Tidbits Tackles: Socioeconomic Tension and Income Inequality, Pt. 1

Hi everybody, you might be wondering (of course y'all have!): why hasn't Euni posted anything more about the upcoming presidential election? Why hasn't she ranted about the economy and the U.S. political structure?

Fear not, my friends, I've been thinking about all the stuff that's been going on for the past year. I just don't want to fight or come off as belligerent in my argument. I've been reading a lot of Paul Krugman and Jared Bernstein in particular, as well as paying attention to the news, reading articles and posts that seem interesting and relate to all this...STUFF.

It's all very overwhelming, to be honest. Sure, I care about the economy and anything that happens to it (duh, I'm an economics student), but I seriously can't remember when I became so "involved" in political discussions. Take it with a grain of salt, I am not super-involved (though I wouldn't mind it): I'm not a part of some grassroots organization that tries to spread the word about any politician or whatever. However, I believe it is my civic duty and responsibility to educate those around me with the facts. One of my strengths, I will admit to this one strength alone, is that I can teach. I strive to learn the material/subject first, and then I find a way to explain it in simple and easy-to-understand terms to those who care to listen. I'm proud to say that I've been able to keep my mother informed about current events because of this strength, and I've even ventured in discussing economics with my little cousins (6 and 7 years old)...

ANYWAY, I've gone out on a tangent long enough, let me get to the point of this post. I posit this question (or maybe a few questions actually):

Fifty years from now, when our grandchildren(?) learn about this "Great Recession" and the 2008 & 2012 elections, how will they look at us?

Will they argue that there were some racial undertones related to the tension and disdainful outrage against President Obama?

Will they argue that income inequality was at the root of the clash between political parties? Of social classes? Of age gaps?

Will they even care about these times we are now living, or will our history books try to gloss over this turbulent time period?

I intend to do some research and share my answers and conclusion to the questions I've asked. Frankly, I do believe income inequality has a lot to do with today's tension, and the idea and (dare I say it?) disillusion that our chosen leaders (e.g. Congress, state, local governments, etc.) are indifferent to our needs and would rather help themselves first.

I may sound cynical or depressed when it comes to our government, but I am full of hope that while we are living during a socioeconomic revolution of sorts, there will emerge a number of people who are bright, passionate, and who care about their nation, not just themselves.

If this type of posting/writing is not "your cup of tea," it's quite alright. You don't have to agree with me, but if you want to bring your arguments forward, please be advised that I expect facts and evidence to back up your claims.

Whirlwind

It's one of those moments in my life when I step back and look at what's going on. Where am I? Am I where I need to be? Are there any changes I need to make in my life to get to where I want and need to be?

Let's see...I have a job---a good job, but not my dream job---and I work 8 or so hours a day, and sometimes I'm busy, while other times I go crazy not knowing what to do with myself.

I read, though not as much as I would love to---that should change in the next couple of weeks, as I FINALLY subscribed to The Economist, and should have complete access to relevant news of the economy and whatnot. (On a side note, I will make time so I can finish reading Glamorama---another Bret Easton Ellis novel---I feel soooo bad for not finishing it sooner, and making all of the other books on my "Read Me" list collect dust on my dresser.)

I have more than enough clothes, and I need to STOP buying new clothes every time I go to the mall. It's a really bad habit, and I should be saving that money instead---who knows how tight my budget will be this summer, fall, and (hopefully) next spring when I add schoolwork to my life again.

The March of Dimes March for Babies is coming up---I've gotten into a routine now and hope to maintain it now and after the march. I kind of want to see if I can train a bit harder and maybe (a HUGE maybe) participate in a more intense run in the "near" future.

I've started to keep in touch with close friends (from my "younger" days and from my times at the bank), and I'd like to keep it that way. It's not fun when you stop talking and hanging out with good friends.

Today is (or was, since we're at the end of this fine Sunday) Easter Sunday, and with this celebration comes a sense of renewal and security. Lent is over, and I am now able to eat potato chips (and all those deliciously bad junk food snacks) again. In the past 40 days, I also made an effort to entirely ignore and not search for any information about the former love of my life. I hid his stuff from my news feed on Facebook, I made sure I was always offline to avoid any (though unlikely I think) potential and unwanted conversations from him...I even blocked his current girlfriend from my account---sometimes, and I'll admit it, I can get carried away with the whole "creeping"---I mean, INVESTIGATING---thing, so I knew it was the best thing for everyone for me to just do that. It's been good for me, not preoccupied with what he might be thinking or doing or whatever. I'm free. Sure, I think about him from time to time, and I miss him and the memories, but it's still okay. I live my life, he lives his life. I'm not ready to unexpectedly encounter him someday yet, I need to work on that. To be totally alright and unaffected by seeing him again.

So I have a few things to work on, but breaking them down like I did above has calmed me a bit. I don't need to fret, panic, or worry about anything. God just has a way of making things all come together at the right time. I'm in the right place right now. :)

P.S. I will totally write about my GAME THEORY tidbit and my healthcare opinion fairly soon: I don't have MS Paint on my laptop, so please bear with me as I need to make cute charts and for those posts. I hope it's worth it! :)

Music Monday: Crooked Teeth

Happy Music Monday, my friends! Goodness, today was a tremendously busy day at work. I'm not complaining---I LOVE the fact that I had actual stuff to do, and time flew by right before my eyes. ^_^

First things first: as y'all may or may not remember, I am still giddy and excited about the upcoming Death Cab For Cutie concert (in May), and so...the DCFC countdown continues! Today's Music Monday song is an earlier tune, Crooked Teeth. I am wistfully in love with it---I know, I know, aren't I always wistfully in love?

Favorite words: I'm a war of head versus heart / and it's always this way // My head is weak  / and my heart always speaks / before I know what it will say...

In other news, I was a bit "under the weather" on Friday, so I wasn't able to write about something awesome: GAME THEORY. Well, actually, I should more broadly say: ECONOMICS. I've got oodles and oodles to say about one very important issue that concerns all of us in America: HEALTHCARE. More specifically, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, or whatever it is you wanna call it. BUUUUUUUUT, ALSO, I have this little broken-down chart/branchy thingy in my head...concerning "mating" choices---basically GAME THEORY applied to the real world, and *again* more specifically, applied to my life. I promise I'll talk about it this week; y'all will have a very brief but very exposed look into the way my mind works on a daily basis (not just about "mating" but also about quotidian choices)!

For now, my dears, I have to go clean up the kitchen---why is it that I have to clean up the kitchen when there are the dirtiest dishes to wash?...one of the many conundrums in my life, I guess.

Similar to this one, but mine was a MALLARD DUCK. (source: Mesker Park Zoo)

P.S. I got to ride on a DUCK PADDLEBOAT on Saturday! Much geekier and way more fun than a regular paddleboat, if you really wanna know.