How can we ordinary americans cope with the coming decline?

[Bill]

The more I study the way the planets economy is evolving, the more I see that we americans are completely unprepared for the economic future.

Nothing can stop globalization, and globalization means that the factories will, on the average, be moved to other countries, taking american jobs with them.

Nothing on the horizon can replace those jobs - so, more and more americans will be pushed into the working poor.

The american population is ageing, and soon we will have a huge surplus of older people - and not many of those people can be adapted to the new economies - they have to be supported, and even when supported, they will be part of the aged poor.

So, the working poor and the aged poor will be expanding, while the job base is shrinking.

And, now that the american financial industry has shafted the rest of the world with these sub-prime toxic mortgage "Collateralized Debt Obligation" papers, we should be prepared for the finacial center of the world to shift to london or brussels, reducing yet another of america's industries.

This could get really bad - not necessarily a collapse, but a long, slow. ever more miserable decline.

---

So, here's the big question, and the point of this thread - how can we individual americans adapt to these trends?

What job skills can we seek out that will help us survive the decline?

[Frankg]

Originally posted by Bill
So, here's the big question, and the point of this thread - how can we individual americans adapt to these trends?

Thank God for alcohol

[Moby]

That's why I believe the country should be investing in future technology and education instead of investing in wars. Sure those take a long time to pay off but after $3.5 Trillion of debt taken on we have nothing to show for it.

It wouldn't hurt to spend few $100 billion on improving education to international levels and encouraging people to purchase hybrids.

[kres24GT]

That's why I believe the country should be investing in future technology and education instead of investing in wars. Sure those take a long time to pay off but after $3.5 Trillion of debt taken on we have nothing to show for it.

It wouldn't hurt to spend few $100 billion on improving education to international levels and encouraging people to purchase hybrids.


Improving education is not an alternative. One, the politcians need ignorant masses to stay in power. Also the teachers unions have too much power in politics to enable change. Not to mention the poor and ignorant are breeding too fast and the parents of these kids just don't give a shit.

War or not, tax dollars aren't use to encourage people to do the right thing, tax dollars go to subsidize failed corporations, buy votes from the poor and stupid, or to enable poor behavior.

[Moby]

Improving education is not an alternative. One, the politcians need ignorant masses to stay in power. Also the teachers unions have too much power in politics to enable change. Not to mention the poor and ignorant are breeding too fast and the parents of these kids just don't give a shit.

War or not, tax dollars aren't use to encourage people to do the right thing, tax dollars go to subsidize failed corporations, buy votes from the poor and stupid, or to enable poor behavior.
It's easy to bitch and bitch. Got any solutions?

[kres24GT]

It's easy to bitch and bitch. Got any solutions?

Not really. Except try and get people to see the error of their ways. American is a pseudo democracy and an overwhelming majority goes to the booths and vote for their own demise. It's what they want.

[Bill]

That isn't quite what I meant.

I think it's clear we can't count on the politicians, and their masters the corporations and the rich who own the majority shares in the corporations, to help at all.

We are on our own.

So what can we as individuals do to position ourselves for a rapidly changing future in which non-rich americans are being pushed away from the american table?

What job skills will give us the best chances in the globalization future?

Should we be learning the chinese and german languages? (those who can)

Should we be moving to the last remaining places with oil in this country? (I saw an article about boom times in the american oil belt)

How about internet skills - will they matter?

Is the rust belt doomed?

Stuff like that. Assuming no real help from the politicians and the rich, what can ordinary americans do to cope with the next 20-30 years?

[stefan segal]

That isn't quite what I meant.

I think it's clear we can't count on the politicians, and their masters the corporations and the rich who own the majority shares in the corporations, to help at all.

We are on our own.

So what can we as individuals do to position ourselves for a rapidly changing future in which non-rich americans are being pushed away from the american table?

What job skills will give us the best chances in the globalization future?

Should we be learning the chinese and german languages? (those who can)

Should we be moving to the last remaining places with oil in this country? (I saw an article about boom times in the american oil belt)

How about internet skills - will they matter?

Is the rust belt doomed?

Stuff like that. Assuming no real help from the politicians and the rich, what can ordinary americans do to cope with the next 20-30 years?


Bill...I've said this before, and I assume it will be considered nuts this time also, but "we the people" are local, meaning we all live in our neighborhoods, and our work and supplies should be centered in the meighborhoods.

Co-ops and mom and pop corner stores and tailors and mechanics etc. should all be local people...in that way, we can bring the jobs back to people.

We can't survive attempting to support the corporations...we purchase each new toy they put out...we can't sign up for each new service each new toy requires. We need to build electric cars in the neighborhood...install solar power, grow and store vegetables. All that need know-how...needs time.

There are local occupations that help everyone while keeping the money and goods local. We don't need to spend $150. a month for a parking spot...we don't need to drive 50 miles a day just to use that spot...we don't need to trample everyone underfoot to get ahead...there was life in this country before walmart and exon took over. (I don't mention the banks, because they've already stepped on their balls and aside from some late stage gyrations...they won't be too aggressive for a while).

I wouldn't look or expect large government moves to help, unless Edwards were to become president, as it would run counter to corporate design.

Stefan

[Independent Harry]

That isn't quite what I meant.

I think it's clear we can't count on the politicians, and their masters the corporations and the rich who own the majority shares in the corporations, to help at all.

We are on our own.

So what can we as individuals do to position ourselves for a rapidly changing future in which non-rich americans are being pushed away from the american table?

What job skills will give us the best chances in the globalization future?

Should we be learning the chinese and german languages? (those who can)

Should we be moving to the last remaining places with oil in this country? (I saw an article about boom times in the american oil belt)

How about internet skills - will they matter?

Is the rust belt doomed?

Stuff like that. Assuming no real help from the politicians and the rich, what can ordinary americans do to cope with the next 20-30 years?

I would say get good at sales. Find an industry that is fairly recession proof. Make money, and invest it, here and in foriegn markets. That is my plan. Well i've been good at sales. But that is basically what I am doign right now.

This way you have an opportunity if you have to, to move to another marketplace, have money to take the time you need to learn a language and then employ those skills that are transferable to anywhere in the world.

[disrupter]

It's a strange new world,

as always.

Grace Lee Boggs talking to Amy Goodman:
By the way, you used the word “troubling” about the economy. I see a less-than-robust economy not as a troubling,
but as an opportunity for us to look at ourselves and reorder our priorities.http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/22/ive_never_had_this_much_hope

How we see things is in very large part reflective of our minds.
If we can be plastic opportunists, capably articulate, who spot the new configurations of thing as quickly as we can, instead of being a personal downturn, it can be very literally a personal beneficial situation.

We have to carefully deconstruct all of our stodgy, rigid notions & see if we can re-configure them into something that adapts to a new circumstance & make maximum advantage of pre-existing structure, but situated to address the new flows of things, the new centers of gravity.

As Ms Boggs says we need to re-assess our priorities.

I would add to do so quite carefully. Sifting them through finer & finer mesh screens to see the real worth & importance of each.
What are the things we can not leave behind?
What useful things would we prefer not to leave behind even at some expense?
What things are really more of a luxury that we want to have but can live without when necessary?

Then we pick up the minimal damaged pieces and construct that which works for us in accordance with our freshly sorted priorities, individually, for the species, for life & for the planet & beyond.

We seek the elegant solution.

because it is efficient,

perhaps because it is starkly beautiful.

elegance in chaos is difficult, but otherwise couldn't be any fun.
It is the chaos itself that makes the elegance so useful, so distinctly beautiful.

sooth your fear, embrace & excite your intellect.

Legal Disclaimer: i disavow all of the above statements & take no responsibility for anyone's actions, or lack thereof, that originate from or be affected by them.

[Moby]

Since I'm raising a 4 year old daughter my biggest concern is for her future. I don't really care if there's a married gay couple in the neighborhood, if a woman that can't support a child has an abortion, if people worship nature or if people fly flags at home.

I do care about her ability to get a good education, be able to find a good career, get quality health coverage and have the same freedoms that Americans have enjoyed for two centuries.

I plan to teach my daughter Chinese, Russian and a hands on trade. She'll learn Russian because that's my wife's native language but Chinese because that will be the language of business in the next generation or two.

I'll encourage her to become skilled at cooking (like a chef), learn to be an electrician, a city planner, trouble shoot networks or something like that. A skill that can't be done 5,000 miles away.

Then I'll send her to college to get an education in the career that she chooses.

Being skilled in important languages and having some skill that can't be out sourced will ensure that she can earn a decent living.

As for me, I'll expand my businesses into other areas, start saving more and of course get my wife through her masters degree.

[kres24GT]

That isn't quite what I meant.

I think it's clear we can't count on the politicians, and their masters the corporations and the rich who own the majority shares in the corporations, to help at all.

We are on our own.

So what can we as individuals do to position ourselves for a rapidly changing future in which non-rich americans are being pushed away from the american table?

What job skills will give us the best chances in the globalization future?

Should we be learning the chinese and german languages? (those who can)

Should we be moving to the last remaining places with oil in this country? (I saw an article about boom times in the american oil belt)

How about internet skills - will they matter?

Is the rust belt doomed?

Stuff like that. Assuming no real help from the politicians and the rich, what can ordinary americans do to cope with the next 20-30 years?

And if we were free in this country that would be great, unfortunately we signed over all our freedom to the politcians (and continue to do so). We stood up and demanded the relieve us of our power and responsibility to make our lives easier. Now they own us, we are not free to be "on our own". We are required to go down on the sinking ship.

Good to see using the term politician instead of republican, you are learning quickly.