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Good question. The usual answers, such as the Rockefeller's, the Rothschild's, the Illuminati, Wall Street, Washington, ... do not serve our understanding well.
Humans have a long standing tendency to personify that which they do not understand well. While it is no doubt true that a few powerful families, wealthy Banksters and Titan's of industry and leading politicians exert inordinate influence, still there is something in the larger fabric of civilization that fosters such concentration of power, wealth and corruption.
Your Cowness, Rajiv, Anyone,
I'd like your opinion about something . . . .
It seems to me a possible way to predict the economic future is to ascertain which possible future benefits the Powers That Be, since they are in the driver's seat.
One question is whether the PTB know what they are doing, or are just being greedy and stupid. We already know they are greedy, but it's hard to believe those at the top are stupid. So I'm assuming they are in control of what's going on, and just don't care how much human suffering they cause to achieve their goals. What do they care if 20% or more of the population is out of work, living in the street, can't afford health care or even basic necessities . . . as long as they are collecting their million-dollar bonuses?
If they want big- or hyperinflation, they only have to continue to "print" money. If they want deflation, they need do nothing as this will occur naturally. Being in control, they can choose either outcome. So, what's in their best interest?
In my opinion, here are some points to consider:
1) The PTB will use the technique of the frog in hot water. That is, if you slowly raise the temperature of the water, the frog will not react to the gradual temperature rise and eventually become cooked. So, I would suggest that the PTB will attempt to avoid any sudden jolts, but rather go for the scenario that produces a gradual degradation. This rules out hyperinflation, which by definition is a sudden event.
2) Along these lines, the PTB don't want to cause such sudden and dramatic economic pain that the People would be tempted to revolt, take the power, and put them in jail. If the PTB aren't stupid, they will choose a course that avoids this outcome.
3) Since their goal is to amass wealth, they will cause a situation that enables them to increase their power and assets. According to Hudson, their plan is to enslave the People in Debt Servitude, buying up distressed assets then "renting" them to the People. Right now, they are sitting on tons of money. If there is big inflation or hyperinflation, wouldn't the value of that money severely decrease, making it difficult for them to buy up distressed assets?
EJ's hypothesis, as I understand it, is that the government will print money to keep the People happy while slowly impoverishing them. But the flaw in that argument is that over 5 years of big inflation, the people won't be happy, as the value of the dollar drops by something like 75%. Furthermore, the People will blame the government for causing the problem by "printing" too much money.
Perhaps the PTB's strategy is to let the world slip into Depression. They can then say, "Well, at first we tried the stimulus, and pumped trillions into the economy, but that didn't work. So what could we do?" They are off the hook for the responsibility, yet have the benefit of seeing their money grow in value, making it all the more easy to buy up distressed assets and increase their wealth.
Re: 20 reasons Global Debt Time Bomb explodes soon
Originally posted by raja
EJ's hypothesis, as I understand it, is that the government will print money to keep the People happy while slowly impoverishing them. But the flaw in that argument is that over 5 years of big inflation, the people won't be happy, as the value of the dollar drops by something like 75%. Furthermore, the People will blame the government for causing the problem by "printing" too much money.
Perhaps the PTB's strategy is to let the world slip into Depression. They can then say, "Well, at first we tried the stimulus, and pumped trillions into the economy, but that didn't work. So what could we do?" They are off the hook for the responsibility, yet have the benefit of seeing their money grow in value, making it all the more easy to buy up distressed assets and increase their wealth.
Your thoughts?
I think it is an error to assume that the PTB is a monolithic entity.
From my view, the politicians seeks to gain/retain political power. The bankers seek to gain/retain access to easy money. The pundits seek to gain/retain attention. etc etc.
Given this dichotomy, it is entirely possible that the sequence of events we are seeing is entirely due to the reverbretation effect of one group's desires feeding through another group's desires in turn being influenced by a third group. The result being crap policy.
Certainly there are those individuals who have a higher order understanding of the affair.
But equally certain (to me) is that there is no specific comprehensive plan to enslave the people via debt. It is just the logical outcome of banker's sought for control over money combined with political lack of leadership and filtered through (or not) the populace's ignorance.
It seems to me a possible way to predict the economic future is to ascertain which possible future benefits the Powers That Be, since they are in the driver's seat.
Sure, one can predict the future that way.
Oh ... you meant correctly predict the future? Now that's a bit harder.
The various powers are not monolithic, as c1ue notes. Moreover, their views of the world are not always easy for us commoners to ascertain. The end result is a problem space that is by and large intractable. One can get bits and pieces right (and wrong), at least so far as one's particular individual situation is concerned.
So ... in theory yes, in practice not really, though that doesn't keep us from trying.
Re: 20 reasons Global Debt Time Bomb explodes soon
c1ue wrote:
But equally certain (to me) is that there is no specific comprehensive plan to enslave the people via debt.
When the financial powers keep doing that same thing over and over, aggressively, in country after country, for the last half century or so, benefiting substantially each time they do so, and when people such as John Perkins explain in great detail how they were hired to enslave nations, their citizens, governments, businesses and institutions in debt, for the purpose of stealing their resources, wealth, and future income and tax revenue streams, then it is quite certain (to me) that there are a specific comprehensive plans to enslave the people via debt.
P.S. -- Speak of the devil. View John Perkins confirming these debt plans on the new iTulip post at John Perkins.
Last edited by ThePythonicCow; February 09, 2010, 03:16 PM.
I think it is an error to assume that the PTB is a monolithic entity.
From my view, the politicians seeks to gain/retain political power. The bankers seek to gain/retain access to easy money. The pundits seek to gain/retain attention. etc etc.
Given this dichotomy, it is entirely possible that the sequence of events we are seeing is entirely due to the reverbretation effect of one group's desires feeding through another group's desires in turn being influenced by a third group. The result being crap policy.
Certainly there are those individuals who have a higher order understanding of the affair.
But equally certain (to me) is that there is no specific comprehensive plan to enslave the people via debt. It is just the logical outcome of banker's sought for control over money combined with political lack of leadership and filtered through (or not) the populace's ignorance.
Yes, I agree that it can't be viewed strictly monolithically since the PTB are made up of various components. Yet, I wonder if perhaps we cannot view it as a monolithic "force", as the majority of the components are acting in concert with a shared goal.
The Banksters' and Wall Street's goals are clear -- money and power. The Political Enablers -- power and money. The mainstream media -- ratings and money. The pundits -- ratings and money. Except for some of the contrarian pundits, don't most all these parties dance to the same tune . . . the siren song of the Financial Elite -- they who supply the money? Are they not invested in the Financial Elite achieving it's rapacious goals?
Sure, if the Political Enablers sense their political life may be threatened, they may desert the Financial Elite . . . but right now that's not happening. Their reelections depend on continued support from the Vampire Squids.
Don't you think there are a bunch of rich white men sitting in a penthouse office right now talking about how "honest the little people are", and how "we can always count on them to pay their debts"? Of course, they realistically say, "We have to be careful not to arouse the suspicions and passions of the stupid peons, so we better take our million dollar bonuses in stock. That will shut them up."
I don't call that a "logical outcome", I call it a deliberate strategy to get suck the blood out of the American People . . . and most of the politicians are in on it. Do you think they really care if the little people are losing their jobs, homes and retirement savings?
So, let me rephrase the idea of my original post to accommodate your clarification . . . .
If a majority of the various components of the PTB are acting independently but with the same goal -- to further the greed of the Financial Elite that wishes to suck the economic lifeblood out the People, in effect converting them into Debt Slaves -- what strategy would they follow . . . inflation/hyperinflation or deflation? I think deflation.
Oh ... you meant correctly predict the future? Now that's a bit harder.
The various powers are not monolithic, as c1ue notes. Moreover, their views of the world are not always easy for us commoners to ascertain. The end result is a problem space that is by and large intractable. One can get bits and pieces right (and wrong), at least so far as one's particular individual situation is concerned.
So ... in theory yes, in practice not really, though that doesn't keep us from trying.
My expectations are a little more convoluted, conspiratorial and sinister (shorter term) and bold and promising (longer term), and only visible to the verbal side of my brain in fragments.
It is difficult for me to predict when and how and in response to what stimulus I will coherently articulate fragments of my expectations.
My expectations are a little more convoluted, conspiratorial and sinister (shorter term) and bold and promising (longer term), and only visible to the verbal side of my brain in fragments.
It is difficult for me to predict when and how and in response to what stimulus I will coherently articulate fragments of my expectations.
Re: 20 reasons Global Debt Time Bomb explodes soon
From my perspective, chasing down the people is a mugs game. "The Powers That Be" are not humans, they are systems in which humans live...and do business. Humans are humans, and they will always take full advantage of a situation to better their condition, whatever that condition happens to be at the time. You can kill 'em all and drown their children, others will take their place. We call that history now.
The issue is the legal formats which the very human people have been given to work with. Change the format, change the outcomes.
Re: 20 reasons Global Debt Time Bomb explodes soon
The Apostle Paul tells us ... Ephesians: 6:12
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
A small percentage can be changed. Those people have first of all have to desire change. Of course the desire alone is not enough. It is the first requirement. Trying to change a larger group works against nature.
It seems to me a possible way to predict the economic future is to ascertain which possible future benefits the Powers That Be, since they are in the driver's seat.
One question is whether the PTB know what they are doing, or are just being greedy and stupid. We already know they are greedy, but it's hard to believe those at the top are stupid. So I'm assuming they are in control of what's going on, and just don't care how much human suffering they cause to achieve their goals. What do they care if 20% or more of the population is out of work, living in the street, can't afford health care or even basic necessities . . . as long as they are collecting their million-dollar bonuses?
If they want big- or hyperinflation, they only have to continue to "print" money. If they want deflation, they need do nothing as this will occur naturally. Being in control, they can choose either outcome. So, what's in their best interest?
In my opinion, here are some points to consider:
1) The PTB will use the technique of the frog in hot water. That is, if you slowly raise the temperature of the water, the frog will not react to the gradual temperature rise and eventually become cooked. So, I would suggest that the PTB will attempt to avoid any sudden jolts, but rather go for the scenario that produces a gradual degradation. This rules out hyperinflation, which by definition is a sudden event.
2) Along these lines, the PTB don't want to cause such sudden and dramatic economic pain that the People would be tempted to revolt, take the power, and put them in jail. If the PTB aren't stupid, they will choose a course that avoids this outcome.
3) Since their goal is to amass wealth, they will cause a situation that enables them to increase their power and assets. According to Hudson, their plan is to enslave the People in Debt Servitude, buying up distressed assets then "renting" them to the People. Right now, they are sitting on tons of money. If there is big inflation or hyperinflation, wouldn't the value of that money severely decrease, making it difficult for them to buy up distressed assets?
EJ's hypothesis, as I understand it, is that the government will print money to keep the People happy while slowly impoverishing them. But the flaw in that argument is that over 5 years of big inflation, the people won't be happy, as the value of the dollar drops by something like 75%. Furthermore, the People will blame the government for causing the problem by "printing" too much money.
Perhaps the PTB's strategy is to let the world slip into Depression. They can then say, "Well, at first we tried the stimulus, and pumped trillions into the economy, but that didn't work. So what could we do?" They are off the hook for the responsibility, yet have the benefit of seeing their money grow in value, making it all the more easy to buy up distressed assets and increase their wealth.
Your thoughts?
So, here I am making an case against the prevailing iTulip conventional wisdom -- an argument that I haven't seen expressed before on this site.
I was expecting a more robust response . . . .
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