Chapter 3: Will-o'-the-wealth

This chapter is so devastating/infuriating because as someone who has finally entered the property market it makes you realise that, um, actually it's a scam? I don't own my home! The bank does! And the fact that as a society we view homes as 'wealth' (money version) (as opposed to 'wealth' (gratitude version)) when they are not even good sources of said wealth for the average homeowner!! What??

Also don't get me started on this business: "Property investors often argue that what's good for landlords is good for everyone."

If you can't live in two homes at once, maybe don't own two homes at once?? Houses only increase your wealth (money version) if you can offload them when you need cash. Surprise, surprise, people who own one (1) home cannot just sell their house when they need some dollars because they need to live there. Property investors who pinch property from regular humans™️ only to artificially inflate rent so that they can benefit from negative gearing while they own the joint to then benefit in the future from the capital gains tax discount are scummy. Booooooo.

Chapter 2: From 'Mateship' to 'Me-ship'

Genuine question: why does a world war have to begin, kill millions, destroy the way of life of millions more, and drastically alter the social fabric of near on every country for "the west" (because I can only speak on behalf of the country I live in and others like it) to decide that what we actually need is socialism to ensure everyone has what they need (again with the huge caveat of obviously post-WWII was not the be-all-and-end-all for everyone's freedom and rights because of concurrent policies that worked to dehumanise and dispossess people of their culture, etc. (looking right at you, Assimilation policy, you bastard)) but then in like 40ish years that is all forgotten and suddenly it's "neoliberalism will make us all rich and happy, just wait for the bags of cash to trickle down"?? Confuse.

"This means that banks get to privatise their profits during good times and socialise their losses during bad times."

So after some swift Googling to get my head right, I have some thinks to think out loud.

Since 1996, Australia has not had a government-owned bank that directly interacts with the public (never mind one of the big four still being named Commonwealth Bank of Australia). BUT because of "economics", when the interest rates rise too high and people can't pay back their exorbitant mortgages the government will likely help to support people to stay in their homes and therefore continue to pay banks which only helps their own shareholders?? Stop with this nonsense.

"This creates a powerful cycle: communities nurture hope, hope helps us envision what's possible, and when we work together, we turn those possibilities into reality. And that community action creates more hope!"

I feel like I got ahead of myself before and maybe I should have read a smidge further because obviously this bloke is gonna talk about community when he's talking about making changes to create a better world. Either way, I clearly was on the right track with my thinking 😅

"Many of us wear our pessimism like a pair of jeans so old and comfy we don't even notice we've got them on; we just go about our days, subconsciously accepting that shit's fucked and never questioning the dangerous fallacy that there's nothing we can really do to unfuck it."

Look I know it's early to be posting block quotes but this (^^) is why it's so important to talk to people, right? We read our books and we take our notes and we change our own personal behaviours but then we have to share! Share the insight, the knowledge, the next steps. It's why being part of a community (like this one) is so important!!