[phaster]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('roccman', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', 'A')ctually, my bad. The thesis should have been the financial system and the attendant needs and wants of all the humans is destroying the Environment of the world in terms of favorable habitation conditions. I notice that some of you do not spend to much time on the Environment forum. Well, I am making a post there that will be titled "BAU is the final nail in the coffin" . Because while some of you do make some keen points about how the Economies of the world are still functioning and staying afloat. Every day modern civilization and our huge numbers are debilitating the resiliency of the Biosphere and its ability to sustain life. So, I know this is a PO site but we all know this is the case but some of us are more forthright about it.

[onlooker]

Debt-onomics': Even people with good jobs in fear of going bankrupt
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/video/debt- ... pt~1384896
These 11 Countries are Going BANKRUPT! Here's Why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05AspCST3u0

[Outcast_Searcher]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', '[')b]Debt-onomics': Even people with good jobs in fear of going bankrupt
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/video/debt- ... pt~1384896
These 11 Countries are Going BANKRUPT! Here's Why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05AspCST3u0

[onlooker]

Also, wondeing why you ignored 11 countries going bankrupt
Notice this is from MSM article: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/gl ... 12351.html
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ') Global debt is spiralling out of control
Reducing debt through debt forgiveness, defaults or inflation is not without consequences. Savings designed to finance future needs, such as retirement, are lost. This in turn results in additional claims on the state to cover the shortfall or reduce future expenditure, which crimps economic activity

Borrowing is also assumed to finance assets or investments that generate income or value to repay principal and interest. A significant proportion of current debt does not meet this test.

Only around 15-20 per cent of total financial flows went into investment projects with the remaining 80-85 per cent being used to finance existing corporate assets, real estate or unsecured personal finance to “facilitate lifecycle consumption smoothing”. Borrowings were frequently used to finance pre-existing assets where anticipated price rises were to be the source of repayment.

Debt irrelevance assumes a Ponzi scheme where nations need to borrow ever-increasing amounts to both repay existing borrowing but also to maintain economic growth. By 2007-2008, the US needed $4 to $5 of debt to create $1 of economic growth, compared with an additional $1 to $2 of debt per additional $1 of GDP in the 1950s. Currently, China needs $6 to $8 of debt to create $1 growth, compared with $1 to $2 as recently as 10 to 20 years ago. Such a rapid increase in debt levels is unsustainable given constraints of an ageing population and slower growth overall.
But in the absence of strong growth and high inflation, unsustainable debt levels cannot be artificially maintained. If and when the problems re-emerge, the ability of the sovereigns to intervene will be constrained. The financial strength of many sovereigns are now impaired by increasing levels of borrowing incurred in the lead-up to and following the GFC, reducing their ability to act in case of financial crisis.

The argument that every debtor has a corresponding creditor ignores the fact that the lenders may be foreign. Where the borrowings are sourced offshore there is net outflow of cash to the lender, which can affect domestic wealth and activity as well as increase financial

[marmico]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')y 2007-2008, the US needed $4 to $5 of debt to create $1 of economic growth, compared with an additional $1 to $2 of debt per additional $1 of GDP in the 1950s.

[Outcast_Searcher]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', 'A')lso, wondeing why you ignored 11 countries going bankrupt
Notice this is from MSM article: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/gl ... 12351.html

[AdamB]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '
')The average driving American's gasoline bill increased by $2,000 per year. For six years. We each of us, lost $12,000 during those horrible times. Lost to oil greedy, polluting and corrupt oil companies. Many enemies and/or socialist/Muslim entities.

[onlooker]

Pstarr, Outcast does"t understand that collapse works from the periphery inward. The weak first succumb then the central strong ones

[Tanada]

Picking off the weak on the periphery is not collapse, that is how predators always hunt the herd. In nature such activity ensures the strongest and most protected inner circle survive and pass on their strength to the next generation.

[onlooker]

Unfortunately, Tanada, our Economic world has been built on mutual trade and cooperation and treaties etc which allow everyone to partake to a greater or lesser degree in modernity. The picking off at the periphery is not a sign to me of some sort of natural selection per say. Rather, it is a sign that the growth debt oriented globalized world industrial system is NOT functioning well enough to prevent some countries from falling off. To me all this is akin to an apple slowly but steadily rotting from the outside inward. Those counties falling to the wayside could be contributing as workers, consumers, taxpayers etc. Instead, we have malfunction spreading and the threat of systemic breakdown of our interconnected economic/financial system. And all this does not even mention the brewing environmental catastrophes looming.

[mmasters]

It is what it is. The people behind the financial system have always taken a generous cut of the money for themselves at the expense of everyone else.

The future is rather simple, it will be the "haves" and the "have nots" - which camp would you rather be in?

[Outcast_Searcher]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '
')The average driving American's gasoline bill increased by $2,000 per year. For six years.

[ralfy]

Indeed, capitalism does not operate in a similar manner as natural selection because the world economy is measured using money. Its value can only be retained through increased sales of goods and services, and that's possible only through expanding markets, which happen to involve the periphery.

[phaster]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ralfy', 'I')ndeed, capitalism does not operate in a similar manner as natural selection because the world economy is measured using money. Its value can only be retained through increased sales of goods and services, and that's possible only through expanding markets, which happen to involve the periphery.

[Outcast_Searcher]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('phaster', '
')perhaps "capitalism" does in mysterious ways,...

[ralfy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('phaster', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ralfy', 'I')ndeed, capitalism does not operate in a similar manner as natural selection because the world economy is measured using money. Its value can only be retained through increased sales of goods and services, and that's possible only through expanding markets, which happen to involve the periphery.

[phaster]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ralfy', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('phaster', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ralfy', 'I')ndeed, capitalism does not operate in a similar manner as natural selection because the world economy is measured using money. Its value can only be retained through increased sales of goods and services, and that's possible only through expanding markets, which happen to involve the periphery.

[KaiserJeep]

Any evidence that the World's Economy is being destroyed seems to be lacking. Of course, the current trade war scenario could have an impact, but it has not yet. From The Wall Street Journal:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')size=200]U.S. Leading Economic Indicators Rose in March[/size]
U.S. business trends continued to increase, pointing to robust
economic growth throughout 2018

By Bowdeya Tweh
April 19, 2018 11:00 a.m. ET

An economic index that measures U.S. business trends continued to increase in March.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index rose 0.3% to 109, following increases with the index in January and February. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal were expecting the index to rise by 0.3%.

Comprising 10 components, including initial claims for jobless benefits, factory orders and the S&P 500’s price change, the index is intended to signal swings in the business cycle and to smooth out some of the volatility of individual indicators.

“The LEI points to robust economic growth throughout 2018,” said Ataman Ozyildirim, director of business cycles and growth research at the Conference Board. “While the Federal Reserve is on track to continue raising its benchmark rate for the rest of the year, the recent weakness in residential construction and stock prices—important leading indicators—should be monitored closely.”

While the index’s rise in March was slower than in previous months, “its six-month growth rate increased further and points to continued solid growth in the U.S. economy for the rest of the year,” Mr. Ozyildirim said.

“The strengths among the components of the leading index have been very widespread over the last six months. However, labor market components made negative contributions in March and bear watching in the near future,” he said.

The board’s coincident index, designed to reflect current economic conditions, rose 0.2% in March from the prior month. The lagging index increased by 0.1%.

Write to Bowdeya Tweh at Bowdeya.Tweh@wsj.com

[ralfy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('phaster', '
')Natural selection I'd argue also works w/ in the context of a capitalism (i.e the consumer market)

ponder if you will during something akin to the energy crisis of the 1970's when there were gas shortages,...

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')This History of the 1970s Energy Crisis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGgx9_ljrA0