I have a friend who believes that the USSR was brought down when Russia ran out of vodka.
For a time, they increased vodka rations to make up for the lack of other things being unavailable... but when they had to start cutting vodka rations, people stopped being numbed to indifference.
Whether or not that's true literally, it's certainly an apt metaphor.
@tyghebright @killingfloorman There's certainly no end to the supply of 'pain killers' in this country. Anything one should need to use as a crutch to keep their mind off of life's real problems are all easily within reach.
@killingfloorman We have just enough comforts to keep us distracted as our politicians keep turning up the heat. We're nearing the boiling point, and if we don't jump out of the pot and do something, our politicians will boil us all like frogs.
Sometimes going with less for a brief period is better than going with everything until the bitter end. Sacrifice is needed in order to stop the collapse, but not enough are interested in putting in the work.