#35 / JAN 4 2014: ATTILA THE BANKER? JAMIE THE HUN?

Ancient Roman history was one of my special subjects at school – and I often thought how fascinating it would to go back in time and see that world in action. When? I fancied the reign of Augustus. Life in Rome became decidedly hazardous later on. 

Lacking a time machine, I opted for the U.S. instead—only this time I suspect I’m experiencing this country after Attila the Hun has sacked it.

You don’t remember the sacking of the U.S.? Lucky you if you missed it. Most call it THE GREAT RECESSION and it was something of a global affair. Today’s Huns are nothing if not thorough. Not only did they rob us blind, but we then had to pay them even more because they threatened to destroy our world as we know it. And, of course we paid. We’re still paying. Some would call it extortion—but we still call it banking.

So who are the modern Huns? What else but  major corporations—headed by the financial sector—which exert the kind of birth to death domination of our lives that Attila would probably have envied—and which would have driven the Founding Fathers to drink (though, as I recall, most had found it already).

But who is the modern Attila? I don’t know exactly, but I’m fairly sure he is a banker—or maybe it’s a group thing like the leadership of the Mafia. I don’t quite see Jamie Dimon in the role (though it’s a possibility)

Comparing a bunch of barbarians to today’s corporations is ridiculous.

Clearly I’m not the only person who has made the comparison. Read Wess Roberts book. But, I accept that Attila’s techniques were somewhat different. When his Huns attacked you, you mostly died fairly quickly (if unpleasantly).

Today’s Huns like to bleed you slowly. They no longer use swords and lances. They have different weapons today. They cause exquisite pain which tends to last most of your life. They are mainly psychological weapons and they are highly effective. They include Propaganda, Consumerism, Student Debt, Car Debt, Credit Card Debt, Mortgage Debt, Medical Debt, No Job Security, No Pensions, Low Pay, Transfer of Risk, Regulatory Capture, Corruption of Congress – and so on. Works like a charm – if you’re a Hun. If you’re not, you just get sacked. That’s just the fate of you little people and has been since—well—the Roman empire.

By “little people” you mean most Americans?

Same difference.

But at least you don’t get killed.

Look closely at CAFOs, Big Ag, Big Food, Fast Food, Hospital Charges, our Medical Error Rate, Antibiotic Overuse, Prescription Med Overuse, Industrial Pollution, River Pollution, Ocean Pollution, Pollution of our Water Supply, Toxic Chemicals, Global Warming and so on, and you may want to modify that statement. Americans age sicker and die younger—and that’s not an accident. It’s just Huns being Huns.

Are you serious about all this?

Not entirely—but mostly.  We need corporations—hell, we even need bankers—but one can have too much of a good thing.

Nobody cares—or they’re afraid. The Huns have money, power and all the weapons. All you have are words—and what can you do with words!

Use them.