villa de luxe moderne tunisie
silence while the credits roll. that's europe for you! that's europe for you! that's probablywhat you tell yourself when you seeconsumer prices soaring, with no end in sight. today, we'll be discussingyour purchasing power. we'll examine consumers'new buying patterns during this recession period.
people haggle more, and many among you realizeit makes no sense to own when you can borrow,rent or share, the 3 new consumer commandments. european deputy pervenche berã¨s will join us on our setat the european parliament. she'll tell us what europecan do for citizen-consumers. isabelle huysen, as usual, you'll leaveand meet with citizens.
where are you taking us? to an english class wherethe teacher gets paid in joy. more on that later. but first, the mont-de-piã©tã©, a venerable17th-century institution. -see you shortly.-see you later, isabelle. let's start with cã©line,our model european citizen. cã©line has to tighten her belt.
cã‰line tightens her belt it's the 1st of the month, so cã©line has a big smile. she just got paidand feels rich. she might go out and buythat pretty dress she saw. and maybe the latestamã©lie nothomb novel. but the next day,her smile begins to fade. each day brings a new bill. the rent, gas,electricity, water,
the mobile phone, and the car insurance too. she should go for a fill-up. the price of gasolineis bound to go up tomorrow. when cã©line joinedthe job market 15 years ago, she had no problemmaking ends meet. she could even treat herselfto a movie or a night out. but that's all over now. rent has skyrocketed,a 40% increase.
her grocery billskeep going up too. she tries to be thrifty, but even potatoescost a fortune now. and her electricity billhas more than doubled. sometimes she dreamsof living in luxembourg, home to europe's richest people. good thingshe doesn't live in bulgaria. it has europe's lowestpurchasing power. hang on, cã©line. it's almostthe 1st of the month!
people who have troublemaking ends meet resort to all sorts of gimmicks. banks may lend only to the rich, but there is one exceptionto that rule. tell us about it. since 1618, mont-de-piã©tã©has been a pawnbroker, making it one of belgium'soldest financial institutions. it's as necessary todayas it was in the 17th century. we'll speak to the manager.hello, mr. ã‰tienne lambert.
in your case, the recessionmight be a good thing. you must have more customers. we're not vultures. we see this economic recession as something bad. we don't revel in it. we have a saying here, "the poorer the city,the richer the residents." so has there been an increase?how many customers a day?
there was an explosionin demand last year. we went from 25,000to 29,000 annual loans. 2012 isn't over yet, but based on the numbers so far, it should beabout the same as 2011. -but it's a historical peak.-how many customers a day? 550 counter operations a day,and 100-120 new loans a day. people go awaywith how much, on average? the average is eur 317.
we lend about 50-70%of the possession's value, depending on the ease of resale,should the owner cease payments. are there times during the yearor month when it's busier? it goes in cycles. it's fairly stable now. but at the end of the month,people tend to pawn stuff. at the start of the month,they tend to buy back stuff. thank you, mr. lambert. after 400 years in business,
the mont-de-piã©tã©still has good times ahead. bye, isabelle. pawnbrokers are obviouslya last resort when you havea cash-flow problem. but today's consumerno longer hesitates to haggle. haggling is moreand more common. here's our hidden camera sectionwith valã©rie dupont. are you the salesman, sir? -yes.-i'd like a washing machine.
if you've got time. this one in particular. -how much?-eur 544. could i get a discount? i can let it go for eur 522. so a eur 20 discount. -eur 500?-no, sorry. what if we buy a tv too? could you give us a better deal?
it depends on the tv. i could sell it at eur 269. that's eur 30 less. so a eur 50 discount in all. that's a good deal. and it works like a charm! now we chatwith a sociologist who observes these new consumer habits. thanks for joining us,joã«lle lieberman.
is going into a store andhaggling that common nowadays? the new attitude is seen as "smartening up." people want the best deals. one of the simplest waysis to comparison shop. you can compares sale prices,quality vs price, and from there, in a store or on a web site,you can negotiate. this new attitudeis reintroducing negotiation
between brands and consumers. it's going backto 100-year-old habits. it seems like barteringis coming back in style too. true, thanks to a key element: internet sites. thanks to the internet, you can create a clear platform, with similar rulesfor all participants.
this creates confidencein the system, which facilitates relations. any kind of confidencedisappeared a long time ago. so you barterboth goods and services? yes, both goods and services. people feel good about it. it seems to make more sense. from rank consumers, we're now making conscious,
dynamic choices. did the recessionintensify the phenomenon? yes, because we havegood reason to be thrifty. it's become a priority. but the recession was justa catalyst for those desires. thank you, joã«lle lieberman. now for a musical intermission. here's what a few net surfersdownloaded on youtube. spaghetti and tomato sauce
from a big tin can that's how i fill my belly for i'm broke as can be i've been working for 20 years breaking my back at this factory there must be a kinkin the system for i'm working,yet i have nothing on credit i survive on credit
thank you for joining us,pervenche berã¨s. socialist european deputy, like franã§ois hollande, who recently said the worstof the recession was behind us. yet consumers who see theirpurchasing power melt away aren't imagining things. no, today's citizensare too often in dire straits, in large part dueto the euro zone crisis. so when mr. hollande says that,
he means that the key stones of a solid foundationhave been set. but it's just the foundation, not the whole house. the plan he set in motion afterhis election will take time. but i believethat's what he meant. at least, that's whathe's trying to achieve. europe is doing better, thanks to checksto control public deficits,
to control banks. europe is doing better,but europeans are doing worse. there are moreand more unemployed, and more and more poor workers. there are 2 issues here:first, "austerity" policies in a certain numberof countries. the imf just stated that the impactof austerity policies was greaterthan the european commission,
presided by josã© manuel borroso,had anticipated. for which the imf apologized. because of the greaterthan expected impact. in terms of unemployment,salary decreases, which hindered economic growth. but the european commissionrefuses to recognize that. today, the imf agreeswith those who believe too much austeritydoesn't foster economic wisdom, and is actuallybad for business.
that's one of the issues. the other is workers' rights. as president of the committee on employmentand social affairs, my job is to lead negotiations on the posting of workers, that is, determining how workers who work outside theirhome countries are covered. will they have the same rights?
it's in their interests, but also of the workersthey meet on-site. it's about harmonizingsocial rights on the european scale. it's a huge undertaking,but we're determined. did austerityweaken social rights? in a certain numberof countries, some of the commission'srecommendations weren't really conduciveto social rights.
when the main measure requested is to cut intopensions or salaries, it does hurt workers' rights. lowered purchasing powernaturally drives conversation on social media sites. here are a few examples. fewer rights and lower salaries in europe, just to save the euro!
the recession is an excuse to destroy the foundationsof european civilization, the welfare state, democracy... what proof do the talibansof austerity need to realizethey've made a mistake? it'll take a revolution or warbefore the retards in brussels change their minds. when i see the pricesin local stores, i have no qualmsabout shopping in supermarkets.
"marriage for everyone,"says depardieu. "let's talk about real problems: "unemployment, insecurity,taxes, purchase power." so we should focus more onunemployment than on depardieu? as for the depardieu affair,right back at you! it's not politicians who blew it upout of proportion, but it does warrant discussion, that is, the importanceof solidarity in a society.
it didn't prevent jean-marc ayrault's governmentputting emphasis on employment, and that's what counts. but those text messagesshow that your viewers are well aware of the issues, regarding what the imf saidabout austerity, for example. luckily, there's not justone method in brussels, so the trick is to reinforcethe method of those who feel that austerity might not be thesole solution for all of europe.
obviously,you can't pile up debts for future generations. but you can't right the helmsolely with austerity measures. we'll now travel to italy. italians have adaptedto the recession. "less meat, more pasta." valã©rie dupont found a family,and there are more and more, who decided to pursuean alternative lifestyle, to self-produce what they need.
to live happily means to livefar from the madding crowd, according to stefania,who lives by rules of degrowth. "degrowth" means going backto a simpler way of life, applying that to 2012, without relinquishing moderntechnology and advantages. stefania changed her wayof life 3 years ago. she worked at a salami factoryfor eur 900 a month. today, she and her husbandand 3 kids stay at home to produce and findall they need to survive.
we hardly buy anything anymore. even dishwashing liquid,beauty creams and detergents... except for shampoo,we make it all. so we spend very little money. she shows us her accounts book. she used to spendeur 500 a month to feed and clothe her family. degrowth is written herein black and white. i noticed our expenseskept going down.
last month,we were down to eur 143! for toys and clothes,bartering is the only solution for a family of 5on a daily budget of eur 5, hence the titleof stefania's blog. the internet has becomethe indispensable tool of modern degrowth. stefania has 5,000 followers, including this couple. amina left milan 7 months ago,
and a slashed salary,due to the recession, of eur 1,000. now they manageon giuseppe's wages. i don't even makeeur 1,200 a month. our monthly rent is eur 420, but by changing our lifestyle,we have money than ever. amina's new lifeis detailed in her fridge: even her day cream is homemade. and don't tell hershe's lost her independence
by giving up a miserable salary. i do what i want,when i want, with the materialsof my choosing. i feel more independent,therefore happier. and she's off! amina is now making soap. she's now a chemiston her garden balcony. one kilo of soap costs eur 3,at the most. one kilo will last all year.
you can trade it inor make someone a gift. fewer cars,vacations and purchases... degrowth is especiallyprevalent in italy, so tonight, amina and giuseppe will have an omeletwith field nettles. we're back in brussels. pervenche berã¨s, is degrowth the solution to this recession? i don't know if it'sjust a question of degrowth.
it's also aboutthe evolution of technology. as we saw in the report, the internet is a major factoris this new way of living life. i think it also correspondsto the concrete declination of a topic that'sat the heart of our debate for a long time now, even before the recession, i.e., our relationshipto the environment,
to our consumer society. i'm not saying societywill be transformed overnight through this approach,but i feel that, beyond the recession,it was an emerging trend. wastefulness, degrowth, etc., is being hotly debatedon social media sites. degrowth is betterthan decadence. buying morewon't make us any happier! if we don't choose degrowth,it'll be imposed on us.
unemployment or work sharing?i know what i want. we're wasting food supplies. a child who dies of hunger todayis a child who's been murdered. i work in a renowned bakery. every night, my bossthrows out kilos of unsold food. i can't make ends meet, but i can't evenbring home a croissant. stay with us, pervenche berã¨s,while we join isabelle huysen in louvain-la-neuve,
some 30 km from brussels. you can explain to us how certain consumershave put into practice bartering services. but first, isabelle,"my tailor is rich." paul may be rich,but here he's happy too. can you imagine getting paidin happiness? sounds wonderful. it's not your case, paul, but that of the person headingthis english conversation group.
wendy glenisson, after an hourof english conversation, you won't be paid in euros, butin happiness. what's that about? happiness is a one-hour credit. in return for rendering servicesto someone for one hour, i'm entitled to receive one hourof services from someone else. what kind of serviceshave you requested? i've requested a back massageand help to hold my ladder when i climb my itto trim my hedge. there are thousands of servicesyou can get.
is that interesting? yes, because we're helpedby a person who wants to helpand is eager to do something. it's good if a nice persongives you a hand. every person who attendsthis english conversation group is a member of the lets:local exchange trading system. what does the letsdo for you personally? within the lets's philosophy,what's important is that everyone has the same amountof time-money, the same wealth.
so a person's abilitiesare being appreciated. you don't pay, but you getall the services you need. in your leisure time, it could be a massageor an outing... and for something helpful,maybe fix a shutter, a toilet, an electrical problemor something else. mr. simon, i believe you foundedthe lets in this area. are there more and more members? we have 250 families,or 400 members,
since there are one or twoadult members in a family. do you think the economic crisis urged people to usethis trading system? we see that people are happyto be using the system. people keep coming to registerand attend information meetings. many new lets groupsare being founded. the number of groupshas tripled in a few years. could this becomea sort of alternative economy? yes. in timesof financial uncertainty,
it can be usedto boost the economy. in a crisis, the problemis that there's no money, no blood running throughthe system. you need to send more bloodrunning through the system. at the same time, the letsrecreates social interaction. it's an important aspect.many people become members because they're moving: they canmake new friends, meet people... the bonds can be very cool,very positive and interesting. thank you, mr. simon.
paul, how about if we startedour own bartering system? i could give pastry lessons. what would you offer, paul? i promise to think about it. but here's a scoop:it won't be pastry lessons. pervenche berã¨s, do you thinksuch swapping systems are good? do they boost the economy? it's all about solidarityand social interaction. it's what society is based on.
i feel the consumer societyhas somewhat destroyed the spirit of cooperationthat used to prevail. a beneficial crisis... it has something to dowith the way people feel, whether there is a crisisor not, that the crisis is spurred on. i must interrupt becausethere's a big ben ringing. i guess isabelle huysenwants to make a grand entrance. paul, big ben's ringing
because those taking part inthis english conversation group want to ask you a question. go ahead, mr. simon. well, the solutions,in times of financial crisis... look at what's going onin greece. people tend to seek helpfrom their neighbors and turn to foreignor european banks. the "local currency" systemsof the lets reverses the dynamic current.
citizens retake controlof their own destiny, their local economic exchanges,their money. could europe take a closer lookat this type of endeavor and supply incentives? i think it would be worth it. your reaction? if you can relyon your own strengths it can always bean interesting approach i have a word of cautionabout this proposal.
we must give ourselvesenough leeway to be able to deal withterritories such as countries. and the european union. not all nationshave the same possibilities. so trading is feasibleon a local basis, but it can also be genuine,useful and even necessary on a wider scale. let's keep this in mind. is a barter-based economydangerous?
if a barter-based economyhelps to optimize a situation, certainly, since some aspectscan be interesting. it provides growth. there are two thingsi try to keep in mind if we're heading that way. there's the questionof income tax. there isn't much tax on trading, so it's an advantagefor the traders. we must decidedwhat taxes will be based on,
so as to encourage solidarityin the right situations outside economic boundaries. this reminds me of a debatethat started long ago, i.e., how do we assessthe economy? via the financial market size?via the gross national product? wouldn't it be betterto use other gauges? the crisis puts this old debateback into the limelight. pervenche berã¨s, thank youfor being here with us. let's talk to cã©line,our ideal european citizen.
she's here in person. what did she put in her caddie? she wants a manto push the caddie with. cã‰line's grocery cart this is a disaster.i have to do something. here goes! "looking for a man, single, "educated, considerate, "charming and good-looking."
i guess "single" is enough. if he doesn't live alone,what's the point? don't think i'm goofing aroundduring office hours. i'm putting an endto the recession. i read a studyby a french sociologist who wants to nationalizean internet dating site. he wants to make the site freeas a way to end the recession. he says our big problemisn't unemployment, it's people living alone.
take a couple with kids. when they break up,they'll need 2 homes, 2 washing machines,2 internet hookups... each must pay more,so less purchasing power, more government debt...it's a disaster! but building other familieswill fix everything. it'll also helpif singles start cohabiting too. if we follow the logic through, polygamy might help too,but let's not go there.
dear viewers, be good citizens.europe needs you! love each other,and start living together. live together and share more. that's the moral of tonight'sthat's europe for you! translation: ã‰pilogue
people haggle more, and many among you realizeit makes no sense to own when you can borrow,rent or share, the 3 new consumer commandments. european deputy pervenche berã¨s will join us on our setat the european parliament. she'll tell us what europecan do for citizen-consumers. isabelle huysen, as usual, you'll leaveand meet with citizens.
where are you taking us? to an english class wherethe teacher gets paid in joy. more on that later. but first, the mont-de-piã©tã©, a venerable17th-century institution. -see you shortly.-see you later, isabelle. let's start with cã©line,our model european citizen. cã©line has to tighten her belt.
cã‰line tightens her belt it's the 1st of the month, so cã©line has a big smile. she just got paidand feels rich. she might go out and buythat pretty dress she saw. and maybe the latestamã©lie nothomb novel. but the next day,her smile begins to fade. each day brings a new bill. the rent, gas,electricity, water,
the mobile phone, and the car insurance too. she should go for a fill-up. the price of gasolineis bound to go up tomorrow. when cã©line joinedthe job market 15 years ago, she had no problemmaking ends meet. she could even treat herselfto a movie or a night out. but that's all over now. rent has skyrocketed,a 40% increase.
her grocery billskeep going up too. she tries to be thrifty, but even potatoescost a fortune now. and her electricity billhas more than doubled. sometimes she dreamsof living in luxembourg, home to europe's richest people. good thingshe doesn't live in bulgaria. it has europe's lowestpurchasing power. hang on, cã©line. it's almostthe 1st of the month!
people who have troublemaking ends meet resort to all sorts of gimmicks. banks may lend only to the rich, but there is one exceptionto that rule. tell us about it. since 1618, mont-de-piã©tã©has been a pawnbroker, making it one of belgium'soldest financial institutions. it's as necessary todayas it was in the 17th century. we'll speak to the manager.hello, mr. ã‰tienne lambert.
in your case, the recessionmight be a good thing. you must have more customers. we're not vultures. we see this economic recession as something bad. we don't revel in it. we have a saying here, "the poorer the city,the richer the residents." so has there been an increase?how many customers a day?
there was an explosionin demand last year. we went from 25,000to 29,000 annual loans. 2012 isn't over yet, but based on the numbers so far, it should beabout the same as 2011. -but it's a historical peak.-how many customers a day? 550 counter operations a day,and 100-120 new loans a day. people go awaywith how much, on average? the average is eur 317.
we lend about 50-70%of the possession's value, depending on the ease of resale,should the owner cease payments. are there times during the yearor month when it's busier? it goes in cycles. it's fairly stable now. but at the end of the month,people tend to pawn stuff. at the start of the month,they tend to buy back stuff. thank you, mr. lambert. after 400 years in business,
the mont-de-piã©tã©still has good times ahead. bye, isabelle. pawnbrokers are obviouslya last resort when you havea cash-flow problem. but today's consumerno longer hesitates to haggle. haggling is moreand more common. here's our hidden camera sectionwith valã©rie dupont. are you the salesman, sir? -yes.-i'd like a washing machine.
if you've got time. this one in particular. -how much?-eur 544. could i get a discount? i can let it go for eur 522. so a eur 20 discount. -eur 500?-no, sorry. what if we buy a tv too? could you give us a better deal?
it depends on the tv. i could sell it at eur 269. that's eur 30 less. so a eur 50 discount in all. that's a good deal. and it works like a charm! now we chatwith a sociologist who observes these new consumer habits. thanks for joining us,joã«lle lieberman.
is going into a store andhaggling that common nowadays? the new attitude is seen as "smartening up." people want the best deals. one of the simplest waysis to comparison shop. you can compares sale prices,quality vs price, and from there, in a store or on a web site,you can negotiate. this new attitudeis reintroducing negotiation
between brands and consumers. it's going backto 100-year-old habits. it seems like barteringis coming back in style too. true, thanks to a key element: internet sites. thanks to the internet, you can create a clear platform, with similar rulesfor all participants.
this creates confidencein the system, which facilitates relations. any kind of confidencedisappeared a long time ago. so you barterboth goods and services? yes, both goods and services. people feel good about it. it seems to make more sense. from rank consumers, we're now making conscious,
dynamic choices. did the recessionintensify the phenomenon? yes, because we havegood reason to be thrifty. it's become a priority. but the recession was justa catalyst for those desires. thank you, joã«lle lieberman. now for a musical intermission. here's what a few net surfersdownloaded on youtube. spaghetti and tomato sauce
from a big tin can that's how i fill my belly for i'm broke as can be i've been working for 20 years breaking my back at this factory there must be a kinkin the system for i'm working,yet i have nothing on credit i survive on credit
thank you for joining us,pervenche berã¨s. socialist european deputy, like franã§ois hollande, who recently said the worstof the recession was behind us. yet consumers who see theirpurchasing power melt away aren't imagining things. no, today's citizensare too often in dire straits, in large part dueto the euro zone crisis. so when mr. hollande says that,
he means that the key stones of a solid foundationhave been set. but it's just the foundation, not the whole house. the plan he set in motion afterhis election will take time. but i believethat's what he meant. at least, that's whathe's trying to achieve. europe is doing better, thanks to checksto control public deficits,
to control banks. europe is doing better,but europeans are doing worse. there are moreand more unemployed, and more and more poor workers. there are 2 issues here:first, "austerity" policies in a certain numberof countries. the imf just stated that the impactof austerity policies was greaterthan the european commission,
presided by josã© manuel borroso,had anticipated. for which the imf apologized. because of the greaterthan expected impact. in terms of unemployment,salary decreases, which hindered economic growth. but the european commissionrefuses to recognize that. today, the imf agreeswith those who believe too much austeritydoesn't foster economic wisdom, and is actuallybad for business.
that's one of the issues. the other is workers' rights. as president of the committee on employmentand social affairs, my job is to lead negotiations on the posting of workers, that is, determining how workers who work outside theirhome countries are covered. will they have the same rights?
it's in their interests, but also of the workersthey meet on-site. it's about harmonizingsocial rights on the european scale. it's a huge undertaking,but we're determined. did austerityweaken social rights? in a certain numberof countries, some of the commission'srecommendations weren't really conduciveto social rights.
when the main measure requested is to cut intopensions or salaries, it does hurt workers' rights. lowered purchasing powernaturally drives conversation on social media sites. here are a few examples. fewer rights and lower salaries in europe, just to save the euro!
the recession is an excuse to destroy the foundationsof european civilization, the welfare state, democracy... what proof do the talibansof austerity need to realizethey've made a mistake? it'll take a revolution or warbefore the retards in brussels change their minds. when i see the pricesin local stores, i have no qualmsabout shopping in supermarkets.
"marriage for everyone,"says depardieu. "let's talk about real problems: "unemployment, insecurity,taxes, purchase power." so we should focus more onunemployment than on depardieu? as for the depardieu affair,right back at you! it's not politicians who blew it upout of proportion, but it does warrant discussion, that is, the importanceof solidarity in a society.
it didn't prevent jean-marc ayrault's governmentputting emphasis on employment, and that's what counts. but those text messagesshow that your viewers are well aware of the issues, regarding what the imf saidabout austerity, for example. luckily, there's not justone method in brussels, so the trick is to reinforcethe method of those who feel that austerity might not be thesole solution for all of europe.
obviously,you can't pile up debts for future generations. but you can't right the helmsolely with austerity measures. we'll now travel to italy. italians have adaptedto the recession. "less meat, more pasta." valã©rie dupont found a family,and there are more and more, who decided to pursuean alternative lifestyle, to self-produce what they need.
to live happily means to livefar from the madding crowd, according to stefania,who lives by rules of degrowth. "degrowth" means going backto a simpler way of life, applying that to 2012, without relinquishing moderntechnology and advantages. stefania changed her wayof life 3 years ago. she worked at a salami factoryfor eur 900 a month. today, she and her husbandand 3 kids stay at home to produce and findall they need to survive.
we hardly buy anything anymore. even dishwashing liquid,beauty creams and detergents... except for shampoo,we make it all. so we spend very little money. she shows us her accounts book. she used to spendeur 500 a month to feed and clothe her family. degrowth is written herein black and white. i noticed our expenseskept going down.
last month,we were down to eur 143! for toys and clothes,bartering is the only solution for a family of 5on a daily budget of eur 5, hence the titleof stefania's blog. the internet has becomethe indispensable tool of modern degrowth. stefania has 5,000 followers, including this couple. amina left milan 7 months ago,
and a slashed salary,due to the recession, of eur 1,000. now they manageon giuseppe's wages. i don't even makeeur 1,200 a month. our monthly rent is eur 420, but by changing our lifestyle,we have money than ever. amina's new lifeis detailed in her fridge: even her day cream is homemade. and don't tell hershe's lost her independence
by giving up a miserable salary. i do what i want,when i want, with the materialsof my choosing. i feel more independent,therefore happier. and she's off! amina is now making soap. she's now a chemiston her garden balcony. one kilo of soap costs eur 3,at the most. one kilo will last all year.
you can trade it inor make someone a gift. fewer cars,vacations and purchases... degrowth is especiallyprevalent in italy, so tonight, amina and giuseppe will have an omeletwith field nettles. we're back in brussels. pervenche berã¨s, is degrowth the solution to this recession? i don't know if it'sjust a question of degrowth.
it's also aboutthe evolution of technology. as we saw in the report, the internet is a major factoris this new way of living life. i think it also correspondsto the concrete declination of a topic that'sat the heart of our debate for a long time now, even before the recession, i.e., our relationshipto the environment,
to our consumer society. i'm not saying societywill be transformed overnight through this approach,but i feel that, beyond the recession,it was an emerging trend. wastefulness, degrowth, etc., is being hotly debatedon social media sites. degrowth is betterthan decadence. buying morewon't make us any happier! if we don't choose degrowth,it'll be imposed on us.
unemployment or work sharing?i know what i want. we're wasting food supplies. a child who dies of hunger todayis a child who's been murdered. i work in a renowned bakery. every night, my bossthrows out kilos of unsold food. i can't make ends meet, but i can't evenbring home a croissant. stay with us, pervenche berã¨s,while we join isabelle huysen in louvain-la-neuve,
some 30 km from brussels. you can explain to us how certain consumershave put into practice bartering services. but first, isabelle,"my tailor is rich." paul may be rich,but here he's happy too. can you imagine getting paidin happiness? sounds wonderful. it's not your case, paul, but that of the person headingthis english conversation group.
wendy glenisson, after an hourof english conversation, you won't be paid in euros, butin happiness. what's that about? happiness is a one-hour credit. in return for rendering servicesto someone for one hour, i'm entitled to receive one hourof services from someone else. what kind of serviceshave you requested? i've requested a back massageand help to hold my ladder when i climb my itto trim my hedge. there are thousands of servicesyou can get.
is that interesting? yes, because we're helpedby a person who wants to helpand is eager to do something. it's good if a nice persongives you a hand. every person who attendsthis english conversation group is a member of the lets:local exchange trading system. what does the letsdo for you personally? within the lets's philosophy,what's important is that everyone has the same amountof time-money, the same wealth.
so a person's abilitiesare being appreciated. you don't pay, but you getall the services you need. in your leisure time, it could be a massageor an outing... and for something helpful,maybe fix a shutter, a toilet, an electrical problemor something else. mr. simon, i believe you foundedthe lets in this area. are there more and more members? we have 250 families,or 400 members,
since there are one or twoadult members in a family. do you think the economic crisis urged people to usethis trading system? we see that people are happyto be using the system. people keep coming to registerand attend information meetings. many new lets groupsare being founded. the number of groupshas tripled in a few years. could this becomea sort of alternative economy? yes. in timesof financial uncertainty,
it can be usedto boost the economy. in a crisis, the problemis that there's no money, no blood running throughthe system. you need to send more bloodrunning through the system. at the same time, the letsrecreates social interaction. it's an important aspect.many people become members because they're moving: they canmake new friends, meet people... the bonds can be very cool,very positive and interesting. thank you, mr. simon.
paul, how about if we startedour own bartering system? i could give pastry lessons. what would you offer, paul? i promise to think about it. but here's a scoop:it won't be pastry lessons. pervenche berã¨s, do you thinksuch swapping systems are good? do they boost the economy? it's all about solidarityand social interaction. it's what society is based on.
i feel the consumer societyhas somewhat destroyed the spirit of cooperationthat used to prevail. a beneficial crisis... it has something to dowith the way people feel, whether there is a crisisor not, that the crisis is spurred on. i must interrupt becausethere's a big ben ringing. i guess isabelle huysenwants to make a grand entrance. paul, big ben's ringing
because those taking part inthis english conversation group want to ask you a question. go ahead, mr. simon. well, the solutions,in times of financial crisis... look at what's going onin greece. people tend to seek helpfrom their neighbors and turn to foreignor european banks. the "local currency" systemsof the lets reverses the dynamic current.
citizens retake controlof their own destiny, their local economic exchanges,their money. could europe take a closer lookat this type of endeavor and supply incentives? i think it would be worth it. your reaction? if you can relyon your own strengths it can always bean interesting approach i have a word of cautionabout this proposal.
we must give ourselvesenough leeway to be able to deal withterritories such as countries. and the european union. not all nationshave the same possibilities. so trading is feasibleon a local basis, but it can also be genuine,useful and even necessary on a wider scale. let's keep this in mind. is a barter-based economydangerous?
if a barter-based economyhelps to optimize a situation, certainly, since some aspectscan be interesting. it provides growth. there are two thingsi try to keep in mind if we're heading that way. there's the questionof income tax. there isn't much tax on trading, so it's an advantagefor the traders. we must decidedwhat taxes will be based on,
so as to encourage solidarityin the right situations outside economic boundaries. this reminds me of a debatethat started long ago, i.e., how do we assessthe economy? via the financial market size?via the gross national product? wouldn't it be betterto use other gauges? the crisis puts this old debateback into the limelight. pervenche berã¨s, thank youfor being here with us. let's talk to cã©line,our ideal european citizen.
she's here in person. what did she put in her caddie? she wants a manto push the caddie with. cã‰line's grocery cart this is a disaster.i have to do something. here goes! "looking for a man, single, "educated, considerate, "charming and good-looking."
i guess "single" is enough. if he doesn't live alone,what's the point? don't think i'm goofing aroundduring office hours. i'm putting an endto the recession. i read a studyby a french sociologist who wants to nationalizean internet dating site. he wants to make the site freeas a way to end the recession. he says our big problemisn't unemployment, it's people living alone.
take a couple with kids. when they break up,they'll need 2 homes, 2 washing machines,2 internet hookups... each must pay more,so less purchasing power, more government debt...it's a disaster! but building other familieswill fix everything. it'll also helpif singles start cohabiting too. if we follow the logic through, polygamy might help too,but let's not go there.
dear viewers, be good citizens.europe needs you! love each other,and start living together. live together and share more. that's the moral of tonight'sthat's europe for you! translation: ã‰pilogue
Post a Comment