Cost of Living Exceeds Capacity for Giving

Minimum wage was $1.35/hour and you could live like a king on $2.00/hour.
TV was free, boxboys would take your bags to the car, carhops were routine, moms stayed at home while dads worked, doctors made routine housecalls, drive-ins reined supreme for family entertainment and their were no movies put out that could not pass a G rating then. 

Surf was up, being a greaser was uncool.  Sits-ins, Love-ins and standing up to the man were never stronger.

Gas is up, life became too expensive to maintain and wages are on the decline, having never kept up with expenses.  The question is not whether or not this civilization is worth saving, the real question is who cares anymore?


Edited by duckcountry - 29/July/2008 at 1:24pm

You actually hit on something there, Duck. Contrary to what Barfbag Kenny has been saying, oil is not the problem.  Demand will always be affected by price, and technology will solve all those problems anyhow. However, in the US, entitlements and govenment debt now consume 60% of all the money the government takes in. No matter how much Americans make, we will not be able to keep up with the inflation caused by government spending. A great depression will happen, but it won't be because we lack energy. We simply won't have the money to pay for our government.  The older baby boomers took everything for themselves, both at the government and union level. The government is going to run out of money, and GM and Ford can't stay in this country either, because they foolishly signed agreements with the older baby boomers that gave away too much. Those who have retired and will retire in in next 5 or so years got it all. The rest of us will have to work for every penny, twice.

It's not quite as bad as you might suspect. It will be a depression of the governmental sort, like New York City had in the 80's. There won't be as much money for infrastructure or anyone that depends upon government money. Business will be another issue, unless the government goes after it. No one will be receiving Social Security before the age of 70 or 75, that's for sure. Inflation will be the biggest concern for business, other than taxation.

Edited by FriendlyHammer - 30/July/2008 at 5:45am