Victor Davis Hanson: Depression, Recession, Downturn—Whatever

pajamasmedia.com ^ | February 17, 2009 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Tolik]

Don't miss Hanson's brilliant article from yesterday:  The Audacity of Irony “Hope and change” meet reality. The ironies bring us back to the unlamented days of Jimmy Carter.
 

[Tolik]

    Victor Davis Hanson Ping ! 

       Let me know if you want in or out.

Links:    FR Index of his articles:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=victordavishanson
                His website: http://victorhanson.com/
                NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp
                Pajamasmedia:   http://victordavishanson.pajamasmedia.com/

[Jerrybob]

Great read. I have been thinking back to the 1930s Depression myself (although way before my time) -- and one obvious fact must be stated: it was a different world back then.

People knew how to do with less, people knew how to improvise, people looked out for each other.

If this downturn (or whatever it is) continues, in today's world, and if people start going hungry (they already are, of course) -- we will be in for a mess on a grand scale. To state the obvious.

[RDTF]

is there a better link? Thanks

[roaddog727]

Bumperoo

[RDTF]

I see it now, thanks

[Tarpon]

Good article, but one fly in the ointment, we are a whole lot more interdependent today than back then. My Dad's father had a similar farm, 800 or so acres. He and his large family could live forever there if unmolested. He was self sufficient to the end. I spent many a day on gramps farm, and it was a wonderful place.

But now we have factory farms, and the people have all moved to the city.

These days, who could live if a large bunch of terrorist put holes in the local substation transformers, or caused some other mayhem. If the deliveries to Walmart stop, then what? Look what happened to the people after Katrina.

So isn't the real question today, what would happen if the Walmarts of our country, stopped selling. And that would spell disaster to the city dwellers, and then they would head out of town.

Small disruptions to modern society, with all it's interdependency's, and it's just in time delivery system, can easily turn into unstoppable disasters, we just can't grow our own food anymore.

[Tolik]

Thanks, something went wrong with the main link:

http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/

to this article: http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/depressions-recession-downturn%e2%80%94whatever/

[Taxman]

Just so!

“. . . character and industriousness and acceptance of tragedy with both resignation and determination . . . are still the keys. . . to survival.”

And then, we’ll throw the Bastards out, and sendsomeofem to prison!

[when the time is right]

I agree with you. I grew up on a farm where we grew pretty much everything we ate. Today I am in charge of a small community garden where I try to teach city people how to grow vegetables.

You would be surprised at the number of people who quit the minute they discover they might get their clothes and, heaven forbid, hands dirty and totally freak out when they find a worm or grub in the soil. Somehow they think I am responsible for getting rid of all those things before they arrive.

My worry is that if there is a depression those who do know how to grow their own food will have it stolen by those who don’t so for the first time in my life I am seriously thinking of buying a guy and learning to use it.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

"Farm prices are going back down, and the rent (I now lease out my 45 acres) scarcely covers the taxes..."

[RU88]

Tolik,
I’d like to placed on the VDH ping list. Thanks a lot.
RU88

[ClearCase_guy]

Yeah, if it really, (really) hits the fan, I think productive people will have some ability to grow food and fix existing equipment -- but that a lot of the other folks will just try to steal and dominate in order to survive.

Now, I think I know how that will work out. A lot of the productive people understand self-defense very well and will be able to resist beign dominated by looters.

But I see tragedy even in that because a lot of good, hard-working people might be driven to the idea that a whole lot of people just need killin'. I can see that happening and I think it would taint our nation much as slavery did.

[Tolik]

Added to the VDH ping list. Thanks.

[Tolik]

Thank you for the laugh:

"for the first time in my life I am seriously thinking of buying a guy and learning to use ..."

I am not a spelling police and made worse mistakes, still, this one is good one

:^)

[Taxman]

VDH is a brilliant thinker/essayist whose message should be on the FRont pages of every newspaper in the Western World. Likewise, a Cliff Notes summary of his essays should be the opening statement of every TV and radio news program.

He writes very persuasively, and if given wide coverage, could perhaps win FRiends and influence people to view the world in a different, more reasonable way.

Sadly, I fear that his thoughts are not receiving the sort of exposure required to make a real difference.

HST, it is up to us to see to it that his ideas are spread far and wide. We need to somehow get his ideas out of our conservative community and into media the LIEberal/Socialist/Marxsts pay attention to.

Perhaps enough of the hangers-on will be persuaded that the Obamamaniacs have got it wrong and turn on them.

After all, that is the objective, is it not? Defeat the enemy on the field of battle and win their hearts and minds over to our cause?

Isn’t that why we do this?

[RepRivFarm]

seriously thinking of buying a guy

Sorry. I'm not for sale! ;^)

[RU88]

“my favorite singer Mark Knopfler”

This about seals the deal. Mark Knopfler is one of the finest musicians I've ever heard. Some of his guitar work is nothing short of phenomenal.

[Lurker]

first time in my life I am seriously thinking of buying a guy and learning to use it.

It's not that hard. The owners manual is only about 5 pages long.

L