(OR: The insidious and evil cult of credit.)
Please join Rooster, and lets think about credit, and what it has done to the fabric of our existence. In 1894 an author by the name of Shirley wrote the following, “…give them rope enough, certain in the end, they will have hung themselves.” Charlotte Bronte (sister of Emily who wrote Peter Rabbit), herself a noted author, is given credit for “…give him enough rope and he will hang himself.” This very old concept is right-on today. Substitute a few words and the meaning is the same. “GIVE THEM ENOUGH CREDIT AND THEY WILL DESTROY THEMSELVES.”.
Our world is Credit Crazy and it is tearing away at our fabric. It is especially true in the United States, where credit has become synonymous with slavery. (You know the condition, where you just work and the master gives you food and a place to sleep.) For those of you who lived in the 60s and 70s or before please think back to those lazy crazy credit days. If you came along at a later time, please listen and believe.
Back then credit was normally applied for on an event by event basis. When you wanted to buy a new refrigerator you saved enough to buy it or applied for credit. Credit took time and allowed for reflection. It was not automatic. If you opened a general account at the local hardware store, or mechanics shop, it was a big deal. The result was you got credit for your purchases for 30 days or so. The” or so” part was that if you made the purchase at the first of the month it took them until the end of the month to send out the bill which landed in your mail about 5 days later. The billing company then let you have to the end of the next month before it considered you delinquent. In reality you were able to get the product and have up to 60 days to pay for it, without being charged any interest. That is what good credit meant then. It was a matter of trust. We will let you have the stuff, because we know you will pay for it. If you did not you lost and it hurt. Collection was another matter. At that time companies were reluctant to give you this trust. Today only a few think of it as a trust. Now it is income. Often interest and penalties exceed profit. Instead of up to 60 days before you pay, now they will bill you, either as soon as you make the buy, or within a few days. Instead of monthly bills now they come in all week long. If you do not pay on the due date, you pay a healthy interest and penalty charge. Credit cards are shoved down your throat. For the weak it, like gambling, is certain pain, until they are absolved by bankruptcy or its related disregard. The total cost of liberal bankruptcy etc. is terrible to contemplate. Nothing is free and when debt is forgiven in Bankruptcy, those who pay their bills pay for the loss. .
This complete change of the concept of credit has been pushed and ballyhooed by Government, especially the Federal Government. They have thrown money around like it is graffiti. Just look at our out of control national debt. It provides trillions of examples for people. Look at all the free stuff that is given without any thought to having it paid back. Look at the ease in which College loans are given out. You know most of the kids could not get credit to buy gum 30 years ago, let alone a loan to go to college. Think about it. Enrolling in college does not offer much security. With a non-responsible government it is no wonder every business, bank, college, etc. is on board to get all they can get, NOW.
This selfness, this greed which is now called credit is a tool bringing our way of living to the level of the poor peasant of feudal times. Only the liberal thinks it is cool. Only the liberal lives in la-la land.
• ”Let them eat Cake.” Attributed to Marie Antoinette, about the hungry peasants just before the terrible French revolution. Probably a rumor created by the revolutionist. Another is, “One cannot live on Credit alone.” Something like that.
PLEASE: FLY THE BETSY ROSS FLAG. It is the one flag where all the States supported the Constitution.
WC .736: Rooster Bradford, gives up all rights to this article and seeks no compensation for its use. 2015