Conversation in a Bar Concludes

Sorry. Meant to have this in yesterday, but got busy with life.

OK. So, last time, we were listening to a self-actualized conversation overheard in a bar. It sounds like two absolutely insane people are talking. These two transcendent individuals are considering a bizarre proposal. We don’t have all the details, but we can draw some inferences about the “plan” from their conversation so far. It goes like this:

Gather all the money accumulated in tax cuts (as part of the “economic stimulus” program) from the wealthy people (those who make perhaps a million dollars or more per year, for example) over the past ten or twelve years. Distribute that money to the poor and destitute in the country.

Next, gather all of the “entitlements” received by those officially defined as “impoverished” by the federal government over the same period, and distribute those funds, in the form of food stamps, to the rich.

What would happen next? Well! Let’s listen to what these two self-actualized people think:

Says one of the transcended individuals to the other, “There’d be some weird stuff happening, but businesses would still profit from the financial stimulus; in fact, they’d probably profit more, because nearly every penny of that money given to the poor would go directly into circulation. People would be spending more immediately, and probably borrowing more too, except after the near-crash, lenders would be a lot more careful about who got loans, of course. Big investors would continue getting dividends from their stocks, and their banking interests would collect interest payments. The money would go “bottom up,” so people in debt would be able to pay their debts. The whole system would get that money injected directly into the arteries of commerce if you gave it to the poor first."

Replies the other, "But the wealthy would get their hands on it somehow. The bank profits and dividends and sales of inflated stocks, all of that would still go to vacations in Switzerland or overseas somewhere else, and they'd put the rest into tax shelters, just like they do now."

"I know. But the money would trickle clear through the entire system, at least one time, if you gave the cash to the poor people first. You don't stimulate the economy by giving rich people tax breaks and letting them put that money into tax shelters right away! They're not going to invest in America’s economy if the economy doesn't give them a return. They'll invest in China or somewhere else to earn a fast buck. That doesn't help us."

“You know, you’re right about that!”

[Many chuckles, pause for reflection, sipping beer, looks of mutual appreciation, more laughter, but quiet laughter, tinged with a note of deep sadness. Strange, strange laughter from these two.]

Of course, the talk will go on, but that’s enough for now to make some observations: Notice all of the truth permeating this exchange? When you hear two people talking crazy like this and in the process, producing so many powerful truths, you’re listening to a self-actualized conversation.

I am not suggesting that such plans as theirs would truly work out. The wealthy have exploited the current flawed system for as many generations as their beloved “free market” has existed. The “free market” has been free to victimize the powerless for so long, that those in power don’t even realize anymore that it’s happening. The wealthy corporate complex simply would not hear of such a scheme as the one concocted by these self-actualized Americans. The wealthy know all about entitlements. They especially know this: If you’re going to stimulate the economy, they, the rich, must get tax cuts first. They know that they are entitled to that money.

But you see, that’s exactly what drives the conversation. That is one of the main tenets behind the theme of the scenario these two transcendent people are producing. To put it simply, rich people who have fleeced the country for profits don’t see truth. They don’t want to look at it. They cannot engage in such a dialogue, even if for one moment. The truth permeates their delusion, pops it like a balloon. It hurts. They simply will not allow themselves to be so treated.