Quote:
Quoted in its entirety because it is so EXACTLY the point.
We have gotten (frighteningly rapidly) accustomed to a lifestyle that is bizarrely, extremely, seriously more luxurious than anything lived by most people on the planet today, and ALL people on the planet ever in the past. And we think it's
normal. A baseline for acceptible existence.
We have computers in our houses that can instantly (well, unless like me you're on dialup
) connect us with zillions of people across the globe; we have central heating, laundry machines, frozen pizza, *pet* chickens, antibiotics (at least for the time being ;>), machine-knit socks and waterproof nylon raincoats. Think about it!
To my way of thinking, worrying that when the bottom falls out of the economy, your lifestyle might change or your standard of living might drop a lot... that's actually a sign that you're really pretty well off. Worrying that you might lose your job and might not be able to get another one... that's a sign that you are 'reasonably' well off, compared to people in much of the world who do not HAVE contractual jobs or often any jobs at all.
Those who are
already barely scraping by, without a job and with physical or geographical limitations that make it much harder for them to get by... ok, THOSE folks I seriously feel bad for and they will need some gentle help from everyone else when things get tougher. BUT, that is not a very high percentage of people. And that lifestyle -- the
'I'm not entirely certain where next week's food is coming from and am *hoping* we will be able to keep from freezing this winter, and I sure hope to avoid any disease or accidents 'cuz there's not going to be much option for medical care" lifestyle -- is how an awfully huge number of people in the world ALREADY live (and how
most people have lived throughout human history).
If, someday, you can't afford the commute to work, you will choose between staying where you are and not working (or working a different, much lower-paying, possibly less 'fun' job) or moving closer to where you can get work. Just like the rest of the world does.
If, someday, your grocery bill 'before milk, cheese and bread' exceeds the amount of money you have available, you will learn to make your own bread, you will not buy the majority of things that used to be on your shopping list i.e. any kind of processed or prepared food, and cheese and possibly even milk will become a rationed treat rather than a regular menu item. (Unless you can keep a cow or goat). You may eat less; you will probably grow some stuff yourself; you will definitely learn to cook from scratch if you don't already. Much/most of the rest of the world lives this way, in fact your grandparents or great-grandparents probably did. We will too, when we have to.
Of course we *want* conveniences, nice things, the ability to do what we like... but does that mean that the world is ending just because we might actually have to start living like the rest of our species?
Pat