windcatcher 0 #1 January 6, 2009 I posted this in SC since the topic of if we're going to have a depression here in the U.S. may be somewhat controversial. Anyway, if we do end up going through one ( I think it's going to happen) what good do you see coming out of it? Personally I have heard stories of how families come together and the more important things in life like relationships become priorities. Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vortexring 0 #2 January 6, 2009 Sure, families are bound to come closer together when their homes are repossessed and they end up moving into a single room bedsit. They'll love having Dad home early from the Dole office, or at least for a few weeks. The arguments in front of the fire over bills, redundancy, mortgage arrears, debts, loan sharks. Except it won't be a fire. It'll be a stone cold radiator. Stone cold because they couldn't pay their gas bills and it was cut off, or perhaps Putin continued playing funny buggers and cut the supply off himself. Although it certainly sorted out the ageing society within the country, that particularly cold winter, didn't it? And the 'depression' won't just be contained to America either. I believe what we're seeing throughout the world today is the end of times; armageddon. It'll come about through an Iranian attack on Israel bringing the USA to reply in kind to Iran, with the Ivans then becoming involved, or tensions will escalate between Pakistan and India bringing about tactical nuclear exchanges, becoming strategic. Happy times ahead indeed! 'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #3 January 6, 2009 Creative Destruction. The organizations that are really needed will survive and the ones that are run poorly, or are outdated will die. This is not a bad thing, IMO. In fact, a real free market needs it. The only real problem is this does not apply in politics and the current theme (which is the same one as the new deal under FDR) is to create govt funded projects for the reason to put money out there, not really based on the project themselves. Kinda like just throwing money at the problem, Keynesian economics. Some of these projects DID have a lasting positive influence, others, not so much. My Grandmother told me stories of people being paid to flip bricks during the depression. Did not really seem to produce much benefit, other than the work itself. The real question is if deficit spending just to put money out there is the answer? I tend to think no, and historically the depression did not end until WWII so it didn't seem to work last time either. Proponents of Keynesian economics will just claim that it was not done soon enough, or enough was not done."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #4 January 7, 2009 It would be nice to have some of that great jazz music that they had back during the last depression. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #5 January 7, 2009 Quote Some of these projects DID have a lasting positive influence, others, not so much. My Grandmother told me stories of people being paid to flip bricks during the depression. Did not really seem to produce much benefit, other than the work itself. I bet you prefer that to the current model where people are paid to do nothing, though. Any user of the national parks sees the enduring benefits of many of the work programs. We won't see that this time around. --- What the nation will gain are better financial habits about saving, about spending, and about waste. Those who grew out of the Depression act very differently than their children did, and their grandchildren. There is a theory that's been out for a while suggesting that depressions tend to happen on a 30 year cycle, but great depressions are on a 60 year cycle. It takes that long for lessons to be forgotten, and then relearned the hard way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #6 January 7, 2009 Maybe a whole new generation of "Okies" will flee Jesusland and move someplace where education is available. That was a VERY good thing last time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Misternatural 0 #7 January 7, 2009 At the risk of sounding sappy I can say that your perspective is refreshing, I get caught up in the mechanics of making trades in the stock market and just study the economy from a sheerly academic viewpoint, its a numbers game to me- I forget that there are peoples lives involved sometimes, thankyouAn economic slowdown can be positive from a sociological perspective in many ways, for one it makes those who have lived in the relative comfort zone of economic success more aware of those who live less fortunate lives. Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires. D S #3.1415 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerryzflies 0 #8 January 7, 2009 QuoteMaybe a whole new generation of "Okies" will flee Jesusland and move someplace where education is available. That was a VERY good thing last time. We also got the rise of fascist and nazi dictatorships leading inexorably to war.If you can't fix it with a hammer, the problem's electrical. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coreece 190 #9 January 7, 2009 QuoteIt would be nice to have some of that great jazz music that they had back during the last depression. Lindy Hop! looks like "refer madness" had long term effects...Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #10 January 7, 2009 Quote We also got the rise of fascist and nazi dictatorships leading inexorably to war. Have you noticed all the peace in the world right now???? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 209 #11 January 7, 2009 Every generation will see 3 or 4 of these "depressions". In my lifetime each one has seemed less severe, but I think it's only because I've been through this before and know it's not the end of the world. This one is particularly a media darling and it's been hammered into our daily lives. It reminds me of a line from the movie Blow. "Money isn't real, George. It doesn't matter. It only seems like it does. When you're flush it always seems better than it is, and when your down it seems worse." Many on here, myself included have been down. I can remember eating peanut butter sandwiches on stale bread after my divorce because that's all I had. I find comfort in the knowing that I'll survive. You will too.Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Belgian_Draft 0 #12 January 7, 2009 Maybe once this economic downturn is over people will appreciate what they have more than they did and stop wanting more, more, more.HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #13 January 7, 2009 Quote Creative Destruction. Someone's been reading The Origins Of Wealth Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #14 January 7, 2009 Quote Maybe once this economic downturn is over people will appreciate what they have more than they did and stop wanting more, more, more. Hope so! Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #15 January 7, 2009 QuoteSomeone's been reading The Origins Of Wealth Actually no...Good book? I learned the term in college. I was going to minor in economics, then got lazy and just finished up with a degree in Marketing. I have been toying with the idea of going back to get an MBA, or Master in Economics, or well a couple of other ideas. Seems like MBA's are a dime a dozen. That is one other thing that happens in a recession...People tend to go back to get more education. MBA applications are WAY up."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
