Gloomageddon: Is it a matter of perspective?

by Geneva B | January 8, 2009 at 04:52 pm

187 views | 34 Recommendations | 8 comments

I've fought hard to ward off all the incessant, negative banter of economic downturn, recession and market collapse. In fact, I was even kind of excited about how an economic slowdown might actually be of benefit to our weary environment and overworked population. I am not the only one who believes there is an upside to an economic downturn.

What does money mean to us? When it comes down to it, we work for food, shelter and basic necessities. All the rest is icing on the cake and in recent decades, we have had a lot of icing. A lot. For a long time I've had a sneaking suspicion we simply can't keep thundering along at such a frenetic pace without consequence. The reality feels like it's finally sinking in, and yes, a few jobs will be lost in the process.

I was happy to come across Douglas Coupland's article Gloomageddon because I share some of his satiric observations about how crazy people are getting about the whole thing.

Marshall McLuhan tells us that "terror is the normal state of any oral society, for in it, everything affects everything all the time." What he perhaps didn't foresee was that terror didn't turn out to be Winston Smith's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Terror turned out to be a friend's grandmother bingeing on conspiracy websites during a late-night browsing jag, triggering days of pension freak-out e-mails with her daughter, Sarah, down in Human Resources, who then installs a real-time Dow Jones ticker widget in the top right-hand corner of her work screen, and when Sarah goes home, she and her husband browse online real-estate listings wondering when the bottom's going to hit. Nothing has really changed, but everybody's adrenalized, miserable and chomping at the bit for data - more data, please - all we want is more data. What's going on here?

While the general public might be clamouring with tales of doom and gloom, I think it's important to maintain perspective and stay optimistic about the future, as hard as that may be at times. Taking a hot bath and reading a good book might help!

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sara star

at 17:01 on January 8th, 2009

I agree. We have had too much, and we don't appreciate it. Like children with too much toys at Christmas.

The bottom line is that happiness comes from within, not by material objects.

Geneva B

at 17:08 on January 8th, 2009

Hey Sara! I'm glad you agree :)

I just graduated and it's like I'm stepping into some crazy, hopeless world. Like jeez, let's lighten up a little!

Jarrett Martineau

at 17:17 on January 8th, 2009

Great piece and I wholeheartedly agree — we can't forget to unplug from our endless intersecting, information streams and enjoy some time apart from our heavy doses of data.

Let's make more room for less!

mtippett

at 17:46 on January 8th, 2009

Here is the thing....

You have a forest, your GDP is $0. You cut down the forest, your GDP goes up. So what does it mean when the economy grows? And what does it mean when it shrinks?

mtippett

at 17:51 on January 8th, 2009

Detroit provides a glimpse into one possible future.

Paschen

at 18:09 on January 8th, 2009

I do not think though that people will work less nor that the environment will profit rather the opposite, people will have to work at loot more and harder for much less and the environment will suffer even more since they won't be any thing to spare to update the sewage treatment plant and clean up the toxic waste dump. Health will get worth and people will live a shorter, much shorter life. More homeless and higher poverty, more mall nutrition and more abuse. The class divide of the 18s century is coming back and most will be no better off then rats since we are highly overpopulated. War is not really possible as it used to be in the past to balance over population and economy back to a healthy level, due to weapon of mass destruction and pandemics have not happen yet, however could very well happen. The settings are perfect for a pandemic.

Negative, no, not in the least, This is what the World has to brace it self for and actually is bracing it self for. Revolutions yet those will have no effect on the upper class, they will only increase the misery of the lover classes.

We are on our way back to the 18s or 19s century social settings and most of us will be part of the not so lucky once.

Fripouille

at 02:55 on January 9th, 2009

I'll buy that! Excellent post Geneva B.

Not only can tightening your belt a little not do you any harm, it can actually MAKE you money!

How? I live in Lyon, France's second biggest city. It has an excellent subway, bus, train, tram etc network. I suddenly realised that I didn't really need a car because I work and play pretty much uniquely in the city.

So I bought an unlimited travel pass (50 dollars a month) and sold my car. duh!! No more insurance, depreciation, repairs and maintenance. I now have thousands of dollars in the bank.

(Hmm, now where shall I start..? Flat tv screen maybe? Or a week on the Riviera? BOTH? Decisions decisions........)

RamblinglyVeryBored (not verified)

at 14:57 on January 9th, 2009

I was curious about some of this being an way into the "better life". With the economy getting worse for those "with money", they turn to their "goods". 4 tv's in the house? Several cars? Summer home? etc. The list goes on and on for those in middle and upper class. When things get tight, they will begin selling these things. Those in the lower classes already live in a life that the others fear. Suddenly all these things they don't need are being sold ... pawn shops, garage sales, etc. You know, the places a lot of people who don't have a "better life" shop. So. An abundance of extra goods being sold cheap to people whom couldn't afford those items at one time. So these people without a "better life" will be getting a "hand me down better life". Something they wouldn't of had a chance at without these problems.

This "better life" that people talk about is all connected to money and goods (Not my opinion btw). The more money you have, the more things you have, the more people respect you and the better the life you have. Yeah ... anyone with an intelligence knows this does not equal a better life. BUT worry not we're told going through school k-12, going to college, getting a job, etc. All means you're intelligent. So fear not, some are still intelligent if that is your definition of intelligence.

People in lower classes often understand that Relationships/Family/Friends are more important than Money and Things.

So. Will the economy's change wake America up?

My opinion? No. The depression only shook us a little bit, but didn't stop us from getting to where we are now. Things will get difficult, people will make changes, and some will be seriously affected ... by serious I mean outside losing "Stuff". But overall? Nah.