Thursday, January 24, 2008

I Don't Understand Economics

I will be the first to say that I don't understand economics, unless it is really as easy as I think it is. I am having a hard time understanding the coming "recession"--based on the housing market. It seems to me that people have too much stuff. Look at landfills; look at trash cans; look at shows like "Clean House" or "Mission Organization." Do we really need more?

Why are people building more houses, when old houses, beautiful houses, are sitting vacant? Why isn't there a tax relief plan for people to renovate these houses?

So if this is the case, how does saving and doing with less affect the economy? Really, household economics is fairly easy: You make so much money, and you live within those parameters. If you don't you declare bankruptcy.

How much of our money goes into the great gulf of nothingness? Interest payments on mortgages and credit cards, insurance, entertainment--the list could grow a lot here. I am not saying that we don't need these things (well, insurance is a scam, but that is a different rant!), but look at how much money is poured into this abyss.

I guess my basic question is: When is enough enough? If we have enough, why do we (as a country or a culture) continue to spend? Why is the stress put on spending, rather than saving both money and things? I hate the disposable society.

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