The Plug

The contrast between the natural momentum and the human momentum is something I am exploring in-depth as of late.  I have little energy to actually think and write — therefore, I am resorting to video.  Currently, I use the freight train to represent the human momentum and I use views of the sound (Seattle sound) to represent natural momentum.  But tonight, I would like to spend a little time writing about what I call “The Plug” and use Sheryl Sandberg as an example of why a plug exists.

Sheryl Sandberg has been in the news of late because of her new book entitled “Lean In”.   I won’t attempt to summarize what her message is because I will let her tell you herself via the YouTube video I post below.  But, I do want to say that she is the perfect example of why capitalism has been corrupted in the United States.  She is the perfect example of why the middle class is going going gone.  And to rub salt into the wound, she is actually speaking and writing in public as though she is some sort of role model for the rest of us to admire and follow.  She would be much better off keeping her mouth shut while she collects her millions via the out of whack pre-IPO stock grant mechanism that is bringing our country to its knees.

Sheryl Sandberg is no genius that has provided innovative ideas, yet, she is one of the richest human beings in the world.  Why?  Well, she went to Harvard where she met Larry Summers who took her under his wings.  Do you know who Larry Summers is?  If you aren’t disgusted with who he is then look him up.  Let me give you a hint…played along with those profiting from the housing crisis and derivative scam that brought the country to financial ruin.  Through Larry Summers she got high-profile jobs in government.  Through Larry Summers she got connected with people at Google.  And through her work experience at Google she got connected with people at Facebook.  And through her connections with Facebook she became one of the richest people in the world.

How did she become so rich?  Well, when she became a big shot at Facebook, she was granted stock prior to the IPO (Initial Public Offering…or in other words…Facebook becoming a public company traded on the stock exchange).  Her salary is only $300,000, but her pre-IPO share grants will make her a billionaire.  Is this one woman worth a billion dollars?  Is she a human being that provides value billions of times more than the average woman or man?  If you say yes…tell me why you think she is really worth this much value?  Here is what Mrs. Sandberg has made in six months based on selling just a small amount of her pre-IPO stock shares:

Stock purchases, sales, and option exercises reported by insider Sandberg Sheryl since 2005.
Trade Date	Symbol	Company Name (Issuer)	Trade Type	Shares	Price ($)	Value ($)
4/8/13	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	176,452	26.88	4,743,382
3/20/13	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	176,452	26.06	4,599,221
3/5/13	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	176,452	27.9	4,922,304
2/21/13	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	176,452	28.02	4,943,302
2/4/13	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	176,452	28.97	5,111,814
1/16/13	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	352,903	30.16	10,642,142
1/3/13	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	508,118	27.88	14,168,362
12/17/12	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	235,269	26.76	6,295,092
12/18/12	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	74,538	27.9	2,079,610
12/5/12	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	946,588	27.71	26,229,006
11/19/12	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	176,452	23.95	4,226,378
11/6/12	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	176,452	21.24	3,748,193
10/31/12	FB	Facebook Inc	Sale	352,904	20.94	7,390,868
Total						99,099,674

So, Mrs. Sandberg has cashed in almost $100 million in six months in addition to her annual salary of $300,000 or for six months only $150,000.  Now, Mrs. Sandberg is just an example.  There are hundreds and even thousands of people who make as much or multiple times more than Mrs. Sandberg because of this pre-IPO stock grant mechanism.  If you look at the founders and entourage of tech companies that go public you will find that billionaires are the norm.

So, what is the plug?  How can companies and the economy afford to pay a few people this much money?  The plug is government debt, private citizen debt, and naive investors in the stock market.  In short, you and I pay for the über rich.  In short, you and I are the plugs.  You and I are the slaves that pay for these few individuals to become billionaires.  And the funniest thing of all is that they then feel entitled or authorized or anointed to become our role models, mentors, and “leaders”.  They feel like they have the right to tell us to “Lean In” to the human momentum because look…they can do it…why can’t you?  Well Mrs. Sandberg…most of us don’t have your Harvard connections do we now?  Mrs. Sandberg…you and your message are laughable.  You should be quiet like others in your corrupt position and just go on quietly living your über rich life style at the expense of the masses.

 

Another View of Human Momentum

Things that go bump in the night

The Human Grind

The freight train represents the focal point of humanity from my perspective.  To me, the train symbolizes the human momentum.  Cafe, or Janice, calls the human momentum “The Grind”.  I think the Grind is very fitting for this symbolic video if you not only look, but more importantly, listen..

Economics 101

Industrious

I am procrastinating on several fronts, but then again, that is my nature in regards to things
I don’t really want to deal with.  I decided to take a rather long walk to a cafe as opposed to jumping in my robotic car or simply stumbling down to the closest cafe.  The weather is particularly nice for this time of year so I wanted to get out and about.  I decided to take a walk to the locks, which is one of the busiest locks in the country.  It is really an enjoyable spot with all the activity, the Salmon Ladder, and the pretty park around the engineering wonder.

One of the things I like about the Northwest is that the cities still have a lot of old industry — logging, manufacturing, fishing, boats, and trains.  There is still some blue collar feel to the Northwest.  I find this strange that I am attracted to that aspect of the Northwest.  I enjoy unspoiled beauty, but when it comes to a city or town, I kind of like the unpolished feel of old blue collar industries.  This is also a strange sentiment given I don’t know how to do shit with my hands.  I played sports all my life, but if you asked me to fix a door or a toilet…the outcome would not be pretty.

If you think about the human momentum, there are some great engineering achievements.  We have become a very industrious species and we have created some pretty amazing structures and technology.  But, what I don’t understand is for what are we building all this stuff?  Is it just so we can have more people alive and fed?  Or is there something bigger that I am just not seeing?  Is there a grand direction or purpose for which we are constructing all these amazing things?  If you know what the answer is, please fill me in on the grand plan.

 

Love your servitude

I was planning on writing a post called “Love Letters”, but the last few posts have taken me   a different direction for the moment.  The below YouTube video is an interview with Aldous Huxley that took place in 1958.  As some of you might know, Huxley wrote “Brave New World”, a novel that hit an inner chord.  There are several novels, poems, pieces of art, music, that hits my inner chord, and this novel was one of them.  The video is around 28 minutes long, but it fits well with the last two posts and I wanted to keep it handy for my own use.  I enjoy watching Huxley maintain his total control during this rather hostile interview conducted by Mike Wallace.  Keep in mind…Huxley knows the press itself can be used as a vehicle to control the masses.

“The Story of Your Enslavement”

I find this video rather interesting.  I am not sure I agree with all the content, but it is certainly food for thought.  I also plan to read more about Mr. Stefan Molyneux (about him).  I do have some strong vibes that the vast majority of humans are being used and exploited like batteries (The Matrix) powering the wealth generation of the few.  I am not, however, convinced that the rich and powerful have developed a coordinated plan.

I do know, and I have attempted to express this, that money, debt, and credit, makes it very easy for a few to control the many.  Money is, in my opinion, a fallacy.  Each human being is a source of energy, a flame, that can burn given the proper foundation and environment.  But if a human being can’t think for itself, perhaps all it becomes is a source of energy for another’s use and gain.

I also am interested in researching Edward Bernays (about him), mentioned in this short film as the father of propaganda.  I think the media and the advertising/marketing machine is a powerful form of brainwashing that helps perpetuate over-consumptions, or as stated in the film, creating a demand for things when there is no need.

The Madness of A Lost Society

One piece I don’t agree with in this short film is when they say nothing backs the U.S. currency.  Most people make this argument given we are no longer tied to the gold standard, but the truth of the matter is that since the USD is used as the world-wide currency to purchase oil and commodities (reserve currency status), there will always be demand for our currency.  If, however, should the USD lose its reserve status (because our debt is out of control) the dollar could collapse.  Although there are many aspects of this short firm that I feel hit the truth, there are other pieces where I remain skeptical.  Often fear is promoted with an end-game in mind.  There are those out there who are trying to stir up fear to get people to buy precious metals and of course they are the same corrupt spirits that are targeted in the above film.  We must always look upon each point of view with skepticism, including our own.

Corrupted Capitalism

                         To whip or be whipped, that is the question.