The Demise of our Society

The Triumph of Death
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1562
Source

Ever pondered why the confidence level of our US currency is rapidly falling? As an insightful opening, take note of the above painting produced by Bruegel back in the 16th century. What a startling photo this is! At a glance you can see there is quite an abundance of action taking place in this piece, skies are pouring ashes from the burning city and ships that are wrecked at sea over the horizon, bloody corpses and skeletons are tossed on top like croutons on a salad. To me this implication reveals a catastrophic event occurring during the time of this work.

How might you feel this has any correlation to our society today?

One of the largest complaints uprising around our country is the cost to operate a motor vehicle. While many individuals are facing detrimental loss of employment due to the accrued expenses that remains a result of this, others are continuing on much-like nothing has ever happened.

To emphasize that gasoline is not the reason why costs are inclining, but consumer confidence has dropped through the floor. Our society may be on a fast lane highway to an epidemic recession. Our economy as consumers less than a decade ago allowed many individuals to make unstable decisions, such as purchasing homes that were affordable at the time upon closing-- which in reality balloon/adjustable interest rates are enticingly affordable to those initially-- within time once those interest rates begin to fluctuate, it starts to hit home faster when monthly mortgage payments are almost equal if not more than four to six times the amount of an economy size vehicle's monthly payment. This has the foreclosure market terribly screaming with horror these days. While indirectly this doesn't effect us; moreover, the banks who don't fully benefit from foreclosures. As there's only so much the government subsidizes to help us maintain comfortable interest rates.

While I don't entirely blame Greenspan's leave of office a while back, I merely blame the consumers for making unwise and instant gratifying decisions. While the rental property industry is reaping most of these benefits of picking up a large portion of the low hanging fruit, there still stands a chance this is going to come back and haunt us for the next decade when times begin to get tight and our pockets are shrinking.

Some words of note that I wish people would consider when they make their next purchase, is this necessary? Will I even be able to afford it in the years to come.? If you can't clearly answer yes, and if you don't own it, don't break it. As the Triumph of Death may not be so uncanny after all.