wheat prices up

Wheat prices are up, which probably means that food prices at the grocery stores are going to be rising up also. This is not a good thing, expecially with the economy the way it is right now.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/38533807

Wheat prices are going up because a big fire in western Russia has destroyed a HUGE amount of wheat crops, and Russia exports a good chunk of that stuff. But a rise in food prices have been long coming, as prices are artificially kept low by farm subsidies and other such factors, along with governments printing money. This is what we call 'inflation', and it's a natural outcome of long standing farm subsidies and short-term printing of money due to the financial crisis. Article gives the why. We wanted artificially cheap food, we got it. Now it's going to balance up and better reflect the real cost of producing it. I hope eventually the same thing happens to gasoline, and we saw a taste about two years ago. I don't say that to be cold, I say that because we as a society won't change our unsustainable ways until it affects our wallets.

The problem is, most of our wallets are already empty, so we can't really afford to change our ways. Getting a car that doesn't run on gas is a great idea, but an expensive one. With so many people losing jobs due to closing businesses, many of us are already barely getting by. If prices rise too much, it'll mean people won't be able to buy, more people will be out of work and then unable to buy, and the entire system will collapse.

THAT I do recognize. But I also think this recession is a symptom of the fact that our society (essentially a consume, consume, consume society around riches and material gain) is not sustainable. It may collapse either way if we don't change our collective lifestyle, even if it's only in small ways in these tough times. For example...commute to work by bike instead of driving, if possible, or take public transit. It's available, and you'll save money on gas. I don't expect everyone to go out and get an electric car and stop eating, but I do think this is a big chance for us to rethink our lifestyles. I don't make much money as an AmeriCorps VISTA alum (and soon to be AmeriCorps National Direct) and I'll eagerly change my ways.

The thing is, when the price of goods do not reflect the real cost of producing them, eventually, it'll balance back out. We're seeing it with food. Sooner or later, we'll see it with oil and gasoline. It's unfortunate, but it's also how the economy functions. We may be victim to bad timing with economic forces converging, and it may not be a bad idea to ready for the fact that they might again. I do think rising prices is not a good thing in the present economic climate, but the fact is it's happening and there's reasons it's happening. We, as a society, either adjust or don't.

I do say all this 100% acknowledging that I am basically always biased towards environmentalism and sustainability, and many environmentalist groups and news sources I listen to outline a lot of the above. I am also against rampant consumerism and consider myself an advocate of simpler living where an individual is able and willing to. I also recognize I am plenty hypocritical in saying this. >_>

Caged Wolf wrote:

It may collapse either way if we don't change our collective lifestyle, even if it's only in small ways in these tough times. For example...commute to work by bike instead of driving, if possible, or take public transit. It's available, and you'll save money on gas.

Public transit isn't available in all areas. It's common in the big cities, but smaller towns are a different story. In the towns around the area I live, there's no public transit system at all. It's a great solution for those who live in dense population centers, but that leaves the rest of us hung out to dry.

Simpler living is okay, but for many people already live as simply as they can short of losing everything. In my area, many families - with children - have lost their homes and have to live in their cars because they can't afford anything better.

I also acknowledge that and I find it highly unfortunate. I don't pretend to have full solutions, but everything I wrote above is at least part of the solution, short and long term, for those people who can do it. At least I think so. Really, I don't think anyone has a full solution for the crisis, other than time. It'd also be nice if companies, that are now sitting on large piles of money, would translate that profit into hiring again, which would help mitigate personal suffering and give people money again. I know people are suffering and rising prices for goods make it worse, but the economy is about balance and it wasn't there, so it's righting itself. Human suffering seems to be a byproduct of the capitalist system as it creates haves and have-nots by its nature. I don't know what to do for people and families that have to live in cars now and I don't think anyone does. But a lot of people at least have ideas for preventing another crisis in the future.

I'm just saying that the recession didn't just happen. It was, at least in part, created by long-standing policies like subsidies, excessive corporate deregulation in the past, prices not reflecting true costs of production, and the consumer society encouraging people to live beyond their actual means. I don't think rising prices are a good thing for people already suffering, I'm saying it's a natural outcome of the pertinent factors. It wouldn't be as bad if things weren't artificially cheap in the first place. If we want to prevent a future crisis or at least lessen the chances of one, society needs to change. I know it doesn't help much now, I wish it did on a large scale, but it doesn't. I WANT to help people and mitigate suffering, and I wish more people in all sectors of society, both high and low places, would help their suffering friends and neighbors if able to. If I didn't want to help people I wouldn't be an AmeriCorps volunteer. But if we don't see where things went wrong and where we can do better as well as help lessen the immediate suffering, the causes won't get fixed and improved and history will repeat itself.

It also saddens me that one thing Obama ran on (if not putting it up front as much as other things) was on propping up and renovating America's infrastructure, like public transit, and that hasn't happened. I'd love to see more public transit systems outside bigger cities to help people get around without needing cars for all their transportation needs. It's definitely something that could help put people to work if they actually did work on infrastructure.