The Empire 101

And now for something completely different in deze reclamevolle tijden:

'Class War Weapon Of Choice – For The Holidays And All Days.
By Joel S. Hirschhorn
20 December, 2006

The motto of the United States of Consumption is “In More We Trust.”
The contribution of American culture to humanity is consumption
obsession. Our epidemic of obesity, our land gluttonous suburban
sprawl, our monster-size environmental footprint, our ravenous
automobile addiction, and our heartless greed are symptoms of a deep-
seated, sick mental state that keeps the economy humming. And it
keeps increasing economic inequality and apartheid.

Mass consumption is also a distraction from the self-inflicted defeat
facing working- and middle-class Americans in the class war they are
losing. Americans are enslaving themselves with their spending and
delusional prosperity. The rich and super-rich in their McMansions,
luxury cars, yachts, swank spas and private jets surely are laughing
at how easy it is to manipulate the 80 percent of the population that
keeps enriching them.

Many common folks are deluding themselves that they have a fair shot
at joining America’s super-rich — those households worth at least $10
million. According to an Elite Traveler poll, they will be spending
25 percent more this year than last on holiday parties, travel, and
shopping. Among the top holiday spending categories: spirits for
entertaining (up 57 percent to $22,300) and yacht charters (up 12
percent to $410,600). The awesomely affluent will also be averaging
$91,100 on holiday jewelry, $36,400 on designer fashions, $52,000 on
luxury watches, and $25,700 on flat screen TVs and other electronics.
Nearly 25 percent of them will travel by private jet just to shop for
holiday gifts. Of course, there are many Americans who do have a good
chance of joining the super-rich. They are the rich Americans.

Any regular person who does not understand that Americans are in a
class war is out of touch with our economic reality. Rich and
powerful elites that are running and ruining our country have the
upper hand. Wiping out the middle class to create a two-class society
nationally and globally suits them. The Upper Class can steer most
wealth to themselves and spread a small amount around to keep the
Lower Class content enough not to revolt. Ordinary people have a
powerful weapon to fight their oppressors, yet have not yet used it.
It is their money, more specifically their discretionary consumer
spending. The reasons for not controlling and politicizing their
spending merit examination. Time is running out to understand why
millions of supposedly rational people spend themselves into economic
slavery.'

Lees verder: http://www.countercurrents.org/hirschhorn201206.htm