The selling of public assets does provide a temporary cash influx, in the same way that selling your tools of the trade might let you pay off your credit cards, only now you still have the same costs but no way to earn money.

But, look. Your former competition is hiring! I mean, sure, he’s paying you less than you were making, but maybe one day you’ll get a promotion in his company!

Only he actually charges you for tool use in the shop, so you’re making even less than you thought. Enough to survive, sure. For now.

And, actually, some of those tools look kind of familiar…