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This actually is a “thought provoking” cartoon. Or my coffee just hasn’t kicked in yet… Since our economy is heavily reliant on consumer spending could this be a signal of pent up demand showing up after such a long period of austerity? Of course it could just be a great effort on the part of the retail sector promoting Black Friday and the media doing their usual pump job. Hopefully this is indicative of the holiday spending because otherwise it means it is just early spending versus later and the holiday won’t be an economic lift. Sometimes being an accountant and financial analyst is a pain, I never seem to be able to just shrug and say “Oh good weekend. I’ll bet the retailers are happy…”
Alternative: everybody had their demand contained until the big offerings for Black Friday came around because they simply didn’t have the money to buy the stuff they needed (not wanted!) for the regular price. I’m not a financial analyst but that seems to be a viable option to me…
Yes the road to recovery is to buy goods instead of pocketing tax cuts. Velocity of Capital is the generator of economic growth not tax cuts that go into offshore and overseas banks.
I think that’s a really good question. The answer, as Mhic said is ‘probably not’. - So then, the next question is — where will the jobs come from? And where should they come from? - Those adhering to the myth that the wealthy are job creators need not respond.
The whole Grey Thursday, Off-White Wednesday, Eggshell Tuesday, etc. thing and the ridiculous cuts in price I’ve seen to get people in the door on Thanksgiving smells to me of desperation. I wonder if it’ll all be enough?
Some good comments in this string. Mickey, you reminded me of a talk show story on bankruptcies and one man who saw his business was going to go under so he used his cash to pay off all taxes and then ran all of his cards and credit to the max and took a three month vacation before coming back and declaring bankruptcy. Within seven years, he had his own business again. I wonder if the next generation of bankrupts will result from the confidence we see in our neighbors spending. I hope their confidence is well founded. Respectfully, & Happy Holidayze, C.
What does it say of a society that spends one official day to reflect on what we have to be thankful for, and then later that same day, rush out to spend money we don’t have to get stuff no one needs?
When the rush is over, and people have spent as much as they’re willing to spend, which will be soon, the retailers will provide more bargains without our having to be willing to put up with unhappy, stressed sidewalk dwellers. Sometimes I wish all of us could see that; sometimes I’m glad I seem to be the only one.
“The goal for the corporations is to maximize profit and market share. And they also have a goal for their target, namely the population. They have to be turned into completely mindless consumers of goods that they do not want. You have to develop what are called ‘Created Wants’. So you have to create wants. You have to impose on people what’s called a Philosophy of Futility. You have to focus them on the insignificant things of life, like fashionable consumption. I’m just basically quoting business literature. And it makes perfect sense. The ideal is to have individuals who are totally disassociated from one another. Whose conception of themselves, the sense of value is just, ‘how many created wants can I satisfy?’ We have huge industries, public relations industry, monstrous industry, advertising and so on, which are designed from infancy to mold people into this desired pattern.” . http://farleftside.com/2012/11-26-12-wasted-wishes.html
Wall Street Journal article over the weekend: Black Friday bargains aren’t. Most items were on sale, at lower prices, at other times of the year. It’s the HYPE, boy! (apologies to Foghorn Leghorn!)
And the poor starving destitute Americans, impoverished by Obama’s mounting tax burden, somehow manage to scrape together tens of billions of dollars to spend on crap.
How about everyone against consumerism stop being hypocrites and shut off their computers (made by rich, evil corporations trying to make a profit) and cancel their internet (run by rich, evil corporations trying to make a profit)?
Joe Heller has been the staff editorial cartoonist for the Green Bay Press-Gazette since 1985. His cartoons appear in more than 350 publications, making him the most self-syndicated cartoonist in the nation.
Walt Handelsman by Walt Handelsman
Jerry Holbert by Jerry Holbert
Comments (23) (Please sign in to comment)
mickey1339
said, 7 months ago
This actually is a “thought provoking” cartoon. Or my coffee just hasn’t kicked in yet… Since our economy is heavily reliant on consumer spending could this be a signal of pent up demand showing up after such a long period of austerity? Of course it could just be a great effort on the part of the retail sector promoting Black Friday and the media doing their usual pump job. Hopefully this is indicative of the holiday spending because otherwise it means it is just early spending versus later and the holiday won’t be an economic lift. Sometimes being an accountant and financial analyst is a pain, I never seem to be able to just shrug and say “Oh good weekend. I’ll bet the retailers are happy…”
MortyForTyrant said, 7 months ago
@mickey1339
Alternative: everybody had their demand contained until the big offerings for Black Friday came around because they simply didn’t have the money to buy the stuff they needed (not wanted!) for the regular price. I’m not a financial analyst but that seems to be a viable option to me…
Dycel
said, 7 months ago
Yes the road to recovery is to buy goods instead of pocketing tax cuts.
Velocity of Capital is the generator of economic growth not tax cuts that go into offshore and overseas banks.
ahab
said, 7 months ago
Recovery, ah!
lonecat said, 7 months ago
Is there a way to run an economy without relying on lots and lots of consumption of things we don’t need that damage the environment?
Mhic Dhu Ghaill
said, 7 months ago
@lonecat
no
braindead08 said, 7 months ago
@lonecat
I think that’s a really good question. The answer, as Mhic said is ‘probably not’.
-
So then, the next question is — where will the jobs come from? And where should they come from?
-
Those adhering to the myth that the wealthy are job creators need not respond.
The Wolf In Your Midst said, 7 months ago
The whole Grey Thursday, Off-White Wednesday, Eggshell Tuesday, etc. thing and the ridiculous cuts in price I’ve seen to get people in the door on Thanksgiving smells to me of desperation. I wonder if it’ll all be enough?
onguard said, 7 months ago
The economy is on life support and getting worse…… Sadly. …No Jobs….High energy cost for business…..total uncertainly for future planing.
Respectful Troll said, 7 months ago
@mickey1339
Some good comments in this string. Mickey, you reminded me of a talk show story on bankruptcies and one man who saw his business was going to go under so he used his cash to pay off all taxes and then ran all of his cards and credit to the max and took a three month vacation before coming back and declaring bankruptcy. Within seven years, he had his own business again.
I wonder if the next generation of bankrupts will result from the confidence we see in our neighbors spending.
I hope their confidence is well founded.
Respectfully,
& Happy Holidayze,
C.
I Play One On TV said, 7 months ago
What does it say of a society that spends one official day to reflect on what we have to be thankful for, and then later that same day, rush out to spend money we don’t have to get stuff no one needs?
When the rush is over, and people have spent as much as they’re willing to spend, which will be soon, the retailers will provide more bargains without our having to be willing to put up with unhappy, stressed sidewalk dwellers. Sometimes I wish all of us could see that; sometimes I’m glad I seem to be the only one.
Radish
said, 7 months ago
@I Play One On TV
Noam Chomsky, on the whys of Black Fridays:
“The goal for the corporations is to maximize profit and market share. And they also have a goal for their target, namely the population. They have to be turned into completely mindless consumers of goods that they do not want. You have to develop what are called ‘Created Wants’. So you have to create wants. You have to impose on people what’s called a Philosophy of Futility. You have to focus them on the insignificant things of life, like fashionable consumption. I’m just basically quoting business literature. And it makes perfect sense. The ideal is to have individuals who are totally disassociated from one another. Whose conception of themselves, the sense of value is just, ‘how many created wants can I satisfy?’ We have huge industries, public relations industry, monstrous industry, advertising and so on, which are designed from infancy to mold people into this desired pattern.”
.
http://farleftside.com/2012/11-26-12-wasted-wishes.html
edinbaltimore said, 7 months ago
Wall Street Journal article over the weekend: Black Friday bargains aren’t. Most items were on sale, at lower prices, at other times of the year. It’s the HYPE, boy! (apologies to Foghorn Leghorn!)
DrCanuck said, 7 months ago
And the poor starving destitute Americans, impoverished by Obama’s mounting tax burden, somehow manage to scrape together tens of billions of dollars to spend on crap.
Uh-huh.
Ms. Ima said, 7 months ago
How about everyone against consumerism stop being hypocrites and shut off their computers (made by rich, evil corporations trying to make a profit) and cancel their internet (run by rich, evil corporations trying to make a profit)?