Living On A Disposable World

So I am sitting in class last night (Operations Management) and my professor is talking about the U.S. trade deficit. I know…to most of you it would be really boring, but we crazy MBAs love this stuff.

Apparently, in 1995, the US produced 22.3% of the world’s manufactured goods. Since 1995 our trade deficit as a percent of GDP has dropped 3.5% (a sizable drop), that must mean we are not producing as much due to global competition right (i.e. more things being made in China). 

Wrong, today the US produces 22.4% of the world’s manufactured goods (a 0.1% INCREASE). The problem is that our increase in goods consumed is accounting for the increase in our trade deficit.

We are consuming way too much…and most of this "stuff" ends up in a landfill...and it is getting worse...

sometimes
when I wanna shut out this world
wanna rip up this page
wanna pour out this heart
wanna get up on this stage
and my lips become percussion
and my fists become the rage
and I pound on this table
'til it gives me something to say
then I think about things that I've seen
right in front of me
that I don't wanna believe
gimme one of these mikes
let me let 'em know
the way that it is is not how its gonna be
not if we don't let em get ahead of us
the present tensions no threat
its just a fence across the path
that were already ready to walk
rock solid footsteps
let'em put up obstacles
and prove that it isn't possible
f*** that
we don't give in anyway
true liberty and freedoms at stake
peace will never become passe
live my life until my last day
Flobots – Mayday!!