The most affluent consumers account for a bigger share of total US spending, reinforcing the lopsided dynamic of unbothered consumption for the wealthy and more cautious shopping for everyone else.
Just invest more in advertising, that’ll fix it.
As someone who works in marketing, I support this decision
My shoes have holes in them and i use instant coffee and eat rice & beans most days. I havent been to a salon in 4 years. I cant afford the fruits of my own labor and im on medicaid. I work a skilled union job. They told me i should apply for unemployment when it gets slow.
I’ve gotten fairly skilled at mending my own cloths as of late. And fixing my shoes.
By “skilled” I mean I can keep my junk from flapping in the breeze, which IMO is good enough.
It’s getting rough out there, and I can’t afford to buy that shit now. Thread is cheap, sewing needles are cheap, and extra fabric is easy AF to come by.
Yeah, i mend my own shoes and clothes as needed already. The shoes have holes in the upper “sock” bit, otherwise id use shoe goo or something
You could try darning or adding a patch to the upper part of your shoes
Personally I avoid shoe goo whenever possible, it never seems to hold very long
Ooo a patch might work
Heck yeah that’s the spirit!
Give it a shot, worst case scenario they’re not gonna be worse off
I guess casual nudity can become the fashion trend. “Food or clothes? Pick one.”
I wonder if this chart has anything to do with it.
And if the point isn’t immediately obvious, there’s an easy to miss little yellow line at the bottom of the chart that represents the combined wealth of half the US population.
Good thing we’re burning down fundamental government services, destroying our future and adding trillions to the national debt to fund tax cuts for those one percenters, huh
We’re already speeding towards the cliff with our eyes closed, they might as well light the car on fire.
It’s going to trickle down!
Once again, you cannot have a consumerist society where the average consumer cannot afford shit.
I’ve been saying this for years. Seems like nobody listens.
Apparently they can, they just cater to richer people now. Eventually they’ll make even the most basic essentials into luxury goods. Then they’ll figure out that they can make profits go up even higher if they don’t waste money actually making things and instead sell virtual goods that are infinitely replicable. Then everyone starves to death.
Coincidentally, while walking through the grocery stores I find myself gravitating towards the cheaper lower-quality mass-produced food of my childhood.
Sadly, some of that lower quality stuff has become legit dogwater. The modern Hamburger Helper is disappointment in a box. A storebrand “lasagna skillet meal” is childhood joy these days.
You don’t need that garbage any way. Just buy egg noodles or lasagna.
And this is going to suck for the American economy.
A large part of the economy is built on providing goods and services to all members of the economy. The economy is going to suck when half of it can’t afford to spend.
Imagine having to deal with bullshit like this all day as your job.
Sorry folks but im not so keen to spend without an income.
That doesn’t concern them too much.
The Ultra Wealthy basically.
ITT people confuse the mathematical limits of consolidating currency with the actual unbounded consolidation of power.
No, the rich don’t care about the health of the economy. Yes, they will run out of money that can be directly siphoned from your consumer pockets. That’s just the beginning of the real endgame.
Short on rent money? I’ll be happy to write off your rents in perpetuity if you sign this contract granting rights to your organs upon death. Can’t afford clothes? A lifetime agreed employment spent sorting trash will keep you in free, durable work clothes. Can’t afford to raise your kids? We’ll give you a sweet deal to cover necessities and they can pay it back later. Muggers and thieves got you down? Come sign on to our secure company commune!
These are the exact conditions that historically lead to feudal systems. People didn’t abandon their homesteads and independence to become serfs voluntarily. It was always out of necessity.
deleted by creator
I can spend money but I refuse to spend any expendable income on the US economy because I’m boycotting this bullshit. All that money goes to importing trading cards and origami paper from Japan.
Same. I started cutting back on everything I could at the beginning of the year.
Switched from fast food to takeout from local restaurants, canceled all my Amazon subscribe and save orders, and bought everything I possibly could from Costco. I’ve actually saved a lot this year.
Yeah I’ve been digging living more modestly. I’ve noticed how much less stress I have because I don’t always think about consuming and spending. I’m a lot healthier now because of it too cutting out fast food in replacement of local places since now I don’t eat out as much and eat better at the house. Now I just sit around folding origami and avoid all that other bullshit
I spend more of my free time gaming because it’s cheap and there have been fantastic games released lately. Definitely more depressed this year but it’s just the state of the world. Doing what I can to protect my peace. It’s kinda felt kinda like covid all over again.
Gaming has been nice but agreed. I’ve gotten much more reclusive. I’m usually a homebody so it’s okay but the state of the US is pretty fucking miserable. I definitely seek joy in the little things more so I don’t kind of lose my mind with all the cynicism winning all over the world
Only buy from local businesses this holiday season.
And before you spend your money locally, find out if the business supports maga. Not one cent should ever go to a maga business.
Spending blackout against fascism.
If somebody asks to borrow your pen, ask if they’re MAGA first. If somebody asks to reach something on a high shelf at a grocery store, ask if they’re MAGA first.
We have to alienate these weirdos from society.
the rest of us literally don’t have the money to ‘spend’ anymore.
I just want to buy a new pepper grinder. I have 20 years of adult poverty to make up for.
this is me. so many little things I would really like but I cannot spend on anything not a necessity. I would really like some new tiles so that I can find my keys if I misplace them.
Mmm fresh ground pepper! Is there one that you have your eye on? Lol
No prospects at the moment, my crappy old one still kind of works.
This is a repeat of ancient Roman history.
The wealthy elite became so wealthy that they could insulate themselves from the rest of the country and economy … they had so much money that they could make, produce and build everything they needed for themselves … while the rest of the world degraded and fell apart.
And as soon as enough of the world and it’s people fell apart and became a lawless land … everyone started attacking one another, especially the insulated wealthy elites.
We’re on our way now folks … if I don’t see you in the future hellscape, my ghost will.
I can’t wait til we can strike fear into their shriveled little hearts.
I can’t wait til we start drinking water from lead pipes and slowly got deranged as a community.
Yeah but this time they’ve got bunkers and AI, so they think this time it’s different.
This is one thing that those supporting runaway capitalism don’t seem to understand. Money ultimately flows up. It relies on a bunch of people closer to the bottom to start that flow. The more people taking part, the better. Each consumer can put in a little if the number of consumers is high.
If market prices go up so far that the people at the bottom can’t initiate that flow, then the system fails. Money doesn’t flow at all, and those at the top start taking losses. Dominoes fall. The system needs consumers to be able to afford goods. It’s one reason why prices cannot just go up until the end of time. You can’t squeeze blood from a stone.
But so many of these rich folks now are under the impression that money just flows in without understanding from where. Prices just go up, as if it were an infinite money glitch. These people will eventually have an awakening.
This is one of my economic reasons for progessive taxes even with corporations and investments. If its progressive the richer you are the better you have to be to keep making the same amount of profit. Rich people have to be smarter, larger corporations have to be more efficient, investments have to be sensible. All our tax cuts have resulted in idiots at the highest levels. Pro baseball should not be playing t-ball. The farther you go the harder it should get. The first million should be the easiest.
That is altogether too damn sensible to be accepted by anyone.
This is one thing that those supporting
runawaycapitalism don’t seem to understand.I feel that it’s been pretty well demonstrated that all capitalism is runaway. It may take decades, but it will run away, get out of control, and eat itself. It’s the nature of the beast.
