr Gray]

It wasn't the 'consumer society' that started me smoking, it was the fact that most of the population did it. As to my health; I've lived beyond my three score years and ten, having never had a serious illness, an operation or a stay in hospital. I recently developed high blood pressure and that's it.

Pretending that smoking isn't bad for your health is totally immoral

[Wonderfulspam]

Pretending that smoking isn't bad for your health is totally immoral

Anymore immoral than faking an abduction?

I doubt it, and besides, who has the right to pass judgement on morality?

It would be terrible if I died from smoking I'm sure, but it wouldn't much better if I get hit by a bus tomorrow or freeze to death after the next energy cap increase, so might as well smoke if you got 'em.

[Mr Gray]

Anymore immoral than faking an abduction?

I doubt it, and besides, who has the right to pass judgement on morality?

It would be terrible if I died from smoking I'm sure, but it wouldn't much better if I get hit by a bus tomorrow or freeze to death after the next energy cap increase, so might as well smoke if you got 'em.

I think faking an abduction would be criminal.. Not just immmoal
Pretending smoking is not only immoral but is quite stupid too

[Wonderfulspam]

Many years ago I realised that getting stressed and unhappy did me no good at all, and it's up to everyone now to accept that times are changing and to adapt. Happiness can still be achieved, even on a lower standard of living. Who knows - this could indeed be the end of the dominance of capitalism and it's values.

Something is going to happen, & history tells us that pretty much every great empire had a collapse in it's economy prior to it's demise as world leader.

The USA is no different.  It's military deterrent isn't enough anymore, China has a nice big military now too, sanctions against Russia are actually hurting us more than Russia, the Rouble dipped then rebounded.
Russia has abundant commodities, America exports overpriced tinselled snake oil.

When you realise Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya & Syria had nothing to do with WMD's or removing tyrants & their sole purpose was to defend the FIAT petrodollar, & you now see Boris coming back from Saudi Arabia empty handed, I suppose it's more comforting to talk about Madeleine McCann or something.

[Vertigo Swirl]

Many years ago I realised that getting stressed and unhappy did me no good at all, and it's up to everyone now to accept that times are changing and to adapt. Happiness can still be achieved, even on a lower standard of living. Who knows - this could indeed be the end of the dominance of capitalism and it's values.

What if your standard of living is below the poverty line already?  How would you advise people to find happiness on a sink estate with not enough money to heat their home or buy food for their kids?  You sound more Tory than Norman Tebbit tbh. 

[Wonderfulspam]

What if your standard of living is below the poverty line already?  How would you advise people to find happiness on a sink estate with not enough money to heat their home or buy food for their kids?  You sound more Tory than Norman Tebbit tbh.

Sell the kids (or just have the sense to not have kids in the first place when you're already too poor to feed yourself).

Problem solved.

[Wonderfulspam]

Doug Stanhope.

Nobody wants to mention overpopulation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgyumGSF9-4

[jassi]

Many years ago I realised that getting stressed and unhappy did me no good at all, and it's up to everyone now to accept that times are changing and to adapt. Happiness can still be achieved, even on a lower standard of living. Who knows - this could indeed be the end of the dominance of capitalism and it's values.

It's going to be hard. Expectations and self-entitlement have developed over decades and won't just suddenly disappear . The rich will still expect their rents and dividends to be paid - at the expense of the poor - and middle earners will clamour for pay rises to pay for their current lifestyle.
Apart from the poor, the ones that will suffer the most are those who provide services that are not really needed and can be easily ditched  - the Nail Bars, dog walkers, even restaurants.

[Wonderfulspam]

Imagine how many council estate kids, that everyone here really cares deeply about, could have been fed with the money blown on investigating the disappearance of a single middle class child.

Morality or equality or something.

[Vertigo Swirl]

I'd like to know how desperate people are supposed to just tell themselves to stop stressing and be happy instead.  Perhaps G-Unit can share her secrets and I will pass them on to those I know who are facing an otherwise bleak future.