Bluegrass Lass

So in light of all the crap going on, do you think a perfect storm is forming that will send us all in a downward spiral likened to the Great Depression era?

With food prices escalating, house prices deflating, natural disasters destroying huge amounts of crops, fuel prices skyrocketing, soaring inflation, the continued threat of new wars (or old wars coming back) in the Middle East, how can the world governments keep from a complete collapse.

I suppose I'm coming across as all doom and gloom, but I see a perfect storm swirling that I don't see coming to end anytime soon. What do you all think? Sounds to me like we need some kind of world economic summit, where we can all agree to get along for the sake of coming up with some feasible solutions for everyone.

Thoughts?

Duncan Roberts

I've thought that ever since I moved here 5 years ago. I think healthcare could be the major factor in helping stabilize things or pushing it over the edge. The first step though is people need to realize that they should really only buy what they can afford long term and that paying more will make things better in the long run.

Octang Frye

Can't we all.. just.. get along?
What does this mean, exactly?
We have world economic summits all the time.

Whatever happens, I don't think it'll be what you think it'll be.
Just be glad you're living in exciting times!

Have to figure on an attack on Iran too.

Bluegrass Lass

Well, for this particular summit, I was thinking along the lines of everyone attends this summit, just not the select few. And I'd like to think (in my rose-tinted glasses world) that some actual solutions could be found if we all could work together - and forget about the differences in religions, cultures & ideologies for the sake of survival. It would be entirely possible we could come up with some solutions to the fuel and energy crisis that are the cornerstone of the problems the world is facing. Yes I know how far-fetched that sounds, but I sincerely believe that if we could all work together it could happen.

There needs to be some kind of worldwide initiative that every country should focus on, i.e. energy. I was just reading on msnbc.com (I think it was there) about NASA looking into the feasibility of setting up a gigantic solar panel grid in orbit that could collect solar energy. And then, using the wireless electricity technolgy that we already have, we could 'beam' the power down to the planet. This seems a worthy goal to me - one that everyone would benefit from.

Oh, and I was factoring in an Iran war - between the US, Europe and Israel, I think it's almost inevitable that a war will be started involving Iran. Which of course, just feeds more into the looming Peak Oil crisis.

Octang Frye

Sounds a bit like Lennon's Imagine.

As for the energy thing, I believe needs must when the devil drives.There are lots of entrepreneurial folk out there tinkering away. There are technologies out there. Nature abhors a vacuum and all that, so before the oil runs out, we'll have something else.

Tarkak9

Kum-Bi-Yah or R.E.M.??


That's great, it starts with an earthquake,birds and snakes, an aeroplane - Lenny Bruce is not afraid...

Rete

Lived too long to see that this is much different than the economic and social difficulties we have faced in the past. Americans can, if they look in the right places, find a way to cope through it all and come out on top as they have before.

Bluegrass Lass

True, I'm perhaps? half your age, Rete? To me, this all seems like some pretty serious stuff that could all come together as one big cluster f@ck. But I suppose age brings wisdom.

Rete

I turned 60 on the 8th of June.

I remember the mini-depression and oil crisis of the 70's. I remember the down-hill spiral of employment and the extension of unemployment benefits since jobs were not available to those seeking work in their field and the benefits were expiring of the 1990 when the dot.coms went belly up. I remember the 60's and the fight for racial equality and the 70's fight for equal working rights for women.

It is always serious stuff. Be it then or now or at someother point in history. Anything that affects your life is serious. Age only gives us the wisdom to know that life is not smooth and that the pendelum swings and you can only hope that you are not caught in its lower point in the arch.

And if you are caught in the lower point financially, then you tighten your belt. You leave to stretch a chicken six ways until next Sunday and you take that second job. You learn to sew and knit and if you have a plot of land, you grow your own veggies.

Octang Frye

That's nothing. Ray remembers the Alamo.

Bluegrass Lass

Yep, I'm half your age. Going to turn 30 next month. I witnessed the tech boom and bust, but since I was still studying, it didn't effect me that much. But I did read about it in the papers as it was happening.

There are always economic peaks and valleys. I feel that the danger is possibly more acute nowadays (not playing down the danger of the cold war era by any means) than perhaps in the past. Desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures, and since the world has progressed much in creating weapons since the 60's and 70's, I do somewhat worry some leaders could be led down the path of pushing the button. And since there are more countries with the capabilities than there were in the 60s/70s, it stands to reason that it could all go to hell in a handbasket very quickly.

We already have plans to start growing more of our own food. Was even looking at how to build a root cellar, as well as preserving food. Have also thought about taking sewing lessons. This all does appear to be a bit extreme, though..but I wouldn't mind being prepared. You never know when technology may fail and leave us in the cold.

Octang Frye

Sewing lessons?
I suppose you could sew quilts and use them stifle to death passing wild boar.

Sunflower, you sound like a survivalist.

You raise a good point. I think learning to hunt and fish and prepare and store food are critical skills to have. Also, basic medicine. Cultivation. Ham radio.
And know your neighbors.

Hey, Rete, you forgot Y2K!

Bluegrass Lass

Or could scare the wild boar by hunting them in my birthday suit since I don't have any sewing skills!

Damn! Hunting, fishing (ewww..worms) and medical skills are now added to list of training courses I need to survive the upcoming day of reckoning!

robin1234

Like Rete, I remember pretty far back - I remember 1956, the Soviet invasion of Hungary and the Suez crisis, for instance. Most moments in history feel like armageddon may be just around the corner; but, for those of you out there who watch television (I myself don't have a TV, haven't watched TV since I lived in England eighteen years ago) I think TV is a part of the problem. Some of those news channels etc. promote the impression of a frenetic, doom-and-gloom rush for the abyss.

As for energy, I agree with O. Frye; as prices rise, new technologies will emerge. I think part of the problem with the last couple of decades is that energy prices have gone up, encouraging innovation.. then they've gone down again, stifling the new technologies. This time, with luck, they'll stay high enough to give time for the new technologies to get to market.

I really don't think there'll be a war with Iran, I'm optimistic. That country is too big and powerful to mess with. Russia and Europe want to bring Iran into the world community. There is enough of a westernised middle-class in Iran that maybe government there will become more responsive to the people & more pragmatic.

Octang Frye

I agree, although - just playing Devil's Advocate here - sometimes a war is a hell of a way to kickstart a lagging economy.
I have some Persian friends. The demographics are interesting. They have so many youngsters 'cause during the revolution, the Iranians were actively encouraged to drop sprogs like buggery to provide more soldiers. I don't fear the young the middle class.
Ahmadinejad and his apocalyptic 12th imam cronies do worry me though because he's a shrewd, calculating guy. And somewhat of an unpredictable loose cannon.

As a matter of principle, I believe people should want to learn to hunt, fish, create or repair clothing, garden, brew beer, make bread etc. Just think if the world did go to HIAHB, you'd be golden. Everyone would want to make use of your skills. If the Triffids or the zombies came... you'd be prepared.