First, so many who are trying to help with their analysis have paywalls — subscribe and you get the real data. If I subscribed to all those whose analysis I respect it would become a large number (I make an exception to crisis investing and any other such paywall).
If you and Doug knew how little I spend and live on you would think I never went through any formal or informal educational process. Now, money has never been my goal in life. I drive an excellent old car and only bought a new one after being out of my MBA at thirty and I had no credit score.
I bought properties and with sweat equity made more money than my cumulative jobs.
I grow a garden and freeze, dry and can and my food is nutrient dense which means I’m healthy.
I distrust the government and generally do the opposite of what they recommend. Case in point: no shots.
I repair everything I can on my homestead, it’s not “rocket science”.
Im thrifty and don’t much care to keep up with the neighbors.
I have had a blessed life and have been willing to take the kind of risks entrepreneurs take.
As an autodidact my only limitation has been deciding what I most want to learn.
I have had seven “careers” moving on when I got bored.
As an Eagle Scout I developed skills that have allowed me to spend as much as sixteen days alone in wilderness areas completely off the grid and entirely on my own. What would most do when a mother bear and two cubs wandered into their encampment?
I feel for society today. Most have no idea that they are targeted for extermination once they’re reduced to extreme poverty or not.
The kids are in a virtual reality with few life skills.
In summary, all the negative social and economic impacts we are seeing is part of a plan long ago implemented and I believe we will break this spell, this trance, but the cost is going to be immense and the suffering great. We are consciousness having a human experience and we are here to be of service the best we able.
Formula can't be right. How did CPI (a monthly percentage) get added to a dollar amount? Did you mean to multiply the food cost * 3 * (1+CPI) over a certain number of months?
Thank you very much for sharing this detailed article. Not sure if it’s by design but finding clear references to what things used to cost always seems such a challenge. Adjustments for inflation never seem to make sense. This is quite the eye opener.
The infamous hamster-wheel that serves as a metaphor for feudalism ...
Western wealth was based on ransacking foreign lands throughout history (Portugal, Spain, Dutch, UK ...) That stopped due to much opposition or natural depletion of those resources. Current exemptions are oil, gas, rare earths and "experts".
Hence elites focused their greed onto the local folks by promoting feminism, consumerism, law exclusively to their profit like general taxation to fuel the war machinery they have biggest stakes in, etc., etc.
People talk about the coming Great Reset; what a BS and misnomer !!!
Its more than a century old and the Great Grift (inflation) is sucking stronger & faster by the day ...
Happy are the slaves that feel free or individualistic and, most important, are totally innocuous to "The System" 🤣🤣🤣
Better get used to live in the NWO which is just the old one but with more effective tools for oppression and deception ...
More Than A Feeling. Boston. 1976. I have the album still.
((Vinyl is better is more than a feeling, too … contra/ustrian econo/mists (o’ time) not all value is subjective.))
If I see Brad Delp, I’m sure he’ll confirm.
Anyone who was alive, awake, during the 70’s, can confirm.
And if that groovy 70’s show motivated looking further back in time the unbiased ply of the clock & calendar is utmost firmly confirmed, confirmed, confirmed: more than a feeling.
Take a steel guitar string. Attach barrel swivels to each end. Tie one swivel end to the end of the reel of time line. Clip a following hook into the swivel at the other end.
Leaders & followers, biting on everything —which is to say each other— in an unbroken line of self-licking ice cream cones & self-swallowing serpentry.
“It doesn’t hurt the fish … they don’t process pain the same way other animals do….”
I blame Keynesian economics, corruption, and a weak judiciary, but also recognize the lack of innovation and growth. Human society would flourish if it had more imagination. Sadly that is projected to decrease exponentially. So, the inevitable result will be war, mass death, and UBI amounting to permanent enslavement of the majority of people to the whim of plutocratic overlords controlling AI governments.
Current income Is between $130k-$140k right now with my wife. Age 29 and 27, would tell my family i still "feel" poor. Their response usually is that I'm not good with money or we are doing something wrong. Not a big spender. Always looking on how to cut expenses like insurance that wont cover major medical costs. $4500/year I pay out for "basic" cost with no deductible but (to my understanding) exposes me to NO OUT OF POCKET MAX if something major. Makes no sense to me on why i pay this.
Very well written, Matt!...and absolutely true. The biggest problem right now in the US is the welfare system. It never should have started; because everybody and their brother seems to be on it. If you are an alcoholic or a drug addict, you can get on it. It was only created as a temporary measure to help for awhile, but you now have 2 generations on it. I paid into the system all my life, as did the rest of the working society; but we now see the illegals getting free perks like dentistry, among other things. My insurance has gone up again, and MY dentistry has been cut 50 % to supply the masses that were let in during the Biden administration. Add to that, the massive amount of "mental health" centers that cater to this nonsense. The doctors are at the worst end; as they have to pay for medical school debts, and must dance to the toon of Big Pharma, and the AMA,... or their licenses will be yanked.
Matt, this was a great article. I am 78 and have lived through the years in question. The way the numbers were presented in this article really paints a harsh....real life picture of how we arrived at the cruel economic situation we are in today. Thank you for providing this information.
My friend's son was diagnosed with agoraphobia in his mid-thirties; he never had much of a career, but then went on SS disability and effectively withdrew from daily society. Funny though, in all of those previous years, never once did I hear or see that the young man suffered from anything. In fact, he was rather full of piss and vinegar and often annoyingly self-confident. Now we the taxpayer have had the privilege of fifteen years' monthly payments (and counting) to this unemployed, unproductive fifty-something. Now multiply him by millions.
Great article Matt and I'm a big fan of Mike Green too, he is intelligent. I'm glad that you and Doug wrote The Preparation for those about to enter the cyclical societal maelstrom. With that said, I'm going to push back on a few things.
Almost 70% of Murika (proper pronunciation for many) is extremely overweight or obese. Did the food force you to eat it? No it didn't, you chose to. Lack of exercise is a choice too don't forget.
An estimated 60% of Murika reads at a 6th grade level and also has up to a high school diploma or GED. I could be wrong on that, heard it in an interview with a smart person, if wrong then fake news. So not becoming smarter wasn't cool or you're just lazy? Another not so good choice.
Living beyond your means on revolving debt like credit cards, did that force your hand too? Of course it didn't, you chose to.
If it is one thing I've learned from listening to motivational speakers like Les Brown, Eric Thomas, David Goggins, Andy Frisella, Jocko Willink, Tony Robbins, etc. is that you need to change. Yes its hard, and its supposed to be hard. Are you going to continue to blame the world, the circumstances, the weather, whatever for why you can't change? The modern Boobus Americanus (Doug's amazing saying) has given up because they want the result without the work. And I know how it feels and the mental state because I was once there too. Broke as a joke, no hope and no support, buried family members far too early, a truly dark place. And then I decided enough is enough. And slowly but surely, one HEAVY foot in front of the other, I dug myself out of that shitty hole and I received no accolades in the process. It's a lonely journey on the path from the depths of Moria to the peaks of the Misty Mountains. As Gandalf said, "I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin on the mountainside."
Sorry for the long rant. Everything you need is inside you. Stop wasting your potential. Start right now.
Of course, Ben, I agree with you entirely. But that doesn't negate what I was writing about. The truth is, it was a lot better for me to pull myself out from the shit heap in the 90s and early 2000s than it is for someone to do that very same thing today. With a constant inflating currency, with insurance costs totally out of control, yeah, it's far more difficult than it was for me, and probably for you too. It's still no excuse. The situation is what it is. You got to do what you can do. But the reality of today's economic conditions are dire.
This is of particular importance to me because I'm thinking about the generation that my children belong to and the world that they're entering. Currently, 70% of all-time high tax receipts are given mostly to boomers in the form of Social Security, etc. We are robbing from the young to give to the old. Attention needs to be drawn to this situation. It's up to the individual to make their own way. And it's up to us to do what we can to point out a deeply flawed system and where we can, alter it.
What you're saying is the absolute truth. I read something about this kind of thing years ago, but I forget where or who wrote it. Essentially it said that our current system is deranged in the way that it sacrifices it's children (future) for its elderly (past). When you look at the average age of the legislature in the US it helps to put the picture together.
I often think about my grandparents generation, who are mostly all gone now. Born in the 1920s boom, grew up in the 1930s bust, and then had to go and fight WW2. It feels like this Fourth Turning will be similiar but different from the last one. I did see that Mike Green was on Fox Business with Charles Payne talking about the 140k income issue he wrote about. Hopefully that will bring some light to the problem.
It was eyeopening to realize my yearly income in Silicon Valley of around $500K in the 1990s, was giving me the quality of life my father had as director for Kohler Int’l in Asia during the 1970s at only $60,000 a year—great take on this subject, Matt. You can either keep swimming against the current, or swim to shore, get out and walk easily upriver to your goals…
I have heard this anecdotally from friends and family. It is intetesting to see the figures. I saw it coming decades ago and voted with my feet - a course I would reccomend to anyone who finds themselves on the wrong side of the curve. Do it before you become so impoverished that you no longer can.
Been there, done that. As a tool for the medical industry as a recruit scientist living in a room for 45/month to where I am at today(?) you are what you make of it...nothing more, maybe nothingless.
Probably not "preparatory" to include the "system" as a causitive factor.
Not easy to live life on the razor's edge when you are responsible for another's life.
Personally , I’m blessed but couldn’t agree more. They kick the can one more time and even people who make 200k plus will be in trouble. The US is in a nose dive for future generations
I just have to comment.
First, so many who are trying to help with their analysis have paywalls — subscribe and you get the real data. If I subscribed to all those whose analysis I respect it would become a large number (I make an exception to crisis investing and any other such paywall).
If you and Doug knew how little I spend and live on you would think I never went through any formal or informal educational process. Now, money has never been my goal in life. I drive an excellent old car and only bought a new one after being out of my MBA at thirty and I had no credit score.
I bought properties and with sweat equity made more money than my cumulative jobs.
I grow a garden and freeze, dry and can and my food is nutrient dense which means I’m healthy.
I distrust the government and generally do the opposite of what they recommend. Case in point: no shots.
I repair everything I can on my homestead, it’s not “rocket science”.
Im thrifty and don’t much care to keep up with the neighbors.
I have had a blessed life and have been willing to take the kind of risks entrepreneurs take.
As an autodidact my only limitation has been deciding what I most want to learn.
I have had seven “careers” moving on when I got bored.
As an Eagle Scout I developed skills that have allowed me to spend as much as sixteen days alone in wilderness areas completely off the grid and entirely on my own. What would most do when a mother bear and two cubs wandered into their encampment?
I feel for society today. Most have no idea that they are targeted for extermination once they’re reduced to extreme poverty or not.
The kids are in a virtual reality with few life skills.
In summary, all the negative social and economic impacts we are seeing is part of a plan long ago implemented and I believe we will break this spell, this trance, but the cost is going to be immense and the suffering great. We are consciousness having a human experience and we are here to be of service the best we able.
Blessings
Formula can't be right. How did CPI (a monthly percentage) get added to a dollar amount? Did you mean to multiply the food cost * 3 * (1+CPI) over a certain number of months?
Thank you very much for sharing this detailed article. Not sure if it’s by design but finding clear references to what things used to cost always seems such a challenge. Adjustments for inflation never seem to make sense. This is quite the eye opener.
If you liked that one, you’ll love the shocking one I referenced at the end. Put the two together and things begin to make sense. https://open.substack.com/pub/dougcasey/p/in-1910-normal-americans-were-rich?r=3p7f&utm_medium=ios
Thanks for sharing !
The infamous hamster-wheel that serves as a metaphor for feudalism ...
Western wealth was based on ransacking foreign lands throughout history (Portugal, Spain, Dutch, UK ...) That stopped due to much opposition or natural depletion of those resources. Current exemptions are oil, gas, rare earths and "experts".
Hence elites focused their greed onto the local folks by promoting feminism, consumerism, law exclusively to their profit like general taxation to fuel the war machinery they have biggest stakes in, etc., etc.
People talk about the coming Great Reset; what a BS and misnomer !!!
Its more than a century old and the Great Grift (inflation) is sucking stronger & faster by the day ...
Happy are the slaves that feel free or individualistic and, most important, are totally innocuous to "The System" 🤣🤣🤣
Better get used to live in the NWO which is just the old one but with more effective tools for oppression and deception ...
More Than A Feeling. Boston. 1976. I have the album still.
((Vinyl is better is more than a feeling, too … contra/ustrian econo/mists (o’ time) not all value is subjective.))
If I see Brad Delp, I’m sure he’ll confirm.
Anyone who was alive, awake, during the 70’s, can confirm.
And if that groovy 70’s show motivated looking further back in time the unbiased ply of the clock & calendar is utmost firmly confirmed, confirmed, confirmed: more than a feeling.
Take a steel guitar string. Attach barrel swivels to each end. Tie one swivel end to the end of the reel of time line. Clip a following hook into the swivel at the other end.
Leaders & followers, biting on everything —which is to say each other— in an unbroken line of self-licking ice cream cones & self-swallowing serpentry.
“It doesn’t hurt the fish … they don’t process pain the same way other animals do….”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaqIe_n9rhI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FeieJpPc24
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WAZZCg8yhvg
Fealty to leader-follower feelings is hard hooks to heads & bodies. And rocks in his head Rocky just wants to go the distance for as long as possible.
“Cut me, Mick.”
“Hook me, whoever.”
I blame Keynesian economics, corruption, and a weak judiciary, but also recognize the lack of innovation and growth. Human society would flourish if it had more imagination. Sadly that is projected to decrease exponentially. So, the inevitable result will be war, mass death, and UBI amounting to permanent enslavement of the majority of people to the whim of plutocratic overlords controlling AI governments.
Current income Is between $130k-$140k right now with my wife. Age 29 and 27, would tell my family i still "feel" poor. Their response usually is that I'm not good with money or we are doing something wrong. Not a big spender. Always looking on how to cut expenses like insurance that wont cover major medical costs. $4500/year I pay out for "basic" cost with no deductible but (to my understanding) exposes me to NO OUT OF POCKET MAX if something major. Makes no sense to me on why i pay this.
Very well written, Matt!...and absolutely true. The biggest problem right now in the US is the welfare system. It never should have started; because everybody and their brother seems to be on it. If you are an alcoholic or a drug addict, you can get on it. It was only created as a temporary measure to help for awhile, but you now have 2 generations on it. I paid into the system all my life, as did the rest of the working society; but we now see the illegals getting free perks like dentistry, among other things. My insurance has gone up again, and MY dentistry has been cut 50 % to supply the masses that were let in during the Biden administration. Add to that, the massive amount of "mental health" centers that cater to this nonsense. The doctors are at the worst end; as they have to pay for medical school debts, and must dance to the toon of Big Pharma, and the AMA,... or their licenses will be yanked.
Matt, this was a great article. I am 78 and have lived through the years in question. The way the numbers were presented in this article really paints a harsh....real life picture of how we arrived at the cruel economic situation we are in today. Thank you for providing this information.
Jim Marshall
My friend's son was diagnosed with agoraphobia in his mid-thirties; he never had much of a career, but then went on SS disability and effectively withdrew from daily society. Funny though, in all of those previous years, never once did I hear or see that the young man suffered from anything. In fact, he was rather full of piss and vinegar and often annoyingly self-confident. Now we the taxpayer have had the privilege of fifteen years' monthly payments (and counting) to this unemployed, unproductive fifty-something. Now multiply him by millions.
Great article Matt and I'm a big fan of Mike Green too, he is intelligent. I'm glad that you and Doug wrote The Preparation for those about to enter the cyclical societal maelstrom. With that said, I'm going to push back on a few things.
Almost 70% of Murika (proper pronunciation for many) is extremely overweight or obese. Did the food force you to eat it? No it didn't, you chose to. Lack of exercise is a choice too don't forget.
An estimated 60% of Murika reads at a 6th grade level and also has up to a high school diploma or GED. I could be wrong on that, heard it in an interview with a smart person, if wrong then fake news. So not becoming smarter wasn't cool or you're just lazy? Another not so good choice.
Living beyond your means on revolving debt like credit cards, did that force your hand too? Of course it didn't, you chose to.
If it is one thing I've learned from listening to motivational speakers like Les Brown, Eric Thomas, David Goggins, Andy Frisella, Jocko Willink, Tony Robbins, etc. is that you need to change. Yes its hard, and its supposed to be hard. Are you going to continue to blame the world, the circumstances, the weather, whatever for why you can't change? The modern Boobus Americanus (Doug's amazing saying) has given up because they want the result without the work. And I know how it feels and the mental state because I was once there too. Broke as a joke, no hope and no support, buried family members far too early, a truly dark place. And then I decided enough is enough. And slowly but surely, one HEAVY foot in front of the other, I dug myself out of that shitty hole and I received no accolades in the process. It's a lonely journey on the path from the depths of Moria to the peaks of the Misty Mountains. As Gandalf said, "I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin on the mountainside."
Sorry for the long rant. Everything you need is inside you. Stop wasting your potential. Start right now.
Of course, Ben, I agree with you entirely. But that doesn't negate what I was writing about. The truth is, it was a lot better for me to pull myself out from the shit heap in the 90s and early 2000s than it is for someone to do that very same thing today. With a constant inflating currency, with insurance costs totally out of control, yeah, it's far more difficult than it was for me, and probably for you too. It's still no excuse. The situation is what it is. You got to do what you can do. But the reality of today's economic conditions are dire.
This is of particular importance to me because I'm thinking about the generation that my children belong to and the world that they're entering. Currently, 70% of all-time high tax receipts are given mostly to boomers in the form of Social Security, etc. We are robbing from the young to give to the old. Attention needs to be drawn to this situation. It's up to the individual to make their own way. And it's up to us to do what we can to point out a deeply flawed system and where we can, alter it.
What you're saying is the absolute truth. I read something about this kind of thing years ago, but I forget where or who wrote it. Essentially it said that our current system is deranged in the way that it sacrifices it's children (future) for its elderly (past). When you look at the average age of the legislature in the US it helps to put the picture together.
I often think about my grandparents generation, who are mostly all gone now. Born in the 1920s boom, grew up in the 1930s bust, and then had to go and fight WW2. It feels like this Fourth Turning will be similiar but different from the last one. I did see that Mike Green was on Fox Business with Charles Payne talking about the 140k income issue he wrote about. Hopefully that will bring some light to the problem.
It was eyeopening to realize my yearly income in Silicon Valley of around $500K in the 1990s, was giving me the quality of life my father had as director for Kohler Int’l in Asia during the 1970s at only $60,000 a year—great take on this subject, Matt. You can either keep swimming against the current, or swim to shore, get out and walk easily upriver to your goals…
I have heard this anecdotally from friends and family. It is intetesting to see the figures. I saw it coming decades ago and voted with my feet - a course I would reccomend to anyone who finds themselves on the wrong side of the curve. Do it before you become so impoverished that you no longer can.
I read your book.
OK but obvious.
Been there, done that. As a tool for the medical industry as a recruit scientist living in a room for 45/month to where I am at today(?) you are what you make of it...nothing more, maybe nothingless.
Probably not "preparatory" to include the "system" as a causitive factor.
Not easy to live life on the razor's edge when you are responsible for another's life.
More to it. Wise up.
The book was “ok but obvious?” Tell me more.
Feast or famine . Sums up life as a business person/entrepreneur. Always living on the razors edge, one slip and… Gotta love it.
Personally , I’m blessed but couldn’t agree more. They kick the can one more time and even people who make 200k plus will be in trouble. The US is in a nose dive for future generations