We learned years ago we were shifting from a make things economy to a do it yourself economy.
The digital age has quickly brought us to this dark place. Remember the automat restaurants? They tanked. Remember the hardware store that did everything including putting together and delivering? They spawned the Angi's of the world because we didn't /or in my case, couldn't do it ourselves. Remember when you could take your radio or t.v. to a repair shop? Or call a company to solve a problem with their product? Or a department store where a clerk asked you "can I help you"? Or when you could call a company and get a live person on the phone for help with their product? Those days are gone. You are on your own.
American business has abandoned us, its customers for what? Fewer employees and more profit and a screw you attitude. And what do we get? Long, highly legalized warranty statements that in the end say, screw you, you are on you own. Many companies are no longer taking checks......you have to figure out often complex, un-user friendly digital/internet payment methods. And now, we have the added worrying about our accounts/credit cards being hacked or identities being stolen and often with no recovery recourse.
America has taken the concept of rugged individualism to a frightening new level and is abandoning the concept of cooperation/community required to maintain a democracy. Who is leading that movement? American industry/corporatization for the sake of unfettered free market capitalism. With less and less accountability for fraud and theft. And who has led us to that place? Mostly Republicans under Ronald Reagan and those who governed after him.
I for one DISSENT. I enjoy our freedom but freedom without cooperation is destroying our hard fought for democracy as is also making life more difficult except for the very wealthy, who don't give a shit about the rest of us. Rise Up America. Most of us won't and don't because democracy takes more work than just voting, which many of us also do not do. These unengaged want a free ride and they are getting one to hell on earth.
