1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: From UFOs two, ghosts and government cover ups. History is 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: learn the stuff they don't want you to now. Hello, 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: welcome back. My name is Matt and I am Ben, 5 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: and this is stuff they don't want you to know. 6 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: And today, Ben, we're tackling a topic that's gonna hit 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: home with you right away. And I can tell I know, 8 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: how can you tell me personally? Or everybody out there 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 1: listening with us, everybody listening, this is something we can 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: all identify with, well, not all of us, but we've 11 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: probably heard about it. Perhaps are robotic listeners who loved, 12 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: uh love that episode, by the way, perhaps they can't 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: identify with it now. Matt, I have to say that 14 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: a lot of people before we get started, a lot 15 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,279 Speaker 1: of people don't know that you have some amazing voices 16 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: under your belt. Yes, in your throat. You get the 17 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: gist of what I'm saying. Yes, they exist mostly inside 18 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: my throat. Some of them are in my head. Um Ever, 19 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: every once in a while they coincide. So we did, uh, 20 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: we did the opening for this episode a couple of 21 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: times today because Matt, you were doing brilliant public radio 22 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: voice that sounds really good, and I was I was 23 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: just messing up in ira glass impression. So that's exactly 24 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: what it was. I was trying to picture what it was. 25 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,960 Speaker 1: N Well, if it's a good impression, then you just know. Well, look, 26 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: I haven't been listening to as much this American life 27 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: as I probably should be. Well, we're big fans, but 28 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: we also want to tell you this, listeners, just so 29 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: that you know that maybe you can write to Matt 30 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: asking him to do some voices and uh maybe maybe 31 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: he will because I can't persuade you did do them. No, 32 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: you would be hard pressed to persuade me to do this. 33 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: The voices are usually things I do I don't know, 34 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: in the in the shower, in theater class in ninth grade, 35 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: in our office after six Yeah, that that's when they 36 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: really come. That's when they kick in. Yeah. I feel 37 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: like I can hear the voices in your head then too. 38 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: Uh So. One thing that I always think about when 39 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: I hear the phrase middle class, right, is I think 40 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: about the what we call in the United States, the 41 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: American dream. Yeah, man, I think about suburbia, two point 42 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: five kids, maybe a dog, sometimes cats. In my case, 43 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: it was cats. Okay, yeah, probably own a car, take 44 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: a vacation once in a while, at least making payments 45 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 1: on a car. Right, Yeah, What the heck is the 46 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: middle class? So many people in the West talked about it, 47 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: and there's always this big concern. You know, every every 48 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: few years, Uh, some pundit will come out on your 49 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: local radio or television say, the middle class is disappearing. 50 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: What does that mean? What does that mean? Well, let's 51 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: define our terms first of all, as we like to 52 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: do here. Well, the middle class is a financial label 53 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: above most other things, but it's also it kind of 54 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: talks about a lifestyle or refers to a lifestyle about 55 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: what a family of a family unit can afford. We're 56 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: again we're talking about home cars and you know, to 57 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: some extent, education and also even the ability to take vacations. Uh, 58 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: there are like budgeting and saving. It encompasses a lot 59 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: of different things, a little bit like investings. So what then, 60 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: it's not just physical goods the ability to buy physical 61 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: goods like what's that eighties song? Uh? Material World? Yeah, 62 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: do you want me to go into it? How did 63 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: it go? I don't know that I can legally in 64 00:03:54,320 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: this format, But it's Madonna and I'm yes, I'm checking. Um, 65 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: I'm throwing aside. I hear with our super producer Noel 66 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: Brown on the ones and twos because you guys, Matt 67 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: and Noel no uh darn near everything about music. They 68 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: know a lot of stuff, which is dabble. We dabb 69 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: you guys dabble for sure, which is why every so 70 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: often you'll hear some uh some amazing sounds on our 71 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 1: audio podcast, our video podcast. But I digressed so hard. Yes, 72 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: So it's not just that this households could buy material goods. 73 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 1: It's that there is this lifestyle. Um. Maybe they don't 74 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: have two homes and travel to Florida every winter or something, 75 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: but they do probably have a summer vacation when the 76 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 1: kids out of school, yes exactly, and things like that. 77 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 1: So the further we drill down into this definition of 78 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: what a middle class is, uh, the more that we 79 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: find there is not necess fairly one size fits all 80 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: rule because what means middle class depends on the country 81 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: in which you live, absolutely, and as we live in 82 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: the US, we're going to be focusing primarily on that. Um. 83 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: So so let's look at the money factor first of all. 84 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:25,679 Speaker 1: So the average income in the United States was fifty 85 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: one thousand and seventeen dollars in two thousand and twelve. 86 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: So that's just the the um then is that mean? 87 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: I guess it must be the average the middle number. 88 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: So counting all the people who made negligible and counting 89 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: all the people who made a lot, we end up 90 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: with a alarmingly deceptive number because you can't take an 91 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: average of that many people and that many uh in 92 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: that many environments, in different socioeconomic circumstances and expect it 93 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: to be very helpful. So, and there are two things 94 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: about that numbers that. First of all, it's pretty high. Yeah, 95 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: but it's not the highest. It's not like cutter or something, 96 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 1: right exactly, but it is globally pretty high. So let's 97 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: look at another place spend. Let's say the Democratic Republic 98 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: of Congo. The average income there is two hundred and 99 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 1: thirty six dollars. Wow. We should note, of course as well, 100 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: that that is one of the poorest countries in the 101 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: world by this metric. But it's weird, right, because they 102 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: also have a wealth of resources and suffer from what 103 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: is often called an international politics the resource curse. The 104 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: resource curse which is no, that's okay. That is just 105 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: another show and we will have to cover that again. 106 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: I think we mentioned that before. And another talking about 107 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: international banking we mentioned in resource extraction. You can check 108 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: out some of our We had an outdated video now, 109 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: but it still holds up pretty well called is China 110 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: Colonizing Africa? Which I would recommend to anybody who's interested 111 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: in stories of resource extraction or establishing slash fighting hedgemoney. 112 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: And if you don't want to look at our videos, 113 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: then just look up the current president of Bolivia so 114 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,239 Speaker 1: you know how he's working with us. Uh. And remember 115 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: that we said Bolivia because that that will be interesting later. 116 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 1: So there's a standard. If we were to take a 117 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: standard definition from like a financial website, we would say, uh, 118 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: we will find a couple of different numbers. One that's 119 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: commonly found is that twenty five thousand to a hundred 120 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: thousand dollars of income a year is what most people 121 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: would consider a middle class income. Uh. This accounts for 122 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: a wide cost of living differential. So you know, it 123 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 1: costs more to live in New York City than it 124 00:07:54,160 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: does in um Fargo or Baring Forks. And so any 125 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: one who lives in San Francisco or New York will 126 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: tell you that twenty five thousand dollars a year is dirt, poor, dirty, poor, 127 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: um nothing. And that's because, uh, in that city, you 128 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: can't you can't make a long con you can't grow old, 129 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: support of family and retire and have a place to 130 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: sleep at night, right, right, dollars a year, I mean 131 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: you couldn't it. We'd be you'd be really hard pressed 132 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: to find a place to live. Yeah. Now there are 133 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: subsidies for fure and for residents, right, but this and 134 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: you know, of course we're not in any way detigrating 135 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: anybody who makes twenty five dollars and lives in a 136 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: very expensive city. Absolutely not. It's just the reality of living, 137 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: you know, cost of living in sety it's very different. 138 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: Like Atlanta, where we are based, has one of the 139 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: lowest costs of living for a city its size, and 140 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 1: only ever becomes apparent to me when I'm in another city. Yeah, 141 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: all right, So what we found is that this means 142 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 1: essentially there's no universally recognized definition of middle class, but 143 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: there is something different about the socioeconomic makeup of Western 144 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: countries over the last few decades. In many countries. The 145 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: Western middle class, however vaguely defined, isn't prospering at least 146 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: in the way that it once was back when we 147 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: had an economic boom with construction and industrialization in the US, 148 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: when we were making cars. Let's says, yeah, that's true. 149 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: There is a c change that is troubling to people, 150 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: and there's this it. We can't make any bones about it. 151 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: This is not a conspiracy theory, no matter how often 152 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 1: it may be presented. Is one. Uh, this is not 153 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 1: a It is true and hard numbers that inequality in 154 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: the United States is rising in some areas more than 155 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: other areas. So what does this mean for me? Would 156 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: be most people's question, right exactly, from the Koke Brothers 157 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: to uh, somebody making twenty one dollars and living just 158 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: outside of New York, the question would always be what 159 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: does this mean for me? Very different answers and exactly 160 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: so it First of all, it means a lot of 161 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: different things depending on where you are. Like we said 162 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: at the top, in developing, in emerging markets, we're actually 163 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: seeing a rise or in emerging middle class. So it's 164 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: not so much that the global middle class is dying 165 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 1: as it is that the middle class. What it means 166 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: b middle class is moving. Yeah, isn't that a weird idea. 167 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: It's just that that type of emerging wealth has just transferred, 168 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: it's just took a trip across the world other other 169 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: different places. That sort of lifestyle is become an increasing 170 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: popular in countries where it wasn't once upon a time. Exactly. So, 171 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: then we also see that rising inequality has dangerous effects 172 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: on the existing UH middle class of these of these 173 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: different countries. In October of two thousand fourteen, Interestingly enough, 174 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: the United Kingdom's wealthiest ten percent controlled fifty four point 175 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: one percent of the country's total wealth UM. If we 176 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: if we look at the math of that, you know, 177 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,839 Speaker 1: it can be a deceptive thing. A lot of these 178 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: statistics can sound scary, and some of them were constructed 179 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: not by us, but constructed or framed to sound frightening. 180 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:41,719 Speaker 1: We know that inequality is on the rise in the 181 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: United Kingdom, it's on the rise in UH the United States. 182 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: Maybe not for the same reasons, but there have been 183 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: some pretty smart people making some pretty good studies about 184 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,680 Speaker 1: this right. The authors of the new study, Emmanuel Says 185 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: and Gabriel Zokman, highlight that the wealth inequality was high 186 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: in the beginning of the twentieth century, decreased steadily from 187 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,479 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty nine to nineteen seventy eight, but was continuously 188 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: increased ever since then. Moreover, the increase in wealth inequality 189 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 1: is almost completely due to the increase in the top 190 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: point one percent wealth share from seven percent in nineteen 191 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: seventy nine to two percent in two thousand twelve, nearly 192 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: as high as in nineteen twenty nine. The study also 193 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: showed that the wealth share of the bottom wealth edged 194 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 1: up until the mid nineteen eighties and has been declining 195 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: steadily ever since. And today, Uh, huge majority of Americans 196 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: acknowledge the growing gap between the rich and the poor, 197 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: and a lot of people say, hey, I think that 198 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: is going to be a problem if it isn't already. 199 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: But there's little, uh, there's little agreement on the causes 200 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:00,199 Speaker 1: of this rise in inequality or how to address sit. 201 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 1: You know what I mean, sure, Ben, So that question 202 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: is hugely complex, and you'll hear people like Russell Brand 203 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 1: talking about it on talk shows, even wrote a book 204 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: about it recently, UM and lots of other people just 205 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: trying to figure out a way to help stop this 206 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: inequality from increasing. And then there are people who say 207 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,959 Speaker 1: that it's part of the system, so it should exist 208 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 1: in some way in a capitalist society sort of inherently 209 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: demands inequality. And then on the far side you have 210 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:31,599 Speaker 1: people on the far far other side, you might have 211 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 1: people who say, uh, something like iron Rand was right 212 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: with her opinion and I do mean opinion about objectivism. 213 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: And then you have people on the other end of 214 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,559 Speaker 1: the spectrum who will say, you know, why do we 215 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: need to have any sort of system. Let's just let 216 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: people do what they want because people are inherently good. 217 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: What's the worst that could happen? Right, Yeah, and then 218 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: we'll all be equal. Uh. However, we have some uh 219 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: compelling physiological evidence that human beings are not capable of 220 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: considering the rest of the human race as a peer, 221 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:13,679 Speaker 1: as a as a group of people. We crap out 222 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 1: around a hundred and fifty. That's all our brain can 223 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: uh close or friends brain stuff on that. Yeah, Dunbar's number. Yeah, um, 224 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: And now we can go ahead. We set the stage 225 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: right the extinction of middle class, the definitions, uh, the 226 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: exploration and some of the assumptions, and now it's almost 227 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: time for the really crazy stuff. But first the word 228 00:14:42,640 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: from our sponsor. You know, usually we have our sponsor, 229 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: Illumination Global Unlimited coming in. Yeah, but they're not here 230 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: this week. I'm not sure. Maybe they'll come back sometime. Yeah. 231 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: It all depends really if the stars are in the 232 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: right positions. And sure there are a lot of factors 233 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: that Illumination Global Unlimited takes into account. Yeah. Um, and oh, 234 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: by the way, I guess we should say that for 235 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: anybody who hasn't checked out our episodes, Uh, be sure 236 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: to um put like a sheet over your TVs or 237 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: your mirrors if you're listening to or using a lot 238 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: of Illumination Global products. But anyway, just little ps a there. Uh, 239 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: here's the crazy stuff. Here's where it gets crazy. I 240 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: love it. Is there an oligarchy that is developed in 241 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: the United States? That's the big question. We all know 242 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: what an oligarchy is. It's a small group of interest 243 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: or whatever running a larger group. Sure, so do you 244 00:15:55,920 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: want my personal answer or my objective research answer. Uh, 245 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: let's see first the objective research and then your personal take. Well, 246 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: whether or not this has developed inside the United States 247 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: is a matter of debate. There are a lot of 248 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: different opinions. But there's something even more surprising about this subject. 249 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: When you look at the research across the world. The 250 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: globe as a whole, inequality has actually decreased, at least 251 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: for a time leading up to the recent economic disaster, 252 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: so to two thousand seven, and then some of the 253 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: other stuff that's been going on. So the things we're 254 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: getting better for a little while. But you have to 255 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 1: be really careful when you look at the stats. All Right, 256 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: we've got a great report via the Guardian the richest 257 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: one percent of the world's population are getting wealthier, if 258 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: not healthier, which almost said owning more than forty eight 259 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: percent of global wealth. This was according to the Credit 260 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: Suits Global Wealth Report, which you can find online. And uh, 261 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: here we go, though, when we say the richest one 262 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 1: percent of the entire world, that's such a bigger number 263 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 1: in both directions. So what what What are the numbers meant? Well, 264 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 1: a person only needs three thousand, six hundred and fifty 265 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 1: dollars including the value or equity in your home to 266 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: be among the wealthiest half of the world citizens. Wow, okay, 267 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: and then uh, to be a member of the top 268 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,880 Speaker 1: ten percent of global wealthholders, you need more than seventies 269 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: seven thousand dollars. And that isn't a no like how 270 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: much money you make every year. That's how much worthy exactly, 271 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 1: there's something. And then, uh, last, but not least, can 272 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: we get a drum roll, No, you need seven hundred 273 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: and nine thousand dollars to belong in the top one percent. Now, 274 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: that's smaller. That's a smaller amount than I thought. But 275 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: I guess that's because it's a much bigger one percent. Sure, 276 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: So that is a lot more money than this guy 277 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: will ever see in his lifetime. Um, but you know 278 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: it's something to shoot for. Ben Uh. The American dream 279 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: as where we started in the beginning, So let's go 280 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: straight to some of the more conspiratorial stuff. One thing 281 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: that I thought was interesting that comes to us from 282 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: UH political spheres, right, is the idea that concerns over 283 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: inequality are some sort of noise or propaganda made by 284 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: socialist and communists seeking to overthrow capitalism. So I guess 285 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: the argument there would be that the nature of inequality 286 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: itself is being vilified and that it's not bad for 287 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 1: a few people to control as much wealth. Yeah, in 288 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: in the eyes of someone UH talking about this, I 289 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 1: would say they see it as more villainizing the rich, 290 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,360 Speaker 1: and at least that in my head, that's what I see. 291 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: And I would you know, I would argue that perhaps 292 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: those arguments come from the wealthy a lot of the times, right, 293 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: and that would that would make sense because opponents of 294 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 1: that argument would say that there is a group of 295 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: wealthy elites actively working to disempower the populations of various countries, 296 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: which is not I'm it's gonna I'm gonna be honest. 297 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:31,439 Speaker 1: It's totally been proven that that's happened in the past. 298 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: We know that that has happened in the past, um, 299 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: during times of imperialism or colonialism. And no, I'm not 300 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 1: just talking about European expansions. I'm talking about the history 301 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: of tribute states, the history of vassals and peasants and 302 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:54,719 Speaker 1: servants and lifelong slavery, which still exists. I think Mauritaniah 303 00:19:55,359 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: still has quite a large slave population. Yeah. And also 304 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: if you look at the power of money in politics now, 305 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: especially in the US, um, you need a certain amount 306 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: of money to make any kind of waves in the 307 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: political sphere here, and you know, if you're increasing that 308 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: that wealth gap, then perhaps that's one of the goals. 309 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,479 Speaker 1: I don't know. I'm just a guy man. Yeah, me too. 310 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: There's also there was all you remember. This might be 311 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 1: a little bit before some of our listeners time, uh, 312 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: but you remember growing up and hearing about the the 313 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: idea of trickle down economics, um, which I I still 314 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 1: probably have a child's understanding of that, because I didn't 315 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 1: really get it when I was a kid, and I 316 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: haven't looked into it too much. But I just want 317 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 1: to present these counter arguments. Oh sure, yeah, trickle down economics. 318 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: So the idea that when the ultra wealthy have a 319 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: lot of money, they spend a lot of money, and 320 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: then it trickles down throughout the economy because they're spending 321 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: money here and there and here and there, yase everybody else. 322 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 1: That's my understand Inherently, I don't understand how that would work, 323 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 1: because that is the dispersion of wealth, not the accumulation 324 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: of wealth. And also because of Swiss bank accounts and 325 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:16,360 Speaker 1: or Australian incorporation, wouldn't you be more likely to try 326 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: to save money? I don't know, I I don't know. 327 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 1: But there's another point here, and this is the one 328 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: that I think has the most sand that the relationships 329 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: between governments and businesses are empowering wealthy actors, and by 330 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: that we mean companies as well as individuals at the 331 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: expense of the poor. Yeah, and again look at the 332 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 1: representation and governments where especially in places where money makes 333 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: the politician. Right. Yeah, So we we've talked about this, 334 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 1: you and I extensively when we've done any a series 335 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: on financial shenanigans. There's this, there's this argument. A lot 336 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: of people here in the States are very cynical about 337 00:21:55,560 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 1: the relationship between financial institutions and the regulatory bodies set 338 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: to watch those financial institutions. I can't air quote hard 339 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: enough UH on regulatory or watch. But but there and 340 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: you know, the idea, there is something that we lampooned 341 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: in an earlier podcast that these UH groups can't really 342 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: watch each other or have the kind of authoritative relationship 343 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: they need to have because they end up work the 344 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: individuals end up working for the same companies. But to 345 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 1: be fair, the counter argument is that this field is 346 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:38,719 Speaker 1: so rarefied and complex that they're the only people qualified 347 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: to work in it. Sure, it makes my eyes my 348 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 1: eyes that I saw that I saw that they're rolling 349 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 1: hard they're still rolling. Uh So, without me personally commenting 350 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 1: on it, I just want to present that argument and 351 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: counter argument. It's true though, that governments have in the 352 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: eyes of the public, not just in the United States 353 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: but also in the United them uh that governments have 354 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 1: been seen as not stopping crimes by large financial institutions, 355 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 1: and typically that scene as further proof that the middle 356 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: class is somehow being squeezed out of a judicial process, 357 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,719 Speaker 1: a legislative process, things like that. Um. But another thing 358 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: that you and I have run into quite often is 359 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: that the laws. It's it's very important to figure out 360 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: who gets to write laws, you know what I mean. 361 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: And the concerns that we have read about with the 362 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: idea of a disappearing middle class is that, first, it's 363 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: so very vaguely defined in the United States. If you 364 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: ask people to pull the majority of people in the 365 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:50,400 Speaker 1: United States would say that they are the middle class. Um. 366 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:55,680 Speaker 1: And politicians have wildly differing ideas about this. But are 367 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 1: these people being shut out of legislation? That's a question, right, 368 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,159 Speaker 1: It's a really good question, and I think it should 369 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: be addressed by people who know more than us, right, 370 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: which might be you listeners. Hopefully Uh, so we wanted 371 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: to know if the if you think that the middle 372 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: class is disappearing, And let's keep in mind also that 373 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: over the great span of human existence, the middle class 374 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 1: is a very recent phenomena. Yeah, sure, absolutely, Um. And 375 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: also here's another question. Is it necessary that inequality exists 376 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 1: for let's save the entire system to run correctly. That's yeah, 377 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: that's a really good question. Is there a conscious drive 378 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: by someone or some group to accelerate inequality? Then I 379 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,959 Speaker 1: was reading this thing right before we came in here. Um, 380 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: you can look this up. It was about restaurants in 381 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 1: the that aim for the middle class that our middle 382 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 1: of the road like, and it mentioned specifically places like 383 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 1: Red Lobster Um out Back. Yeah, and just talking about 384 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: how those being in owning a restaurant in that level 385 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:15,880 Speaker 1: right now is really dangerous because restaurants are starting to shift. Um, 386 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 1: at least the ones that are prospering right now are 387 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 1: either the really ritzy, high priced places with locally sourced 388 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: food that's just prepared by you know, chef genius in 389 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: the back, and then to the fast food this is 390 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:32,680 Speaker 1: as cheap as it can possibly get. And the people 391 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: in the middle are finding that they're just losing money 392 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:41,360 Speaker 1: week after week. So if middle class families aren't disappearing, 393 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: middle class restaurants are, well, people aren't going out. The 394 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: idea is that the people who find themselves and identify 395 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: in the middle class are trying to save every bit 396 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: of money that they possibly can because they're feeling squeeze, 397 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: you know, perhaps not getting that small raise for cost 398 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: living every year, or not getting just what all the 399 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 1: different reason, medical emergency, anything that could pop up. So 400 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: I think that's really interesting to me, and it made 401 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: me think about my past growing up, and we my 402 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: family just says a little anecdote. I want to see 403 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,360 Speaker 1: if anybody identifies with this. When it was a special occasion. 404 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 1: After I got two, about ten, red lobster was like 405 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: my jam So if it was a special occasion, I 406 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 1: was like, Mom, Dad, please can we go get some 407 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:34,639 Speaker 1: of those garlic? Yeah? Um, that's all I wanted. I 408 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: don't care about the lobster. I didn't care about any 409 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 1: other stuff. I just wanted those biscuits. But yeah, we 410 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: could only afford to go there. Maybe you know a 411 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:47,439 Speaker 1: couple of times a year, dude, But it just makes me, uh, 412 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: I see what you're saying because it now in retrospect, 413 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 1: you're thinking, yeah, this is not a place we would 414 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 1: go every week exactly because we couldn't afford to, at 415 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:01,639 Speaker 1: least at the time. Um. But yeah, it makes me. 416 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: It just makes me wonder what effect that has on 417 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 1: the wider scale, just if you're just looking at restaurants, Like, 418 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:12,239 Speaker 1: what what else is starting to disappear? Sure, and that's 419 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: a really good question, like are there certain types of 420 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 1: cars that people aren't buying? Um? What about home home purchases? Right? Uh, vacations, 421 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: all the stuff we named in the beginning essentially, and 422 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 1: you know you can track that to the skyrocketing costs 423 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: of some of these things as well as wage stagnation. 424 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: And everybody, big hand to know for editing that thing. 425 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: I was trying to say that sentence like four times 426 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:44,680 Speaker 1: in a row. Yeah, big up. Everything you like about 427 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: this show is probably null. All right, Well, we've got 428 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: to get out of here, everybody. I'm so sorry, Matt. 429 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: I have one piece of listener mail for you. Fine, 430 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: Pope Ge writes to us and says, I really enjoy 431 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: listening to your podcast. While listening to the show today, 432 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 1: I'm stuck. I'm wanting to know if Matt Frederick is Canadian. 433 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: He sounds like he is. That's all they said. Really, 434 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: that's that's what he wants to know. Wow. Hey, Uh no, sir, 435 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: I I am not Canadian. I was born in Alpharetta, Georgia, 436 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: and I have lived less than fifty miles from there 437 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: my whole life. So wow, as far as we know. 438 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: And on that note, ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for 439 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 1: interrupting you, Matt. I thought it was a great question 440 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: and we should get it out there in case other 441 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 1: people believe that you're Canadian. Not that there's anything wrong. 442 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: It's quite all right, ben. So, Uh, everybody find us 443 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: on Facebook A and uh, go ahead and hit us 444 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 1: up on Twitter. We're at conspiracy stuff there. Also on 445 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: Facebook conspiracy stuff. Go to our website. Stuff they don't 446 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: want you to know. For everything we've ever done, it 447 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: all exists there, and it's all wondrous. Uh. The U 448 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: r L maybe a little long, but hey you can 449 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 1: you can figure it out, uh the last, but not 450 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 1: at least. If you don't want to do any of 451 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: that stuff, just send us an email. We are conspiracy 452 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: at how stuff works dot com. From more on this topic, 453 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: another unexplained phenomenon. Visit test tube dot com slash conspiracy stuff. 454 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: You can also get in touch on Twitter at the 455 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: handle at conspiracy stuff.