Does Anyone Here Feel Sorry For The Sheeple

[Normal]

Like Dr Spock always said and I quote ' The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few'.

Like everything else you post, you've got it wrong again. Dr Spock was an American paediatrician.

Perhaps you were thinking of the fictional character Mr Spock?

[Stars]

Like everything else you post, you've got it wrong again. Dr Spock was an American paediatrician.

Christ, don't confuse him further

[dances with sheeple]

More like "The needs of a few bankers and politicians outweigh the needs of the rest of us, all 60 million"

oh and Dr Spock isn't real. sorry.

If you talk to most ordinary people they haven't got a clue. They are like the dead walking. Just bumbling along wondering what has happened. Do I feel sorry for them? Not a chance.

Says it all for me, the unthinking sheeple are just there to feed their masters. Until they wake up, start thinking and educate themselves, they will be forever taking it up the bum from the VI`s. Although I`ve posted my fair share of crap gloating and slagging "the sheeple" I think that pity for them or anger/derision against them is pointless. All we can do as individuals is educate ourselves and spread the word? hpc.co.uk does as good a job of that as any medium I have seen.

[deadman]

I think I'll feel a tiny bit sorry for Sibley eventually when the inevitable comes to full fruition.

[200p]

Profit from others misfortune, their loss is your gain.

Rub your hands as another mug loses their life times savings.

Show no compassion, blah, blah.

Everyone that is walking debt, is a potential profit for you to make off them.

Dog eat dog.

Sure they are in debt - sympathise, give them more debt. Force feed them, until they can't take no more.

Squeal piggy squeal! MOAR MOAR MOAR!

NB: These views are not my own.

[Stars]

It was with hindsight an incredibly arrogant thread. Talking about "feeling sorry for the sheeple", even when indices were showing huge YoY growth.

I think none of us then really believed how far the game was going to be rigged in favour of homeowners. Had we known, we would more likely have felt sorry for ourselves!

I agree

When people go on about 'idiot sheeple' being fooled what they forget is that entire economy was appearing in the price of real estate; people were being left behind. This is how the real estate bubble works, it keeps itself alive by threatening those not involved with increased costs.

Edited August 16, 2009 by Stars

[Hip to be bear]

My dear Slumpmonkey. I am NOT a realtor but an FTB sitting on the sidelines waiting to buy when an oppurtunity (read housing crash) arises. I live in the US and in 2004, made a mistake of reading stupid news sources and websites who claimed that the sky was falling on our heads as housing was unsustainable and did not buy some wonderful (now they seem like palaces) houses that I could have afforded then. That mistake has caused me a lot of grief. I look at others who bought during that time, and feel very envious. Their net worth has increased by hunderds of thousands of dollars, their quality of living has improved tremendously. And here I am, still renting, waiting for the sky to fall with each passing day increasing my frustration. The houses that I left behing in 2004 have appreciated by more than 70% and the houses I can afford now are crap. My friends who took the plunge then thank their stars and feel glad everyday as their net worth keeps increasing. Even if there is a housing bust, here in Seattle where I live, prices at max will drop by 10% (the worst ever drop in Seattle was 10% in 1991). So they feel safe and smug and I can't blame them. And I feel even more frustrated because a 10% drop in price won't help me much. I'll still be a poor man.

I see people in this forum making the same deadly mistake that I made and not looking at reality squarely in the face will cost all of us a lot (much more than what we have already lost). So come, come... forget about worrying about sheeple and let's worry about ourselves first.

I think that this is a telling post. The guy, like many on here missed a buying opportunity for whatever reason. He is gutted to have missed out on the last puffs of the inflating bubble and ranting at those on here who were looking for the big drop for their pointless wingeing. If this thread started in Nov 06, the US market must hav been very close to its peak, if not already over it.

It therefore begs the question, given his strong feeling of having missed the boat, at what point would he have bought in on the way down????

I expect in the States as subprime and the banking crises rumbled on through 07 and 08, he probably realised that the big crash was going to occur. Even in Seattle. I wonder if he is still renting and thanking god that he didn't buy, or whether he bought in at his 10% off peak

WHy is it the US has had its big crash, but we seemed to pull back from the precipice just as it started to get interesting? I am no economist, but it seems to have coincided with the stimulus packages and QE along with of course the nearZIRP.

[puppee]

yes i feel sorry for some of them who genuinely just wanted a home for their families , i blame the govt for allowing this to continue letting these people waste their money its about time they started telling us the truth about the situation we face now and in the future instead of just worrying about their own jobs and wealth, as for property developers , speculators and b.t.ler's they have had their good times and if they didn't put some money aside for the bad times its tough S**T, instead of the govt keep bailing out all these banks and companies they should figure out a way to help the people they are suppose to represent : such as cut property prices back to the year 2000 prices and arrange with the banks that the people who took out their first/initial mortgage after the year 2000 only have to repay the capital interest free meaning they are paying the same as someone who buys tomorrow at year 2000 prices at the normal interest rates, so the banks eventually get back the capital they lent out

[a+b+c+d]

Does Anyone Here Feel Sorry For The Sheeple, -anyone

No, I don't have any sympathy for you.

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

I think that this is a telling post. The guy, like many on here missed a buying opportunity for whatever reason. He is gutted to have missed out on the last puffs of the inflating bubble and ranting at those on here who were looking for the big drop for their pointless wingeing. If this thread started in Nov 06, the US market must hav been very close to its peak, if not already over it.

It therefore begs the question, given his strong feeling of having missed the boat, at what point would he have bought in on the way down????

I expect in the States as subprime and the banking crises rumbled on through 07 and 08, he probably realised that the big crash was going to occur. Even in Seattle. I wonder if he is still renting and thanking god that he didn't buy, or whether he bought in at his 10% off peak

WHy is it the US has had its big crash, but we seemed to pull back from the precipice just as it started to get interesting? I am no economist, but it seems to have coincided with the stimulus packages and QE along with of course the nearZIRP.

the difference is jingle mail and the fact the debt stays with the person who bought the property in the UK so there is much more of a self interest in struggling through hoping its a blip rather than just saying feck it and handing back the Keys and the debt to the bank. In the end it wont make any difference though the end game and result will still be similar for both countries

Edited August 16, 2009 by Tamara De Lempicka

[Pindar]

Aren't you lot getting ahead of yourselves?

You're talking like there has actually been a big crash. House prices are rising.

Three years ago when you started this thread. Could you buy a 2-3 bedroom family home at 50% off in a nice area? NO

Can you do it now in 2009? NO.

You've had your leg lifted up by the government.

I'm happy to be the one to tell you.

Only because the housing hyperinflation machine has been put into overdrive. Printing money and lending it at negligible interest rates was bound to have an effect. Unfortunately, it leaves those who purchased at low rates *very* vulnerable to future rises. Just because we've had low rates for a considerable amount of time, doesn't mean it will continue.

[Stars]

Only because the housing hyperinflation machine has been put into overdrive. Printing money and lending it at negligible interest rates was bound to have an effect. Unfortunately, it leaves those who purchased at low rates *very* vulnerable to future rises. Just because we've had low rates for a considerable amount of time, doesn't mean it will continue.

And low interest rates are a natural enough consequence of real estate making returns without apparent risk

[roadtoruin]

Aren't you lot getting ahead of yourselves?

You're talking like there has actually been a big crash. House prices are rising.

Three years ago when you started this thread. Could you buy a 2-3 bedroom family home at 50% off in a nice area? NO

Can you do it now in 2009? NO.

You've had your leg lifted up by the government.

I'm happy to be the one to tell you.

Can you buy a 2-3 bedroom family home at 20% NOMINAL off in a nice area? YES

Definition of a crash if I remember rightly is 10% off nominal.

Recent blip is now plateauing with further bad economic news in the pipeline as we enter the seasonal quiet time. So we're about to start on the next leg down. Unemployment and emergency tax rises to come next year.

Don't agree with Eric's apocalyptic % drop nonsense apart from forced sellers, but 40-45% down nominal from peak looks most likely, ranging 30-60% with regional variation. Bottoming out in 2011, and stagnant for at least a couple of years thereafter.

[Hip to be bear]

Who cares?

I've been driving around Kings Hill today and laughed my head off thinking about what you lot say on here.

Get real.

That's a posh estate. Ferrari's and 4x4's everywhere.

Last week I was working in Woking Surrey in a private road where cheapest house was probably £700,000.

I suppose these people are awake all night worrying about paying the minimum payment on their credit card.

Did you manage to con some rich confused widow into letting you tarmac her drive for her?

Your mum must be very proud

[popeye1]

I feel sorry for some people. That's not to say that it is not their own fault in a lot of cases but these people will lose virtually everything due to this situation.

What lots of HPCers forget is how dire rents can be especially with the new BTL generation and ASTs. The possibility of being turfed out after 6months etc. No security, no roots etc. Also everyone mocks the "its different this time" brigade but imagine the bulls were right? What would we see? 10%home ownership perhaps? Or to put another way the general historical number. We assume that the high ownership levels of the last 20yrs to be typical but what if they were not? In the situation of poor rental agreements and constant unaffordable housing would buying when you have the chance not seem sensible?

Lots of people made exactly this call. They were not all greedy capitalists but they are learning the hard way that for one to win another must lose.

However BTLers can go spin and heavy MEWers will get their just desserts - I hope

[Guest theboltonfury]

I find the term 'sheeple' small-minded and general.

[Jabberwocky]

As someone earlier pointed out if someone genuinely bought a home to raise a family or simply as a place to live in I have sympathy.

Anyone who bought as an investment can rot. If they were lying in the gutter and raised a hand for assistance I would tread their stupid, greedy head further into their self-induced pile of proverbial stuff.

[bateman]

erm?

earth to tin foil hatters - there hasn't been the massive crash that the mystic meg's that inhabit this site predicted.

Feel sorry for people that bought in 2005?!? Oh yeah, terrible decision - would have been much better paying rent for four years, they must be kicking themselves.

Imagine the horror of 0.5% interest rates!

I know - it is all just round the corner - trouble is that you lot have been saying that for 5 odd years now

[MOP]

I've been driving around Kings Hill today and laughed my head off thinking about what you lot say on here.

Get real.

That's a posh estate. Ferrari's and 4x4's everywhere.

Last week I was working in Woking Surrey in a private road where cheapest house was probably £700,000.

I suppose these people are awake all night worrying about paying the minimum payment on their credit card.

Out "casing the joint" eh Sibs?

[Hip to be bear]

I find the term 'sheeple' small-minded and general.

This is often the attitude of those in the flock

[Hip to be bear]

erm?

earth to tin foil hatters - there hasn't been the massive crash that the mystic meg's that inhabit this site predicted.

Feel sorry for people that bought in 2005?!? Oh yeah, terrible decision - would have been much better paying rent for four years, they must be kicking themselves.

Imagine the horror of 0.5% interest rates!

I know - it is all just round the corner - trouble is that you lot have been saying that for 5 odd years now

How long do you see base rates staying below 5% then?

[Guest theboltonfury]

This is often the attitude of those in the flock

Is it? Is it really? Or am I just someone who thinks that it's degrading and rather self-appointed to proclaim yourself of a higher intellect, just because you happen to think houses are overvalued and post on this site. I also think that, but don't feel the need to self-proclaim myself as in a more advanced social strata.

So are all the people who buy gold also sheeple just because they follow the mood?

How about also understanding that many of the 'sheep' are doing just fine and don't give a shit about some of the mindless doom-mongering that goes on here.

[eightiesgirly]

My dear Slumpmonkey. I am NOT a realtor but an FTB sitting on the sidelines waiting to buy when an oppurtunity (read housing crash) arises. I live in the US and in 2004, made a mistake of reading stupid news sources and websites who claimed that the sky was falling on our heads as housing was unsustainable and did not buy some wonderful (now they seem like palaces) houses that I could have afforded then. That mistake has caused me a lot of grief. I look at others who bought during that time, and feel very envious. Their net worth has increased by hunderds of thousands of dollars, their quality of living has improved tremendously. And here I am, still renting, waiting for the sky to fall with each passing day increasing my frustration. The houses that I left behing in 2004 have appreciated by more than 70% and the houses I can afford now are crap. My friends who took the plunge then thank their stars and feel glad everyday as their net worth keeps increasing. Even if there is a housing bust, here in Seattle where I live, prices at max will drop by 10% (the worst ever drop in Seattle was 10% in 1991). So they feel safe and smug and I can't blame them. And I feel even more frustrated because a 10% drop in price won't help me much. I'll still be a poor man.

I see people in this forum making the same deadly mistake that I made and not looking at reality squarely in the face will cost all of us a lot (much more than what we have already lost). So come, come... forget about worrying about sheeple and let's worry about ourselves first.

When the last bear turns bull, no doubt to me that things are not what they seem.

Just nipped out to the phamacy in the high street for some meds as my lot are all ill. 26 empty shops on a small high street, well over half. It wasn't that bad at the end of last recession never mind the beginning.

My daughter is a waitress, tips have dropped from £40 a week to £4, and people are ordering less.

Green shoots, recovery, sorry I can't see it. House price inflation needs either freely available cheap credit which we don't have anymore despite massive government intervetion or wage inflation which isn't going to happen in a high unemployment situation.

Interest rates can't fall any lower, affordability is likely to get worse, not better. When interest rates and taxes rise will those 'palaces' you talk about seem like negative equity millstones, yes they will.

Edited August 16, 2009 by eightiesgirly

[Snow Birds]

It's an odd (and peculiarly British) question. Do I feel sorry for the sheeple? I suppose you expect a yes or no answer but the vast majority of people, surely, take the third option. We don't "feel" anything at all . . . really! My sympathy, or lack of it, is not going to make an iota of difference to anyone. Why even ask the question? Surely it assumes that someone cares what you think. They don't. I'm quite sure you don't care what I think so why do you think anyone cares what you think? Having sympathy, or not, will not influence anything at all. The question suggests extreme arrogance on the part of the questioner. Your sympathy, of lack of it, is of no consequence to anyone. You are extremely arrogant to think it has any importance.

[Hip to be bear]

Is it? Is it really? Or am I just someone who thinks that it's degrading and rather self-appointed to proclaim yourself of a higher intellect, just because you happen to think houses are overvalued and post on this site. I also think that, but don't feel the need to self-proclaim myself as in a more advanced social strata.

So are all the people who buy gold also sheeple just because they follow the mood?

How about also understanding that many of the 'sheep' are doing just fine and don't give a shit about some of the mindless doom-mongering that goes on here.

BF,

No offence intended, and I actually share some of your feelings. My post was purely for the sake of humour.

I think however that the term is apt, but more to do with the way that we allow ourselves to be manipulated by the MSM and by VI and govt propaganda. I must regularly exhibit sheeple tendencies myself since I bought a house in 2007 despite my better judgement and sold in Feb (for other reasons) believing that houses prices will continue to fall (The Nationwide index has been on the up since).

Are we on here sheeple too? Just a smaller flock of black sheep doing our own thing, and convinced we are right because others share our views in our little HPC flock?