The Recession
I am beginning to feel like Alvy Singer, the Woody Allen role in his movie Annie Hall, whose favorite movies were about the Nazis and the Holocaust. He was compelled to see these movies even though they made him feel depressed.
I seem to be compelled to watch TV, and read news and books about the sorry state of the economy amongst our other political catastrophes. I either get angry or depressed (which some describe as anger turned inward.)
I take my daily walks every day at the local enclosed mall during these cold winter days. To "amuse" myself during these walks, remember that I am drawn toward things that are depressive, I count the number of closed retail outlets. The number has risen now to 7 closed and 2 with signs that they are having final store closing sales.
We all hear stories about the economic downturn. Most of us know that the current official unemployment rate is 7.2%. Most of us know that job losses are increasing at the rate of some 500,000 per month. The estimated underemployment rate, the rate at which people are either working fewer than 40 hours per week or are working at jobs beneath their capability or educational level, is also soaring. Businesses of all types are failing at an increasing rate.
How often do we connect with the human suffering connected with these statistics? Many of us probably connect to the economy when we think about our retirement funds or housing values that have drastically shrunk over the past couple of years and the possible consequences to our lifestyles. But what of the millions of Americans and others throughout the country and the world who have suffered job loss with subsequent house foreclosure and loss of medical insurance and possible loss of purchasing power to buy daily necessities such as food for themselves and their families? How many of us are in touch with the realities of life that are behind the statistics?
So there I was in front of my computer watching my Sunday evening source of depression, 60 Minutes, the CBS news magazine TV program. The lead story for last night was about Wilmington, Ohio, a city that is suffering the worst from the current economic downturn. Watching this story is what moved me to write this commentary. It was a powerful piece that touched me deeply.
I wont at this time digress into political condemnation of the causes and objections to the plans to alter the course of our current recession. Right now I just want to reflect on the pain and misery caused by those who have had a role in perpetrating this travesty. If you are not in touch with your feelings about these conditions then you are like most of our politicians; legislators and administrators alike.
For those who are interested in the 60 Minutes story and who would like to connect with your feelings, I provide the following link where the video of the show is available:
60 Minutes - Wilmington, Ohio
I seem to be compelled to watch TV, and read news and books about the sorry state of the economy amongst our other political catastrophes. I either get angry or depressed (which some describe as anger turned inward.)
I take my daily walks every day at the local enclosed mall during these cold winter days. To "amuse" myself during these walks, remember that I am drawn toward things that are depressive, I count the number of closed retail outlets. The number has risen now to 7 closed and 2 with signs that they are having final store closing sales.
We all hear stories about the economic downturn. Most of us know that the current official unemployment rate is 7.2%. Most of us know that job losses are increasing at the rate of some 500,000 per month. The estimated underemployment rate, the rate at which people are either working fewer than 40 hours per week or are working at jobs beneath their capability or educational level, is also soaring. Businesses of all types are failing at an increasing rate.
How often do we connect with the human suffering connected with these statistics? Many of us probably connect to the economy when we think about our retirement funds or housing values that have drastically shrunk over the past couple of years and the possible consequences to our lifestyles. But what of the millions of Americans and others throughout the country and the world who have suffered job loss with subsequent house foreclosure and loss of medical insurance and possible loss of purchasing power to buy daily necessities such as food for themselves and their families? How many of us are in touch with the realities of life that are behind the statistics?
So there I was in front of my computer watching my Sunday evening source of depression, 60 Minutes, the CBS news magazine TV program. The lead story for last night was about Wilmington, Ohio, a city that is suffering the worst from the current economic downturn. Watching this story is what moved me to write this commentary. It was a powerful piece that touched me deeply.
I wont at this time digress into political condemnation of the causes and objections to the plans to alter the course of our current recession. Right now I just want to reflect on the pain and misery caused by those who have had a role in perpetrating this travesty. If you are not in touch with your feelings about these conditions then you are like most of our politicians; legislators and administrators alike.
For those who are interested in the 60 Minutes story and who would like to connect with your feelings, I provide the following link where the video of the show is available:
60 Minutes - Wilmington, Ohio
posted by Michael | 5:41 PM
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