I have written in the past about dichotomy, which is described as “a division or contrast between two things that are represented as being opposed or entirely different”.
I would say that the “news” that many are being fed day after day and the reality of what we are living is a great example of dichotomy.
There are many reasons for this, but my best guess is that those “in charge” have to keep the masses from understanding just how bad things are.
I will give a few examples here:
- The economy is booming (Janet Yellen, Joe Biden, etc.) If this were at all true, then tax receipts would be booming… but they are collapsing. If goods were selling briskly the trucking companies would be seeing increased loads while, in reality the loads are shrinking, and shipment volume dropped 9% in the last quarter according to US Bank Freight Index. If the economy was booming corporations would be looking to increase their inventories but they are reducing inventory as we speak. If corporations expected more business they would need more employees but, alas, US employers have announced more job cuts through July 2023 than in all of 2022.
- Everybody is rich! (Mostly people in government and C Suites) If that were actually true, then I would expect that people would have nice nest eggs to fall back on in case of an unforeseen event. Too bad that 46% of adults surveyed by Morning Consult for Bloomberg said they couldn’t handle a $400.00 unforeseen bill without using credit. Also, 25% of Americans have NO ASSETS because they are on Medicaid which means you have exhausted all of your assets to qualify.(Source:Medicaid) In addition, we are seeing defaults (people unable to pay monthly debt obligations) skyrocket in every category from credit cards to auto loans to mortgages and commercial real estate loans. This is taking place prior to student loan debt payments resuming again in the fall.
- Unemployment Rate suggests Full Employment. While the numbers that are reported bear NO resemblance to reality there is a way to justify the low unemployment rate. According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) the USA LOST 585,000 Full-time jobs last month. Of course, with many suffering because of the massive inflation we are seeing many people are working two jobs to get by. This adds 2 jobs to the job number. ONLY when part-time jobs are added to the numbers do we show any growth in employment. Too bad the jobs that can sustain a person or family are disappearing faster than David Copperfield and low-paying jobs are taking their place. If everyone really was rich, this wouldn’t matter. Since the “we are all rich” is a bunch of baloney there are many who PREFER to work part-time, get government handouts, and feel like they can live better because they pay less taxes and get help with food (SNAP benefits), help with housing (section 8) and in the long run, keep more for themselves. Even healthcare is subsidized BIG TIME for low-income earners. Is it any wonder that there is no energy in our economy?
- America is the Land of Opportunity. Well, it used to be until the corporate giants started colluding with the government to make it nearly impossible for small companies to compete with the big boys through massive regulation and red tape. One example would be a friend of mine who opened a hedge fund in Singapore. He told me it would take six months of torture to open it here and in Singapore he files a paper and hangs a shingle. The barrier to entry in most businesses has caused the bigs to get bigger and competition- which is the key to innovation to be stifled. While this is good for the few entrenched at the top it stifles innovation and hurts all of the rest of us. This is the main reason I believe that Russia and China have better technological weapons systems (hypersonic missiles, etc.) even though they spend a fraction of what we spend on weapons systems. This is what happens when it matters who you know (or give campaign contributions to) rather than WHAT you know and can produce better and cheaper.
- We are the land of the free and the home of the brave! Again, we used to be that shining example to everyone. I remember a saying growing up “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me”. Today, if you step out of line you are censured. And we are free? If you call a guy in a dress something he doesn’t want to hear you can get sued- and you are free? If you question anything put out by big pharma you can be cancelled- just like RFK Jr. They even tried to cancel him at a congressional meeting on being cancelled by big tech. This guy is running for President and his opponents think nothing of stifling his message. Even our ex-President is being tried for what is likely speech protected by the first amendment in questioning the outcome of an election. Our freedoms have been taken away one by one. If you think this is bad just wait until they roll out the central bank digital currency. We will most likely be the land of the oppressed and the home of the slaves.
- Stocks are up so the economy must be doing ok. Since 1987 the stock “market” and economy have been diverging. There is no correlation between the collapsing economy and the stock “market” which is being artificially inflated with “money” from nowhere buying bonds to keep rates low and “money” piling into mostly stock indexes, which has led to a rising “market” while the economy is collapsing in the background. As a matter of fact, SEVEN companies in the major US index (S&P 500) have accounted for all of the gains in 2023 so far. This is great on the way up but those seven companies are, in my opinion, GROSSLY overpriced. In other words you are paying a HIGH PRICE for the value you are receiving. This doesn’t mean that these aren’t good companies- it just means that at this price I think your chances of good returns over time are quite low.
- We are the richest country in World History. Actually, since the government counts debt (government spending) as growth (in GDP) then, in their minds, that could be true. Unfortunately for us in the real world who are on the hook for a projected $1 TRILLION in just INTEREST payments- THIS FISCAL year and as they added $1.4 TRILLION in new debt in the last 6 weeks or so and with no end in sight- we are actually the most INDEBTED nation in the history of the world and the rest of the world is tired of funding our hubris and bullying. By the way, our first TRILLION in debt took 209 YEARS to amass. The last TRILLION took a few weeks.
- Our Rule Of Law is What Makes the US Dollar the gold standard. Well, again- it used to but the rest of the world is watching as we turn full-on banana republic by having two sets of rules for those “in charge” and for regular people like us or even those who would rock the boat or question those “in charge”. If there were a “rule of law” could we have legally stolen Russia’s foreign reserves and, as has been reported use the “money” to rebuild Ukraine?
There is a WHOLE lot more but this should give you some serious questions to ponder. The most important one I can think of is how long can this deception keep going? Keep in mind that, as central banks try to keep you away from particularly gold- but also silver- they are buying gold in record amounts. The level they are at trying to keep the masses clueless about the fact that gold is an asset and dollars, yen, euros and all fiat currencies are DEBT is astounding. This is the biggest illusion of all- pricing ASSETS in terms of DEBT. Keep Warren Buffett’s saying in mind “PRICE IS WHAT YOU PAY, VALUE IS WHAT YOU GET”. Don’t worry about the fake price movements that are manipulated in paper “markets” where little to no gold or silver (ACTUAL THINGS THAT EXIST BEYONG A COMPUTER BLIP) ever change hands. FOCUS ON THE VALUE. Focus on what you see with you own eyes- rather than on propaganda TV.
BE PREPARED!
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