The Enslavement of the Masses

Of course, there are a lot of things to gripe about in life. A lot of things wrong with the world. That's just the way it is. I don't dwell in the yuck for too long, because I know there is beauty everywhere. And I know I'm not the only one who suffers. And I know that injustice and hypocricy are endemic tales as old as time.

Just, let's clear the air on that before we go any farther.

Cause lately I've been thinking about, you guessed it: the enslavement of the masses! 

Ok not the worst kind of slavery, but a very slippery, insiduous, manipulative type that we sometimes don't see. 

Anyone out there have student loans? Anyone?

I've shared some student loan sagas here before. 

Oh First World Problem that it is! Sometimes it's minimized just so. But it can sure hold a person down. Maybe that person still has enough to eat, most of the creature comforts taken care of. But that loan just won't go away! EVER!

There are programs that might forgive it. Programs with...many loopholes. So many loopholes that you're just disqualified. (Who IS qualified? Anyone?) There's that initial dream that it won't take long to pay because you'll get that amazing job, duh. Sometimes!

And goodness me, you'd think no one who ever took out a student loan in the US ever went to live internationally! One of mine actually doesn't have a toll free number that I can call from here. And I don't have long distance cause...who has long distance anymore? (I digress?) I can't pay it electronically, even though: it's 2023. And, they always tell me to just log on and send a transfer online! Whoops! I'm in Canada you don't have a system for that, remember? Credit cards too, maybe that mode for an easy over the phone oh nevermind there's no phone line that works...oh it's moot anyway cause they don't accept a credit card! SOMETIMES they accept a prepaid Visa debit. But DON'T DARE try a MasterCard one. No no no no no no no! That, they do not take. 

And the last time I tried the Visa type, the person on the other end in the Phillipines was like, "Oh I don't know what happened, I thought we accepted these too. But I just asked my supervisor and I guess it didn't go through cause we don't accept those anymore."

True story.

How about mail it? Mail that payment, you responsible student loan borrower! Who has checks anymore, though? Oh, I used to. They used to take them from here, as a form of payment. But then suddenly someone realized those checks of mine they were cashing had a FOREIGN ROUTING NUMBER. 

Alert Alert! No no no no no no no!

So for awhile I'd pay extra to send trusty US bank drafts by mail. But anyone who's ever mailed something internationally knows how long and unpredictable that can be. Even from Canada to US! (And ESPECIALLY during COVID. I guess the envelopes had to be PCR tested first.)

<Ha!>

This year--BINGO--I decided to just send one big lump sum for my student loan payment. You know, to cover all 12 months of the year, to avoid the monthly hassle. Thankfully I was able to do that. I let them know in the envelope, with a very detailed note of what the large US bank draft was for. All my info so they'd know where to apply it. Covered my bases. 

And guess what?

A couple months later my account is:

Overdue!!! 

???

I guess they didn't understand. And remember, I can't phone them. 


Don't get your hopes up for me, mine aren't the kind Biden is willing to forgive. (On that cold day in hell.)

It's ok. I get by. 

Just

another

bill! 

(Oh no but will <insert name of large faceless corporation that preys on the masses seeeking out life betterment through education> ? Will they get by? I can't phone them to make sure, but maybe one of you all stateside can. I'll pm you the number later if you'd like 👍)


But if I had to go back in time I would never take out those loans. I would pay for school as I went to school. If I went to school. I mean, it wasn't all a waste. I just wish it was paid for!

----------------

Oh.

OH! But I live with a common law partner now so I should be flying high! (Next story coming right up!) <Enslavement of the masses> But the government will save me!

And it did, for awhile, when I was a single parent. And I'm thankful I was able to get on my feet as a single parent with the help of government programs. There are plenty whose lives improve with that help! Plenty who really need it. 

Only, I think that help is a little too cushy, cause when I compare it to now not having that "single" status, well I am worse off financially! Too bad, cause I have all those student loans!

(No really, not that many. But plenty.)

Simon and I moved in together last year around this time. I had been reluctant, for a variety of reasons, but we just kept thinking you-know-what it's better for the baby, for the family, for us. And oh bonus idea: it will most certainly be better for our finances! Ding Ding Ding!!!

All the while I had a sneaking worry that it might not be, that last part. And just the other day that sneaking worry was confirmed when I was on my tax account to pay back money I owe the government (I won't bore you with that story but...) when I saw a new message from them! That oh wow I owe them MORE, in fact, I owe them a ton of money! Not as much as my student loan balance but let's say...close to half! (Oh gosh I'm depressing myself now!)

I'm not writing this for a GoFundMe. GoFundMe might not appreciate my "political" viewpoints, anyway.

Not writing it for a GiveSendGo either. Just cause, you know, it feels good to write it. And maybe someone out there has another seething injustice enslavement of the masses gripe they're sitting with that they want to share, or just feel validated about, after reading my words here. 

Anyway, the government hath punished me for finding a common law partner. Might as WELL get married, it's the same thing, only holier! More precious. And, ok, special. (Don't count on a wedding, though, that's expensive!) (And oh yeah: Simon--"Hey why don't we get married?"--Me--"Hey why don't you get me a ring?") (We might be saying that till we're senile. Just like I'll be yelling to him-- 
"Where's the baby?!!!)

They've punished me, that mess of misguided government bureaucracy (ohmygosh that's a hard word to spell--they did that on purpose, didn't they?!). Punished me by thousands of dollars in pay back, and hundreds of dollars a month in continued retribution. Just so I get the point. (Oh and they've gotta find the money for all their raises SOMEWHERE!) And that GST (sorry if you're not Canadian and don't get it but it's just this other tax credit thing), that GST treat that often surprised me every season? Oh, don't count on that for another 3 years or so. Until these new debts are paid off. 


I am not joking. My content is for serious.

Simon and I were each better off financially in a "single" status. Don't people move in together to move up in the world, too? Like, oh hey get a bigger place (good thing we didn't!), buy a car (good thing we didn't!), go on trips (good thing we never tried!)...

Enslavement of the masses. Squeezing out of the middle class.

And, 

hey let's get people to rely on the government (who, by the way can tell you ON March 20th that you're not getting that monthly credit expected ON March 20th--even a job has to give 2 weeks notice!). 

Better to have people relying on government handouts / government incentives, than to rely on one another through a bond such as common law or marriage.


I don't know but that seems pretty backwards to me. And dangerous. 

My feelers are out there for all the ways the world's systems are working to hold us regular people down. I have a warm place to live, food in my cupboards, expensive butter that used to be $2 cheaper just a year or so ago in my fridge. The internet at my fingertips to constantly entertain me. 

But I'm done falling for it!

Not sure what I'm gonna do, but being aware and awake is one step closer to it. Maybe my story gets you farther too. 


Sigh.

I won't dwell in it. For one thing there's that beautiful chubby sleeping toddler of mine with his belly sticking out right here in plain site. 

He'll know, though. But we'll all keep our heads held high. Cause it could always be worse, 

and it's my job as his mama

to help make it 

not.

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