Okay, I made fifteen dollars. And that doesn't count the gas it took to drive to Manahawkin.
All that work; all that hard work; all that moving and lifting and packing and unpacking and arranging and then doing most of it in reverse a few hours later, netted me just fifteen measly bucks.
I got there about 6:30 and my friend came shortly thereafter. We set up--her SUV and my car were jammed with my "stuff"--and settled down to wait for the hordes of customers. Ho, ho, very funny, everybody was probably at the beach.
Anyway, to cut it short, we packed up about noon and went directly down Bay Avenue to the SOCH Thrift Store, where we left most of my priceless treasures. They included--and this was a wrench--the bassinet where all my babies slept when they came home from the hospital.
Said goodbye to my friend and we both drove home. I admit I still have some things I decided I don't want to part with--yet--but most of the stuff is gone.
Actually, even though it was a financial fiasco, it was fun and I'm glad we did it. We chatted with a number of fellow sellers, enjoyed the interaction with "customers," and generally had a pleasant day. Also, we didn't stay until it was over--it closes at 3:00--so didn't have time to consider it too much a drag.
Took a drive in the evening, then enjoyed video calls in quick succession from Mike, who is en familie in Hong Kong--precious little Violet was the only other one up--and the big eleven-month-old in Tokyo. Prepared lemon pepper chicken for the freezer and watched television for almost an hour after. I hadn't watched for several weeks and got out of the habit; didn't miss it at all.
WIDER: From our earliest years, we've been fed the line that capitalism is the best possible financial system. Oh, it is--for the upper class. Here's a simple illustration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euH3pAuLuko&feature=em-subs_digest-wl
6 comments:
Rosemary,
Thanks for introducing me to Prof Wolff. For many years I have not believed Capitalism is the best system. I 'm just not aware of a better one, yet. Better distribution of wealth and resources is needed, but no one or company wants to give up what they believe they've earned.
Yes, it's a dilemma--but I think it wouldn't be as problematic if those of great wealth had actually "earned" it. Some did, I suppose, but many didn't; either inherited or used nefarious means to get it. I wouldn't even chastise them if the disparity wasn't so extreme: Some people actually starving (not necessarily in first world countries) and others with everything and much more than they could ever use. And another consideration is--why do we value some work more than others? Those who handle money and other assets almost invariably receive much higher rewards than those who care for people--yes, including nurses, of course. I sure don't have any answers.
I totally agree.
P.S. And many folks actually believe they've earned it, or what they do is worth so much more than what others do. I hear this all the time especially from my Republican family and friends.
I'm currently reading a book called "The Servile State," written by Hilaire Belloc. I haven't reached his "bottom line" yet, but he's quite critical of capitalism, and also of socialism. As far as I can tell from what I've read so far, he seems to favor a system that resembles the guilds of the late middle ages, pre-Industrial Revolution. Trouble is, I'm slow in getting through his book ... I find his style rather sleep-inducing.
Belloc? That's a voice from the past. I know of him because I was brought up a traditional Roman Catholic and he was revered, as I recall.
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