Legally I'm an American

I see the United States as a country of consumers. That gives me a hard time—I feel that it's irresponsible and I know that it's not sustainable.

Why? Well, that's in Umair Haque territory. I know, I know—Haque gets a little crazy. But when it comes to core economics, you won't find a better economist anywhere or even any when. The last great economist was Thorstein Veblen, but he wasn't exactly personable or much liked by the non-economists of our world.

Haque correctly says that the collapse of the United States is caused by a shortage of supply. Of foods and goods. This has happened because of global warming and the weather disasters it brings. It's important to understand that this isn't the fault of the supply chain, though there are problems with that as well.

The corporations and governments are happy to let the populace think the problems with the economy are supply chain problems. This is a case of misdirection. Even were the supply chain able to resurrect itself, the problem will be the supply itself.

The human race is in population overshoot. America itself has doubled its population since I was born. That's literally true and nearly exact. What used to be a country where I felt needed and wanted—noticed—now I'm a nobody just like everyone else. This is one reason I left the country and moved to Panamá.

The planet Earth has been strip-mined of all its resources. Not just oil and coal and gas—it has lost its forests and topsoil and the air and water themselves are severely degraded, on their way to being useless. When the day comes that you can't breathe or drink water you'll obviously know it, but be unable to change it.

This is the nature of a supply shortage. Along with the shortage comes inflation. Because Americans still want their stuff. But now all that stuff, and food and water are the most important stuffs, all of this is in short supply.

Surely you understand this concept.

But maybe you don't. People in the U.S.A. seem mired in magical thinking and all kinds of denial. This is why I left. This is why I have only limited empathy. Empathy is normally a safe way to connect with a people. But even empathy has its limits, and I'm reaching those limits.

I think if you put away your smartphones and stopped patronizing the 24-hour news cycles you might—maybe—begin to see how mucked-up your country has become. You're a few heartbeats away from being in an authoritarian dictatorship that closely resembles NAZI Germany.

Maybe you feel the power of that. But don't forget that the rest of the world will bomb you to smithereens. Or maybe isolate you and let your own devolution destroy you.

Yeah, I hate to sugar coat things, but you all are seriously messed up. I don't want to let you into my head any more than necessary. I'll stay here in rural Panamá and talk to the cows, chickens, and children. I'll grow my garden. I'll keep helping neighbors build their fences and extend their roofs.

I'll show the people here that you can live without the "stuff" that Americans love. That stuff amounts to consumption, and you really don't want to follow in the footsteps of the United States. Even here—it's the damn smartphones. The ads must be relentless. I don't know. I've been culturally aware that there are ads for sixty-two years now, but somehow I was born to ignore them.

But I have noticed that they push fast food and cars and *stuff.*

Sheesh. It's crazy-making.

... Fred Ermlich, November 29, 2021, 6:12 pm. Los Bosques, Las Tablas, Los Santos, Panamá. Me, cows, chickens, children, and Panamanians. Paradise on Earth...