I think a depression would improve American culture immensely

[Ralph Wiggum]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3257053

Another sob story.  I've highlighted some of the more significant points:

LucyParsons  (194 posts)
Wed May-07-08 06:25 PM
Original message
What's your budget looking like lately?
   
I think we are in SERIOUS trouble, folks. While I don't want anyone to starve to death or lose their homes, I think a depression would improve American culture immensely. We seem to have gone totally off track, and have no sense of community, frugality, solidarity... There are few good jobs, and almost no job security. There is a massive gap between our "leaders" in politics and business and so-called culture and the mass of the rest of us (95% of the population). Basic livings costs are climbing out of reach, nevermind the American Dream (tm) of owning your own home and giving your children more opportunities than you had.



Background

I am almost 29, have a master's degree, 14 years total working experience, 7 years postgrad working experience. The jobs I have held, in chronological order, are:

(US)
record store clerk
convenience store clerk/deep-fryer
tour guide

(UK)
waitress
bookseller
literary events manager
freelance proofreader
temp secretary
secretary
residential construction project planning assistant
project planning manager-in-training

(US)
bank teller
freelance proofreader
library assistant
higher ed admin assistant


My parents attended but did not graduate from the local junior college. One was a state employee and Army reservist, and the other is a secretary (who currently has no retirement, no health insurance, and no savings). My grandparents on one side were a TV repairman and his stay at home wife, who managed to support four children; on the other side, cotton sharecroppers. I am not from a privileged background, but I am white, had a comparatively decent public education, and a mother who was willing to sacrifice so that I could have access to opportunities she didn't, such as childhood piano lessons.

I graduated from our large state university with a useless liberal arts degree, then went to Europe (for cultural and political reasons, as well as the fact that an MA program is short there, so, all things considered, at the time, it was financially comparable to doing one here in the US) and completed a master's in the same useless liberal arts subject. I worked 20 hours per week the entire time I was in college. I had $24,000 in loans after my BA and $43,000 in loans after my MA.

I went through a very nasty break-up with my partner and moved back to the US with no money and, despite living with my mother for nearly a year and saving most of my money, couldn't accrue the capital to finance a move to our state capitol, where the "good" jobs, as well as the more liberal political culture, are. So I moved here without a job in May 2006. I ended up working two part-time state jobs far below my ability (thus earning no health benefits) for a year. During this time, to make ends meet, I had to use credit cards for unexpected costs (as many, many Americans do). Since 2005, my student loans, which I had previously paid about $4,000 on, have been in "hardship forbearance". Last fall, I entered a debt management program to pay off my credit card debt, realizing that with Bank of America's arbitrarily-raised interest rates and feed (at 33% when I entered the debt program!), I would literally NEVER get out of debt.

Ten months ago I finally landed a full-time admin job at the same state university from which I graduated eight years ago, so I now have health insurance and retirement, although, like many Americans, I put off going to the doctor because I can't afford the office visit fees unless I am really sick. I also live in a very small apartment (with a TV from 1980 and a stove from 1955), walk to work, have no washing machine or dishwasher, do not subscribe to cable TV or internet service or landline, only have electricity to pay (on my lighting and window AC unit) in the way of utilities, am vegan, and buy local/independent whenever possible. I can't really downsize my life any further. By all expectations, or to listen to lying GOP assumptions, I should be middle class. I am not. I am worse off than my parents, and cannot forsee being in a financial position in which I would choose to have children, nor can I afford to be even the most modest home in my county.

I am not whining. I've made mistakes: choosing to study a subject I loved rather than a lucrative subject; choosing a partner with the type of personality to defraud me and leave me with nothing to show for four years of putting 100% of my income into the shared household; moving to this city because of feelings of cultural claustrophobia, knowing I might not be able to get a "good" job and avoid resultant credit card;debt etc., etc., etc.

As far as I can see, particularly for those of us under 30 or so, the middle class is something from history books. And if I am in this much trouble, and feel this hopeless, with all the advantages and education I have had, I cannot imagine how people with two kids, working low-wage jobs can make it AT ALL. If people in my position, or double-income households in a better position than myself, feel like we are spiralling head-first into poverty, what's going to happen to the working poor? The ignored people who actually drive our whole economy?


I have $250.oo in my savings account.

Here is my budget for this month:

1804.28 salary after tax

550.00 rent
50.00 electricity
175.00 car payment
82.49 car insurance
45.00 cell phone
15.14 netflix
20.00 laundry
30.00 gas
335.00 debt repayment*
3.00 bank fee
51.31 medications
250.00 groceries
50.00 household/miscellany
108. dental work (with insurance)

1764.94 total ougoings
39.34 savings


I hope I don't need another filling, or have car trouble, or want to go out for a beer.


*if I wasn't in a debt repayment program for my credit card debt, I'd be paying $308/month toward student loans, so this still wouldn't be savings.

So much crap in this story, I'm just shaking my head.

[Chris_]

3 words: Misery loves company. To the DUmmy, seek psychiatric help. Just because you're depressed, doesn't mean everyone else wants to be.

[franksolich]

OHMIGOD.

That's StellaBlue.

[Ralph Wiggum]

OHMIGOD.

That's StellaBlue.

That was my thought when I first read it.

Here's the profile:

Username: LucyParsons

Member since    Jul 28th 2007
Number of posts    196
Avatar Image    
Gender    female
City    Austin
State    Texas
Country    USA
Homepage    http://fieldmarshalofcheeseenchiladas.blogspot.com/

[miskie]

Thats what happens with a Liberal arts degree.Also your employment shows no real progression as you jump from one entry-level position to another in totally unrelated fields. This tells me that you don't have the ability to stick to anything long enough to work your way through advancement.- Either you get fired a lot, or you have a tendency to up and quit. The only thing you stuck to was your useless degree. You, my friend, are a professional student. I wouldn't hire you beyond entry level either. Too bad, DUmmy.

[Carl]

Thats what happens with a Liberal arts degree.Also your employment shows no real progression as you jump from one entry-level position to another in totally unrelated fields. This tells me that you don't have the ability to stick to anything long enough to work your way through advancement.- Either you get fired a lot, or you have a tendency to up and quit. The only thing you stuck to was your useless degree. You, my friend, are a professional student. I wouldn't hire you beyond entry level either. Too bad, DUmmy.

I get the feeling that they are the sort that works for a while but when in 10 weeks time doesn`t get promoted to the top of the pack gives up.
They whine for a while and then quit.

[Lacarnut]

Like many liberal intellectual idiots, she is in a state of depression and sadly will probably remain in her state of doom and gloom.

[franksolich]

I get the feeling that they are the sort that works for a while but when in 10 weeks time doesn`t get promoted to the top of the pack gives up.
They whine for a while and then quit.

You just described the mausoleumed StellaBlue primitive, Carl.

Apparently she sneaked back on to Skins's island under a different primitive name; the resume's hers, to a tee.

This was probably before you joined conservativeunderground, but the StellaBlue primitive was notorious for holding a job for only the first morning, and then quitting at noon.

[Chris_]

LucyParsons  (194 posts)
Wed May-07-08 06:25 PM

I think a depression would improve American culture immensely.

These idiots have been depressed for years and it hasn't improved them one bit.  What makes her think the rest of us want what they're selling?

And culture doesn't pay my bills.

[Chris_]

So she's been working since she was 15 and got her M.A. at 22?

Yeah, right.

Just another bouncy.

[Rebel]

OHMIGOD.

That's StellaBlue.

Hi5.

That's EXACTLY who this is.

[Randy]

OHMIGOD.

That's StellaBlue.

As I was reading the sob story that's who I thought it was too. Ralph posting the profile confirms it. Stella lives as Lucy.

Good to see she's got a job these days. I see alot of extras she could cut to streamline her expenses more.

[DumbAss Tanker]

However you spell her name, it still comes out "LOSER!"

 

America-hating bitch.

[jtyangel]

I get the feeling that they are the sort that works for a while but when in 10 weeks time doesn`t get promoted to the top of the pack gives up.
They whine for a while and then quit.

You just described the mausoleumed StellaBlue primitive, Carl.

Apparently she sneaked back on to Skins's island under a different primitive name; the resume's hers, to a tee.

This was probably before you joined conservativeunderground, but the StellaBlue primitive was notorious for holding a job for only the first morning, and then quitting at noon.

That is indeed StellaBlue...right down to the man who dumped her in 'Europe'

[jtyangel]

OHMIGOD.

That's StellaBlue.

As I was reading the sob story that's who I thought it was too. Ralph posting the profile confirms it. Stella lives as Lucy.

Good to see she's got a job these days. I see alot of extras she could cut to streamline her expenses more.

Not to mention if she had kept that job she worked for a day(remember that one) that paid well, but wasn't in her field, she would be sitting pretty comfortably right now.

[JohnnyReb]

[quote

While I don't want anyone to starve to death or lose their homes, I think a depression would improve American culture immensely.

UH-OH! I agree with the DUmmie..... except the improvement wouldn't be along the lines she's thinking. DUmmies would be the first to die off leaving a better/stronger group of people. Survival of the fittest and all, you know.

[Flame]

OHMIGOD.

That's StellaBlue.

That's exactly what I said when I started reading this rant!

[franksolich]

You know, there's a lot of ways the StellaBlue primitive can save, given her budget.

The StellaBlue primitive, like franksolich, is a single person, no dependents.

franksolich does NOT advocate the austere spartan life for those with others dependent upon them, but for those free to do as we wish, it's rather easy.  And it uncomplicates life considerably.

Anyway.

The StellaBlue primitive pays $83 per month, or $498 every six months, on car insurance.  franksolich pays $63 every six months on automotive insurance (and that is not even just the minimal insurance, nor is it with a cheap insurance company).

franksolich is not advising the StellaBlue primitive to "shop around" for a cheaper rate; franksolich is advising the StellaBlue primitive to drive in a decent and civilized manner, which all but eliminates tickets and accidents, thus lowering what one must pay for such insurance.

The StellaBlue primitive pays $15 per month for this "netflix" thing; franksolich has no idea what this "netflix" thing is (probably something "important" to hearing people, one supposes, or people entranced by toys), but franksolich has lived, happily without this "netflix" thing.

The StellaBlue primitive spents $51 a month on drugs; one assumes this is the portion that her medical insurance does not pay for prescriptions.  franksolich spends $1.79 every two months on a bottle of aspirin, that being the total sum of his pharmaceuticals.

If the StellaBlue primitive were to deal with, confront, her personal problems directly, instead of relying upon mood-altering medications to make things seem okay and rosy to her, well, that's another savings for her, in addition to making her healthier, not plugging all sorts of chemicals into her body.

The StellaBlue primitive spends $108 per month on dental work; well, that's water under the dam, and nothing can be done about it, but the StellaBlue primitive can avoid this expenditure in the future by brushing her teeth and avoiding foods that decay the teeth; which has the additional benefit of making her even more healthy, and perhaps slimmer.

I think the StellaBlue primitive can tighten her belt not by a notch, but by several notches.

[RGSG99]

The StellaBlue primitive spents $51 a month on drugs; one assumes this is the portion that her medical insurance does not pay for prescriptions.  franksolich spends $1.79 every two months on a bottle of aspirin, that being the total sum of his pharmaceuticals.

If the StellaBlue primitive were to deal with, confront, her personal problems directly, instead of relying upon mood-altering medications to make things seem okay and rosy to her, well, that's another savings for her, in addition to making her healthier, not plugging all sorts of chemicals into her body.

This is the only portion of your post I have a problem with.  Sometimes drugs ARE needed.  Clinical depression is a real medical problem, just like high blood pressure or diabetes.  If I don't take my depression medication, trust me, EVERYONE knows it.  I am a different person.  Sometimes, you can't just "walk it off."

[franksolich]

This is the only portion of your post I have a problem with.  Sometimes drugs ARE needed.  Clinical depression is a real medical problem, just like high blood pressure or diabetes.  If I don't take my depression medication, trust me, EVERYONE knows it.  I am a different person.  Sometimes, you can't just "walk it off."

There is of course a difference between authentic depression and transient depression.

Nowadays, it seems popular to prescribe mood-altering pharmaceuticals to people temporarily upset (because of a divorce, or a death in the family, whatnot), whereas in the past, such mood-altering medications were only carefully and scantily prescribed for authentic cases of long-lasting depression.

One suspects the StellaBlue primitive has just been going through the "oh, I'm getting old" phase, and taking mood-altering medications for a condition which it is vitally important to naturally grow out of, exacerbates the problem.  Better to deal with it.

Believe me, I know.

[USA4ME]

I recall several times my parents back in the mid and late 70's saying that another depression would probably do the country some good, but it was for a totally legit reason other than what this Dummie has stated.  They looked around and noticed how everyone was always "me, me, me, gotta have it now, don't want to have to work for it," and were replused by it.  To them (both born in 1920 and raised in farming famlies), the depression meant families put their trust in God, pulled together, had a sense of morality and work ethic, knew how to save for things they needed or learn to do without, and all the things that built this country, something they saw was sorely missing from citizens who have a "the world owes me a living and I want it now" attitude.

.

[jtyangel]

The StellaBlue primitive spents $51 a month on drugs; one assumes this is the portion that her medical insurance does not pay for prescriptions.  franksolich spends $1.79 every two months on a bottle of aspirin, that being the total sum of his pharmaceuticals.

If the StellaBlue primitive were to deal with, confront, her personal problems directly, instead of relying upon mood-altering medications to make things seem okay and rosy to her, well, that's another savings for her, in addition to making her healthier, not plugging all sorts of chemicals into her body.

This is the only portion of your post I have a problem with.  Sometimes drugs ARE needed.  Clinical depression is a real medical problem, just like high blood pressure or diabetes.  If I don't take my depression medication, trust me, EVERYONE knows it.  I am a different person.  Sometimes, you can't just "walk it off."

Agreed.

[jtyangel]

I recall several times my parents back in the mid and late 70's saying that another depression would probably do the country some good, but it was for a totally legit reason other than what this Dummie has stated.  They looked around and noticed how everyone was always "me, me, me, gotta have it now, don't want to have to work for it," and were replused by it.  To them (both born in 1920 and raised in farming famlies), the depression meant families put their trust in God, pulled together, had a sense of morality and work ethic, knew how to save for things they needed or learn to do without, and all the things that built this country, something they saw was sorely missing from citizens who have a "the world owes me a living and I want it now" attitude.

.

I tend to agree with your parents, however a lot of folks who are doing those things are still hurting through the economic climate now too and it has nothing to do with selfishness or wanting more then their means. Now, stellablue, she's a single woman who has turned down many decent jobs--I don't have any sympathy for her, but a lot of other decent hardworking Americans already are feeling the pinch. I guess what I'm saying is they don't need things to get any worse to appreciate what they have.

[FlaGator]

I guess this answers the question of how Stella Got Her Groove Back...

[jukin]

A good depression would cull the herd with 95% of the DUmmies food for the predators.