srsly

i’m sure you all know the market took a beating today.  i was going to write this big post about financial responsibility and how the hell this many people could have been trapped by sub-prime ARMs but i know exactly how, and exactly why.  what gets me is that nobody saw this coming, because it’s certainly happened before.  it sucks, and it’s a terrible thing to say but those people that lost their homes are just as responsible for that happening as the scum that sold them the loan that broke them.

the reason i didn’t post it is because i’m barely more responsible that most people.  i have a lot of people looking out for my well-being and a lot of smart people giving me good advice about personal finance.  i was lucky enough to be in a position where my good upbringing helped me get a reasonable loan on my first home.  but at the end of the day i’m just the same as you.  i’ve got a bunch of debts that need paying and i have a tendency to buy myself things i shouldn’t.  but somehow i manage to stay afloat and i attribute that to a gut wrenching fear of what will happen if i sink.  there’s a very real possibility that the rug could get pulled out from under me, but i’ve done what i think is my best to prepare for that possibility.  i think the key is i don’t let The Fear completely take over.  so after taking my precautions i still have fun and i’ve got to say i’m enjoying myself rather thoroughly.

so no accusations, no preaching from a pedestal.  it really sucks for those people and maybe they were prepared for hardship and they were swept up in a wave that was just bigger than what the past told them to expect.  i guess the moral of the story is to learn from other people, and do your homework.  there’s always the chance that something bigger than you prepared for will come along and kick your ass all the same, so do your best, and try not to let it keep you from having a good time.