I sometimes wonder where the spirit of America has gone? Has accountability given way to apathy? Have Americans decided to go softly without a whimper? Have we lost the message of our patriotic past and heritage? It seems that way! Challenging the status quo, liberty, the ability to embrace change, and personal accountability were basically the mantra upon which this great nation was founded. American History 101. "Taxation without representation is tyranny!" As Patrick Henry quoted "Give me liberty of give me death!"
In the 1970's and 1980's when inflationary gas prices, coffee prices, meat prices, fuel prices went through the roof people boycotted. The demonstrations took place in the supermarkets where we exercise the power of of where we choose to spend our money. On the road, we choose to consolidate trips, plan our errands, and reduce our consumption. We can all play a part in correcting a wrong, we just need to focus with a main theme! Those that made a living on the road or that were more reliant on fuel had a more dire need to make their needs known of face extinction! Truck drivers with big rigs and farmers on farm equipment demonstrated, some brought gridlock to major roads to bring attention to dire conditions. It hit the evening news, and brought attention to inept representation! Runaway gas prices, heating fuel, the price of meat and coffee have gotten out of hand and yet Washington does not have to deal with any concerted effort, and the individual is dismissed. There is no strength without numbers! Organization is the way to collectively identify issues in an election year to bring attention to wrongs that need addressing. When coffee went to high people just stopped buying it. They drank other beverages...prices dropped. This concept could apply to anything you want...food, fuel, foreclosures, and social issues.
Is apathy the path of least resistance? Is inaction really a surrender to the status quo and to your own powerlessness? Does anyone else remember what it is to act like a real American?
30 Comments on Boycotts What Ever Happened to America? Does Apathy Rule?
MAR
10
2008
Too many people recieve money without having to work for it. When the government hands you a check, or you don't have to pay taxes, what difference does price make. when prices go up, so do the monthly checks
Remember when the email went around about not buying gas on Thursday( or whatever day is was). Or not to buy gas from one of the gas companies for a week? Problem is no one ever does it. They wave their hand and figure to let some one else do it, or we don't have time and so on. I would bet if we REALLY did do it, we might be surprised at how powerful we really are?
Well, I'm old enough to remember burning bras and Vietnam war protests and Kent State and having the National Guard on the OSU campus afterward. The 60's was a decade of challenging the "establishment".
40 yrs later we're still waiting for a woman to break through the glass ceiling ... we're fighting an endless war ... but none of the college kids are protesting.
Tell you what Jim ... I'll burn my bra if you grow long hair and a beard. Got any puca beads???? ;-)
Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD I'm wondering if credit has something to do with it? Credit cards were a rarity in the 70's and 80's...cash ruled. You bought what you could afford. Nowadays I go to the supermarket to buy a gallon of milk and end up spending $75 on God knows what! If I went into the store with $5 cash in my pocket for the one purchase I would stick to my list. I'd have no choice. When something went up in price, I would say "No, I am not paying that price with my hard earned money!"
If you think of that thought for a moment if a person had to have cash to buy that car, or that home would they have made that purchase? OK, if this credit crunch gets tighter...what will happen to those that lose their credit? Gasoline? Food? Housing?
Elaine Reese, REALTOR® in central Ohio LOL! Those were the days! I saw some writing on the wall of a college recently that said that "College students were apathetic!" Underneath was a response that said "Who cares?" I guess we truly are in a different day and age!
Jim, the more I thought about your post, the more I wondered what is different today than it was in the 60's.
"Kids today" could have so much more power to change things with their MySpace, Facebook, and blogging. Heck, WE know the power of Web 2.0! Wonder why they're not using it? Is it because using the computer is such a solitary thing? They don't get together in actual face-to-face groups to go down to the courthouse steps for their sit-in.
Elaine Reese, REALTOR® in central Ohio I agree...the computer is too isolating. It is not a real social advantage, that only works when we are good at interacting with other for real ! LOL!
Jim, I have wondered that too. I am only a Gen X'er, but can certainly appreciate the concentrated efforts that give me my freedoms today. I am mostly appreciative of the Civil Rights Movement, being bi-racial and a woman.
I asked my brother, who is a Gen Y kid, "Where is the whole, Power to the People movement", "Where is the representation these days". He said that it's there, it's just done in different ways, undercurrent ripples that are not as obvious. Hmm... I am on the internet and am just not sure I see it, do you? I am confused. Maybe we are talking a different language. Granted, my brother's intelligence is at an acutely high level, but I am not talking about "the right to piracy", I am talking about the "right to free speech" and to use that voice to effect the power to change these things you speak of Jim that effect us the most right now.
Of course, I draw from my own pocketbook and have my own family. I am effected by changing gas prices and rising food costs. Perhaps this is the difference between some of the younger and older generations. I am not sure.
Rebecca Levinson- Real Estate Blogger No I do not see it. I think we have to ask individually for the answers, I do not see it in this generation...gamers are kind of in their own world. Not the survivalist types, not the change society types I grew up with.
Jim - this was a bit before my time BUT I certainly appreciate it. My Dad was a military man his whole life and we were taught to "behave" and not get into trouble. It's probably a good thing I was "too young" at the time because I naturally turned out to be the REBEL CHILD in his six-pack!
Real Estate Specialist | Brandon, FL | Susie Roscoe LOL! I am not talking civil disobediance! LOL! Boycott is a plot more peaceful. It may mean collectively not buying a particluar product liek "Coffee!" Some boycotts may involve a picket line, but I've not done that.
Sorry, back again - this topic has me really intrigued.
One thing I thought of is the current Democratic election. Obama's strength is with the younger voters - the people your post is questioning. His platform is based on "hope". As we know, 'hoping' something will happen is not the same as taking action to actually make it happen. 'Hope' is passive and requires no commitment nor responsibility nor accountability nor action to make a change happen.
I "hope" I have a good year in 2008. I "hope" I get that next new listing. I "hope" I sell a million dollar house this year.
Unless I take specific ACTION to address those hopes, nothing will change ... and at the end of the year ... I'll still be "hoping" the same things happen in 2009.
So back to the younger people ... are they hoping that Obama will make the changes so they don't have to take any action or responsibility or accountability on their part? My generation was raised to accept responsibility for our actions. If we failed a test, it was our fault ... not the teacher's. Today's young adults have tended to be raised that it's always someone else's fault for their failings or difficulties. Do you suppose that might explain the apathetic difference????
The price of gas is having a huge negative effect on a home owner's income/debit ratio! A few years ago when a buyer did a loan application, it did not take into account the price of fuel and the effects that this price increase has on all consumer products across the board! When I bought my home 3 years ago, I was spending about $50 a week, or about $250 month on gas. I now spend about 4 times that amount, around $800 a month for the same amount of gas! I don't know many home owner's who can absorb that kind of a price jump in the monthly budget! The price of gas has now cost many a home owner their monthly house payment! The big oil people in Washington are making more money than ever, and their personal stake in the economy is better than ever! I hope that the working class can all just hang on until the elections! In other countries around the world, the citizens would rebel and would not stand for their government to allow this to happen! Why do we? I remember when the oil companies attempted to reduce oil production when Clinton was in. He threatened to tap into our huge oil reserves. OPEC quickly brought the price of oil back down.
Elaine Reese, REALTOR® in central Ohio I don't know, I was hoping to hit the million dollar lottery this weekend and I will not have to do real estate any longer.! LOL! Just kidding, I agree. There has to be some substance to the belief. I think the younger folks are confusing change with hope...because I do not see the substance there.
Steve Hula This country needs to get of the gasoline diet. The country that can put a man on the moon cannot re-focus to find other fuel alternatives? It does not matter who is in office, they are not changing the fundamentals! Absolute stupidity! Have you noticed that Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, Bush no administration has changed abortion, NAFTA...NADA? Why should they? They divid the nation and get re-elected every few years and nothing ever changes. Have you ever had the feeling they were playing the entire nation as too stupid to figure out the game? Have you also wondered how they can spend absolute millions running for office on a job that pays $400K a year? What is wrong with the picture?
Jim, great way to point out our current problems. Fed rate cuts have a tendency to put inflationary pressure into the economy. Cutting rates has done nothing but put a political band-aid on our economy's problems. If prime rate drops 2.25% on a $10,000 loan, it saves a person less than $19.00/month in intererst charge. But the weakening dollar has cost the consumer much more than $19.00/month in increased fuel costs at the pump, milk, bread, coffee, etc. It's time to slowly cut back on waste and focus more on growth. It's posts like yours that start the seed of change.
Hi Jim, I think the problem is everyone is so busy trying to make ends meet that they don't take the time to step back and say "what the hell is going on" Let's keep hope alive!
Debbie Greto We need to do more than hope. At some time, we need to act in our own lives. We all play a part in this world. Even if we only share our thoughts, and ideas and create dialogue with friends or neighbors.
People get complacent. No one really wants change. They talk about it but they really don't want to rock the boat. People get used to the way things are and begin thinking that it's always been like this. Take for example having your taxes withheld from your pay check instead of paying them with a check at the end of the year. This was supposed to be a temporary measure during WWII. Now people just take it for granted. Most people have no idea what they are paying in taxes. We'd have a real revolution if people had to write a check at the end of every month to pay their taxes. They would then realize that what they pay for gasoline is peanuts compared to what they are paying in taxes. Maybe the government should put a moratorium on taxes for awhile so people could afford to make their mortgage payments.
Things won't change until things really get bad. People have to get mad as hell and decide not to take it any more. Just like the scene in Network
If you're mad about high prices, make sure you revolt against the real crux of the problem. Don't get mad at the gas station owners or the supermarkets. Get mad and do something against the real cause of high prices. Get mad at the people who cause inflation. High prices are just the result of inflation. Inflation is not caused by high prices. Inflation is caused by too much money being created above the level of products and services being created. When too much money is created, this causes prices to rise. Who controls the money supply? The sacred Federal Reserve. He who controls the money supply controls everything.
Why is the Federal Reserve treated like it is some kind of sacred institution? It was created in 1913 in order to keep prices stable. A dollar in 1913 is now worth 4 cents. It doesn't seem like they have done a very good job. Now with them pumping more money into the economy with low interest rates they are destroying the value of the dollar. So let's get mad and do something about the real cause of inflation. Let's get a system back that will actually be able give us sound money that is worth something.
Why aren't we all mad as hell about the national debt? Why aren't we mad as hell about the bankrupt social security system? How are we going to pay this debt? Sooner or later someone has to pay. They won't tax us more because sooner or later people get mad and revolt. There will finally come a time when foreign countries like China will stop loaning us money to financ that debt. So what will they do? They will have only one option. They'll just print as much money as needed. It would be great if that would actually work. But that will cause some real inflation just like it has in many countries in the past. Prices will sky rocket and people will get mad at the gas stations and supermarkets. The politicians can look like they feel our pain by trying to pass price control legislation.
As you can tell, I'm mad as hell and I hope more and more people start to wake up before it is too late.
Tim Maitski ~ The Atlanta Agent With Nuts We all are mad! You shared a great deal of common sense. It was great seeing you today, I am going to embed that video you shared in the main Blog! That is exactly what I am talking about! Our passions need to come back alive before it is too late!
How can the democrates make change happen when the current Pres VETOS everyting they are trying to do? Please do not place the blame on the Democrates. If the prople allow the Pres to run the contry like a Dictator, then we all need to take part of the blame! Watch CNN once in a while and educate yourself on this issue.
Steve Hula He does not run the country like a dictator. The American process is run by the separation of powers. The Executive Branch, the Judicial and the legislative branch! It is American as "apple pie!" If you love America, you have to appreciate the point if we did not have this...Congress would be a dictatorship.
By the way, we do have a Democratic Congress in both houses. They design the budget, the finance laws, the oversight. The house of Representatives are responsible for Revenue Bills... if the President vetos a Bill, you need to ask why does a Democratic Congress not overide the veto since they are in control? They have that power under the constitution. So why don't they? Issues like that should be with Congress...that is where the blame rests. You cannot have it both ways!
Atlanta real estate broker associate, real estate columnist for www.RealtyTimes.com, real estate speaker. Real estate marketing, Internet marketing for real estate, real estate coaching
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