freedomdwarf1
Posts: 6845
Joined: 10/23/2012 Status: offline
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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess quote:
ORIGINAL: vincentML quote:
Does anyone have any evidence to show that our consumption patterns actually ultimately help workers in foreign countries (i.e., continuing to buy cheap goods)? Over time, do wages go up? Does child labor get reduced? Just curious. In Bangledesh the minimum wage for garment workers was recently doubled. And so they are no longer earning 14 cents an hour. Still beneath the poverty rate tho. Good post, FTP. Thank you Okay, so at this rate, how many decades before they are earning a fair wage? It also depends on many other factors as well as just 'income'. If you could rent/buy somewhere decent to live for just $40 a month, then what you call a fair wage wouldn't be the same as for living in the US where the same property would cost you $1200. quote:
ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess People need to shift their consumption patterns to local things. Buy less stuff. Buy more services and food grown locally (yes, go to your local farmers' market, etc.). Invest in real estate (either by taking more of your income to put into rent/mortgage or by actually investing in real estate investment vehicles). An awful lot of people don't have the resources to buy into real estate. quote:
ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess I understand people need to buy necessities. And I understand a certain amount of "stuff" is, in fact necessary. But beyond that minimum, really, it is just more stuff. I quite agree. But when you are only able to afford 'the minimum', the option to buy 'more stuff' just doesn't get considered. quote:
ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess Isolating the fashion industry for a moment, I do have the following to say. Part of the issue is that in order to make money, the industry must "change" what is fashionable from one moment to the next. And they are very successful at marketing the new looks to make people feel truly embarrassed to be caught dead in out of date stuff. Last years wide leg jeans don't look so great when everyone is running around in skinny jeans. And now we have skinny jean capris for the summer. The result is that people feel pressure to buy the latest look - and everyone does it, after all how many people walk around in leisure suits or 70s wide ties anymore? The problem is though, that before, styles would change over longer time frames - now, it seems every season the fashion world is dictating some new look. The fashion industry has a lot to answer for. quote:
ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess Then, I will isolate two other areas where I feel we've gone a little crazy - home decorating and childrens' toys. What is fashionable for the home also changes frequently. And children today grow up with waaaaaaay too many toys. Again, how much "stuff" does one "need"? I haven't bought toys and 'stuff' for my kids for years and years. Every birthday, xmas, and other special days, are just ordinary days for us. Decorating? We don't do that. I haven't done any decorating since before the turn of the century - about 13 years or more. As long as the walls aren't falling down or the windows aren't falling out - it'll do. I don't need it to look like a show room or a palace or sport the latest colour scheme. As long as I can pay the rent and it keeps us dry and out of the elements... We'll manage without new paint. quote:
ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess How do we handle living in a world where advertising creates "wants" that are disguised to look like "needs"? We just stick to the needs - wants are just added to the list of things we can't afford to buy. I am not alone when I say my income is less than half of what it was 6 years ago and the bills have more than tripled in that time. There is no longer any 'spare money' for those luxuries that we used to buy regularly - everything is a juggle of buying just the necesseties of life. We haven't bought any alcohol for about 4 years now. We no longer buy flowers for the table. We buy cheap cuts of meat, cheap veggies and cheap-brand bread. The last time I had any new clothes was when my step-daughter bought me a polo shirt for xmas 2010. Other than that, I haven't bought any new clothes for myself or anyone in the family for at least 7-8 years - not even the obligatory socks for xmas! The other week we went 7 days without hot water or heating or any food shopping; we struggled on what we had left over in the cupboards. This week isn't going to be much better either although I think I can juggle some cash into the gas meter for heating if I don't buy coffee or milk or potatoes/veg or any meat. And you talk about investing in more real estate?? Pffffttttt!! Not a snowballs chance! Maybe this is where many in the US don't realise just how well-off they are compared to other places. Even in good old blighty, those in the middle-class bracket are finding it quite a challenge these days. Those on the lower rungs are definitely finding it bloody hard just to keep on living properly. quote:
ORIGINAL: subrob1967 FR Don't you people have jobs? Get to work damn it! I would - if I could!! The jobs that pay anything near a livable wage just aren't out there. Part-time, yes. But you couldn't survive on what they pay. In these days of austerity, many jobs have been completely axed or out-sourced. Factories and businesses are closing down every day. The last survey I saw showed that for every measly job advertised there were over 1500 applicants scrambling for it - even if it was shit wages and crap working conditions.
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