updatery supdatery shmupdatery again

[sealwhiskers]

I'm in Sweden since a week ago, with uneven internet access. I feel like I've been cheating on my true love with that cheap slut facebook, since you don't really have to pay much attention when fraternizing with her

Comments

[sealwhiskers]

Ah, well, but you haven't told me that several countries that show a blooming economy are slowly going bankrupt.

Well, I wasn't hard on him or anything, it's just that he blew some opinons out of his ass in long tirades, and some with no decent support.
I could bring excellent sources to show about Swedish economy and growth, but the post is long gone to the memory section by now. And he is a seriously prolix sort of bloke. I mean, even his party-buddies probably fall asleep from reading him.

So, I did have something to respond, I'd even marked down several sources and comments to his spewage. But..oh well. No time. I haven't even been to T_P for a week, and I really should, as a mod.

After reading The Wealth of Nations last year

[chocolatebark]

Every time I hear the phrase 'Free Market' I find myself thinking of corn. It's a bizarre association

Re: After reading The Wealth of Nations last year

[sealwhiskers]

Nowadays, I associate TWON with pasty suburbans in the US, dressing up in ugly 18th century wigs and hollering about "cutting guvrnment".

It's a sad thing... :/

the suburbs ruin everything

[chocolatebark]

pasty scots over pasty suburbans, for sure.

ugly 18th century wigs I can get behind, though.

Re: the suburbs ruin everything

[sealwhiskers]

I don't like it when the wigs get politically corrupted. I had the same issues when some Scandinavian skins started wearing the hammer of Thor around their racist necks. Tons of people all over Scandinavia started to wear those hammers as a reaction, to claim them back (and it worked!). But I'm not seeing this happening any time soon with the 18th century wigs...

[creactivity]

Just posted this on FB, with the comment "‎92% of Americans would rather have the income distribution of Sweden than the U.S."

[sealwhiskers]

hoboy..the free marketeer in question would be furious to see that, and would probably spew a 500 word rant about it.

[ex_maehymn]

Ugh

[anotheranon]

Just been reading about the Civil War. It makes me think that seismic societal change IS possible, but it's gonna hurt like hell.

Not saying there will necessarily be a war, but that there will be a dramatic squeeze that will disorient many before a new thing arrives.

EDIT: Pardon, the American Civil War. I'd do well to remember that not everyone reading is American!

[ex_maehymn]

Yes, but have you read THIS: http://bit.ly/nR1joC

Debt, mashed up with layers of pacification disguised as culture makes for a squishy tiramisu of American inertia. I don't think people will rise up as much as they will lay down for anyone that comes along and promises they will return America to whatever messed up version of the American Dream they've been trying to live in.

I want so much to believe in change, and I do in theory, but that article pretty much sums up why I don't think it's going to happen here.

What parallels in society and culture does the current time have with the time of the American Civil War? I'm more familiar with the French Revolution, which is a comparison we are hearing kicked around a lot these days, what with the squeeze on the middle class and all...

[anotheranon]

I have read that, and I think it makes some excellent points. It's not just the young, either - most of the middle class is kept so tense and so busy that we don't have time to think about fighting back.

I do think that societal change is possible, but that it will likely be thrust upon us by circumstance, rather than by anything we bring about ourselves.

The parallel I noticed isn't necessarily what is, but what the results will be. After the U.S. civil war a society (the Southern slaveholding society) DID change/end (and needed to!), but it was swift and disruptive for those who went through it. If (when?) we give up the American Dream(TM) it's going to be similarly fast and harsh, even if it is just a fantasy at this point that needs to be given up.

[alphistia]

Hasn't Sweden been governed by a center-right coalition for the last 7 or so years? Seems to me if Sweden is going "bankrupt", then the policies and practices of THAT government might be responsible. But as you mention, Sweden isn't going bankrupt...and the general standard of living is very high, and the quality of life is actually better for the average person than in the USA. Before you know it, one of Sweden's detractors will bring up the ole canard "but what about the suicide rate? the suicide rate? Socialiism kills!" Estonians kill themselves at a much highter rate and they have one of the most dreadful free-market systems in the world...must have something to do with being Estonian, not socialist ;-)

[tommdroid]

This center-right coalition is true, but our very right is rather left in the US. And I'm not entirely sure they got a center over there at all.

[sealwhiskers]

The centrists are a dying breed without a voice in the US of today..

[sealwhiskers]

oy, this takes some explanation. Hm, well we have proportional representation within a multi party system. Coalitions make it possible for the center-rights to win elections, (and our "center-right" range from the equivalent of centrist moderate to full blown democrats in the US, most things republican would be too far right). The biggest party is still the Social Democrats, but very closely followed by the Moderats. And then I think the Greens come third and a bunch of smaller parties, such as the liberal party and the farmers party as well as the Christian democrats etc