These days, we appear to live in a faith-based economy. Little ones and zeros zip around the globe, from one bank account to another. They represent wealth, but produce little of value or use for human-kind, except another stock bubble. Too much of the economy is speculative, and too much of the "real" economy is geared towards selling and making stuff no one really needs.

The only reason those ones and zeros have value is because people believe they do. A bank is only required to keep a small fraction of the money you deposit on hand, the rest they lend out. This cycle repeats itself as the money lent out is deposited into another account when a purchase is made, over and over again. In this way, banks "invent" new money that never existed before, it comes out of nothing, but it needs to be paid back with interest, to them. This system works, so long as people believe in the system. When belief falters, and everyone tries to pull out at once, people are shocked to find there's not enough in the bank to cover all the deposits. So, the withdrawals accelerate, as people seek to get out before the system fails, which in turn accelerates the crash. The only solution we seem to have to this scenario is for the government to guarantee bank accounts. The ability of the state to pay in such a crisis of faith rests on the state's ability to borrow money, which in turn is affected by faith the market has that the state will be able to pay it back.

So... a little simplistic, as I'm not an economist. Still, as I see it we've got a faith based economy, and I feel like an atheist.

I'd consider myself well educated, I've got a good job, I'm a professional. That said, all I want to do is learn to farm, to hunt, to prepare my own food and to build things.

If and when it all comes crashing down, my "education", career and profession won't count for much. Chasing riches is foolish, while learning to live poor, outside the market economy, enhances your chances for survival.

I shouldn't say such things, as avarice is now a virtue, poverty a vice. Sit, stand, kneel pray...