Now Husband Dan decided to ruin my day by sending me an article from the March/April issue of Mother Jones magazine. This article distracted me from my alarm at learning on TV that there is a Fat Pet Epidemic. Half of all US cats and dogs are now considered obese. I immediately asked Miracle the Cat for her opinion about this, but she was preoccupied with staring at a blank wall to respond. So my only recourse was to look at what NHD sent me.
The article is titled, “How Rich Are the Superrich?” It provides a handy pictorial chart showing the gross inequities of income in the US, rivaling the best of the banana republics. The handy pictorials and graphs say it all.
Because of the downslide in the real estate market and my subsequent unawareness that there was a rebound in progress, my income this year might well be in the tiny pale blue, bordering on invisible, balloon at the bottom, the one that has clearly been around way past the end of the party. All of the guests are long gone, the helium has continued to leak out (probably poisoning the air all around it) and the balloon is starting to make its inexorable sink to the ground. You don’t want to throw it out because it still reminds you of that happy time, except you realize it’s making you more sad than happy and it keeps sinking down in front of your face when you are at the computer.
I used to live in the red balloon, just above it. That was a great party, being in the top 10%. I didn’t care that there were balloons bigger than mine. My party might not have been held in a mansion, but it was pure luxury for someone whose parents didn’t own a car and who put herself through college.
Then there are the top two balloons. The top .01% of the population get a huge, almost dayglo tangerine-colored balloon and make an average of $27,342,212 per year, which is exactly equivalent to the Gross National Product of the Kardashian Family. The second balloon, a sort of happy peachy color, are people who average $3,238,386.
Under the balloons is a line graph, showing the same income distribution. If we think of these as heart monitors for patients on TV medical shows, we can clearly see that those with the highest incomes look strong and vibrant. The rest of us are DOA.
I have a lot of questions about all this. The first is what do the people who live in the big balloons do with that much money? It’s tough to buy a country, because the people who own most of them aren’t selling. Islands are OK, except you never know if the island you buy will be the one that has the Smoke Monster on it or some creepy virus that has been hibernating there since the Ice Age. You could give the money away, and about 10 people in history have actually done that. So what happens to the rest of it?
I’ve added up everything anyone could ever spend money on, including maintaining a private zoo and a serious coke habit, and I still come up with an enormous amount of money left over. I realized I was starting to obsess about this, but I felt like there was all this money around that I couldn’t account for and it was really disturbing to me.
While I was in turmoil about all of this, and checking how much someone would have spent on all the styles of Christian Louboutin shoes that are made, MTC strolled over, having clearly completed her latest Stare at the Wall Project. This was a great relief to me, as I could finally stop worrying about rich people and get to the bottom of the Fat Pet Epidemic.
Life in the Boomer Lane 
writerwoman61
February 23, 2011
That cat in the photo looks suspiciously like one of my daughter’s two!
Income disparity is a huge pet peeve of mine…was disgusted to hear just this morning of a quasi-government official here in New Brunswick who got a raise of 20% last year (to $170,000) by changing his title from “vice president” to “executive vice president” (while there was a government wage freeze in effect). Sickening!
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
February 23, 2011
Statistics do show that the income disparity is widening, and that spells doom for any economy. Those at the top of the income keep piling it on, and at least here in the US, our tax structure just encourages it.
Tori Nelson
February 23, 2011
Haha! Yes, I rather focus on curing the chubby cats of the world than the mystery that is How Many Times Could Your Pocketbook Buy The WORLD? The drastic difference between the regular American and the Uber Wealthy American is kind of sad. Of course, I come from the mindset that the world might be a better place if everybody made the same thing 🙂
lifeintheboomerlane
February 23, 2011
There is such complete irresponsibility at the top of the food chain. And our tax system supports it. While I do think people should be paid according to their value in a free market economy, that’s not what’s happening now.
planejaner
February 23, 2011
Renee–
I love the picture of the cat. Sorry she’s obese, though…mine are a bit like that, too…
oy.
as for income disparity…I like to think that those who work hard…are rewarded for it–and the best barometer seems to be income…
now. those who DON’T work hard, and are rewarded–that’s unfortunate.
criminal, even.
I know the gap is widening, and that’s troublesome…
but I don’t think everyone should be paid the same–it’s not an even playing field…you know? Some people will make more…others, less…
blessings
jane
lifeintheboomerlane
February 23, 2011
In a free market economy, job compensation, like anything else, is usually set by supply and demand. I think the problem we are having now is that job compensation at the highest levels is set with little regard to that. Corporations are closed entities, and execs set their own salaries. The corporation, itself, is beholden to no one. Then, when the government heaps tons of tax breaks on them, the result is rampant affluence. I’m not an economist, goodness knows, but that’s just how I see it.
36x37
February 23, 2011
Love this post. You have such a knack for humor writing!
I work for a global bank that just paid its CEO a $27 million bonus in stocks on top of a 3 million salary. Can you imagine? At what point does money become completely meaningless to a person like that? If he lost a few million, would he even notice?
I don’ think he would. But I tell you what, take $15 from the rest of us, and we’d notice.
lifeintheboomerlane
February 23, 2011
Absolutely correct. I’ve heard all the reasons why these people make the money they do. So, I guess if he only got $20 mil or $15 mil, he’d quit, right? Or the company would be worse off, right? I don’t think so. It’s lost all reason.
Dorothy Sander
February 23, 2011
I don’t want to be a nay sayer, but nayy!! The logical conclusion of the theory that “those who work hard are rewarded” is that those who are not rewarded are not working hard and believe me THAT is NOT true. My Dad worked his butt off, never missed a day’s work, never goofed off, never took advantage of anyone, took one week a year vacation most of his life only to be “laid off” when he was sixty. At the time, too young for social security, too old to find another job in spite of sending out 100s of applications. It left him without a pension and without benefits of any kind. The company was “cutting back” and so they decided to promote the young man my father had trained at a much lower pay and get rid of my Dad. Seeing what my father went through forever changed my perspective on that old Puritan adage.
It’s all about economics not good working habits. Those who have are able to invest and make more. Those who have not are left to borrow at high interest rates forcing them into debt instead of out of it. At this point in our history it’s hard to see a way out. I keep hoping some of the more benevolent wealthy will see the desperate need of the many and start funneling their money back into the economy instead of into another yacht. I suppose I’m dreaming.
lifeintheboomerlane
February 23, 2011
I do understand what you are saying. My dad started working full time at age 13. He worked six days a week and had one week off a year. He made less than $5000. After decades, when he became very ill and had to take real time off, he was fired. And yet, we have generations of immigrants who came from nothing, worked their butts off, created successful businesses, and sent their kids through college. I do think hard work pays off, but it has to be combined with a certain amount of risk taking. My dad chose to stay where he was because it was “safe,” working for someone else (ironic, I know).
Mrs. H.
February 23, 2011
Heh…my husband and I don’t even make it in the pale blue! Lol. (I laugh because otherwise I’d just start crying again, hehe.) I don’t know when it will end either. I’m about to get this Ph.D that I’m scared won’t mean anything since I’m not going into academia. But we certainly can’t live on just my husband’s instructor income. But I have to say, too, I don’t want to be in the dayglo tangerine bubble. I think we can make our happiness in the little blue area. We won’t have as much, but I know we’ll still lead happy lives. 🙂
Also, in obese animal news, I started seeing these commercials from Science Diet about a weight loss kit: http://www.hillspet.com/weight-management/home.html
It must really be an epidemic!
lifeintheboomerlane
February 24, 2011
I think it’s amazing that you are going for your PhD. My son finished everything, then stopped short of defending his dissertation. I know what a commitment it is. What is your degree in and what field do you want to be in? I’m always so sad that there are highly educated people around who never get compensated the way they should. And, in obese animal news, I’m waiting for wildlife to become obese, since they are living so close to neighborhoods now and are probably eating discarded pizza and McDonalds. This is probably the way Rome fell (fat soldiers on fat horses).
Mrs. H.
February 24, 2011
Hahaha! Fat soldiers on fat horses–that’s a hilarious image! And I think the obesity of wildlife is already starting to happen, at least in a small way. On the two college campuses I’ve studied at, there are these squirrels that don’t scamper as much as they waddle. And they don’t scale trees as much as they just sort of hoist themselves up them. It’s sad…but I they must be getting fed by the students. I guess in nature, though, there are always fast predators that will eat the slow, fat prey. So maybe that’s part of the reason why we don’t notice it spreading on a larger scale?
I’m getting my Ph.D in English, specifically gender studies and seventeenth-century English drama (I’m generally writing more on stage cross-dressing and Shakespeare and his contemporaries). I don’t really know what to do with it. I’ve thought about going to get my Master’s in Library and Information Sciences (MLIS), or maybe working for a theater in some educational capacity…but I don’t think the pay scale will be that large, you know? At this point, I’m keeping my options wide wide open. 🙂 What did your son do his doctoral studies in? I’m curious why he decided to stop, although I understand if you don’t want to share–it tends to be a personal question and there’s such a horrible culture of shame surrounding those academics who begin a degree and don’t finish it. It’s really too bad that that’s the way it is, frankly. Too many students who aren’t happy and hate their jobs or programs won’t really open up about their decision to stop because they are so ashamed…but what’s so ironic is that if they did open up, they could actually help out another academic who is struggling in the same way.
Mrs. H.
February 24, 2011
Oh! And I meant to add that I hope your son has found happiness after leaving his program. 🙂
lifeintheboomerlane
February 25, 2011
Waddling squirrels. That’s really depressing. Your major does sound fascinating, especially in light of gender studies being such a hot topic right now. Why don’t you want to be in an academic setting? Re my son, it’s so interesting: When my son was younger and in Boy Scouts, he went all the way through Eagle and only had his community service project left (piece of cake). That’s when he stopped. So when he started dragging his feet about the dissertation defense, I thought uh oh, here we go again. I am still clueless about the whole thing. But all ended well. His field was environmental economics. He got a good job, left that for a great job (both in his field) and has now been recruited by Microsoft for an amazing job.
Simone Benedict
February 24, 2011
One of my family members has two cats that make the one in the photo look close to thin.
I’d love to have a balloon. Mine was popped a few years ago and I was plunged into poverty. I don’t have cats and I may be poor, but at least my in shape dogs have their dignity. 🙂
lifeintheboomerlane
February 24, 2011
There’s something to be said for pet dignity. So many people are now struggling that it makes the disparity even starker.
carldagostino
February 24, 2011
In my condo complex 6 of 77 are in bank foreclosure and have paid no maintenance for 3 to 5 years and the lenders are artful in not paying the association. About 50 or the remaining units owe from several months to 2 years. I collect about 65% of the monthly budget. We have cut back on all services, canceled flood insurance and are two months behind in the water bill. We have a law firm that is aggressive in foreclosing as an association and in evictions but the average time between filing and court orders is 600 days. I will sell my place for 30 cents on a dollar to a cash investor who will take the risk and rent the place since he can buy my place for so little and I will move out to rent myself. Beside imminent collapse the neighborhood is characterized by violent crimes the axis of which is dope and drive-by shootings are common. In effect I have lost my entire life’s investment. In Dade and Broward counties I would estimate that there are well over 150,000 condos and houses in foreclosure !
lifeintheboomerlane
February 24, 2011
I hear stories like this all the time. You know the big winner in this whole mess: the law firms. Florida was at the top of the runaway rampant appreciation, and now it’s at the top of the foreclosure nightmare. What are people saying about long-term recovery there? We own a little trailer in Bradneton on the Gulf Coast. Prices there didn’t appreciate nearly as much as Dade and Broward, and so the downslide wasn’t as bad. They are bouncing back now. The crime is another matter. That’s heartbreaking.
Kathryn McCullough
February 24, 2011
This is a brilliant post, Renee! The income disparity here in Haiti is MASSIVE–the gap between those who have and those who don’t unimaginable to most in the US. Unfortunately in neither the US, nor in Haiti, do the poor get what they deserve for their hard work.
If you read Baraba Erhenreich (damn, the title is escaping me) you quickly see that those who work the hardest in the US often earn the least. The same in true here in Haiti, only worse.
Best not to get me started on this. I have a strong anti-corporate perspective.
I began the memoir series today, Renee. Thanks for giving me the courage!
Hugs from Haiti,
Kathy
lifeintheboomerlane
February 24, 2011
Thanks, Kathy. I will look up Erhenreich. There is a book, “The Working Poor” that got some press several years ago. I knew the author, a brilliant woman. She died last year of brain cancer. I am beyond giddy that you have chosen to start the memoir. I’m here. For whatever.
sunshineinlondon
February 24, 2011
Sheesh, Renee. What a thought-provoking post. We all need money to live, but it’s when we start worshipping at its altar, that life goes all out of shape. And it so can’t buy happiness.
Sunshine xx
lifeintheboomerlane
February 24, 2011
And, still, the question remains: What the hell do these people even do with all this money?
sunshineinlondon
February 24, 2011
True, Renee – it’s obscene.
duke1959
February 24, 2011
And I worry about a $25 dollar debit memo on my bank statement.
lifeintheboomerlane
February 24, 2011
Yes, those of us who are real people do.
Katybeth
February 24, 2011
I could not get past the fat cat! Good Lord. Perhaps, the very rich are perplexed about their surplus as well….I mean spending money can be very hard work (I have couple very rich friends…but would not know this first hand–however they do glow brightly after shopping…)–we could suggest they recycle their extra money by landscaping my yard…something I don’t really need but would be nice or perhaps sending me a diamond Tiara…I don’t have any place to wear it but does that really matter?
I love rich people that work hard for their money and I understand why they want to keep it…but if surplus is a problem–We could help–right?
♥
lifeintheboomerlane
February 24, 2011
Like you, I love it when people use creativity, ingenuity, and tons of sweat equity to build wealth. But I think a lot of slimeballs are bypassing all of that now. When my kids were little, I had the idea of starting a “Rent A Child for Christmas” business for childless couples with the need to bestow gifts on little moppets. Now I’d like to start an “Extra Cash for Retired Wannabes” or “Support A Needy Blogger” business.