The Upside of Economic Carnage

Spirling Downward

It's hard to be positive right now when it's obvious that the stimulous money is NOT being used to stimulate the economy. In South Carolina, part of the stimulous is going to buy new school buses. More is going to pay for a new recreation center (Charleston). How is that going to stimulate the economy? Maybe for the guys who make the school buses or for the construction workers who will build the recreation facility. BUT how is this going to open the door to industries that we need to provide permanent jobs for our people? This is ridiculous. It would be better for the government to just give each citizen a sizable check and let them decide how to spend it than to keep throwing tax dollars at car makers and insurance companies and big banks. That doesn't help us at all!

Sharon of SC @ Jul 11, 2009 15:12:25 PM

Be positive!

Seeing opportunities while others consider as risk...so you can jump ahead.

June Lee of NY @ Jun 26, 2009 23:29:33 PM

Regulation Stifles Innovation

Gee, I wish we had had enough regulation to stifle "credit swaps". Then we wouldn't be in this mess.

B Cook of IN @ Jun 14, 2009 23:47:10 PM

re: A better term would be creative reconstruction

I love how you talk about "decentralized energy production", and "decentralized food production", and "decentralized recycling of wealth"...

All of that comes along with an ever increasingly more powerful centralized form of national government...

What an empty-minded, toothless take...Cheesemakers in Switzerland would be proud of that little missive of yours after realizing how many holes were in it...

Cursed with self awareness... of LA @ May 23, 2009 19:41:42 PM

Upside

Honk if you were paying my mortgage! Upside? Double the estate tax! Take money from wealthy trust babies and give it to Obama to buy Automobile companies with so the UAW can learn Biz 101, Upside?

Tell Arnold that the money he and his colleagues are spending is not Monopoly money and just because Nancy has a printing press doesn't mean she intends to share with him! Upside?

There are good upsides however. When gasoline is $5 or $6 bucks a gallon it'll reduce traffic on the road. The poor people will have to ride a bike to work, because not only can they not afford it, their credit is so screwed up they can't buy a GM version of a solar fiat and so all you will see is Mercedez Benz and politicians in Gov't fleet vehicles on the road!

This article is an oxymoron but so so true! Rome fell so others could rise! Upside!!

Tom in San Diego of CA @ May 22, 2009 22:39:42 PM

A better term would be creative reconstruction

The old world is dying. A new sustainable world will rise and flourish, because that is the only choice we have. By definition, the old ways are NOT sustainable, so we need to think in terms of survival.

Decentralized energy production.

Decentralized food production.

Decentralized recycling of wealth - the profitsharing tax credit.

see www.profitsharinguprising.com

At first glance it is like "fire and vengeance". But in reality it is "light and mercy".

We will continue to flounder with failure until we beat ourselves up enough to give sustainability its due.

Darian L. Smith of NC @ May 22, 2009 10:45:22 AM

Def good psychology

Like your thinking, go deep when everyone is scared.

Ever read "Psychology of the Call"?

They do a lot of this kind of blogging.

Good interview and def an insightful piece.

Adam of CA @ May 21, 2009 20:12:12 PM

Creative destruction

It is simple minded to think creative destrution. World War I ended kings and Queens as a ruling class. This was followed by Hitler and World War II which was simply more destruction and not very creative. Maybe some minor things occur that maybe called creative in between all this. Lets us call destruction for what is really is, Hell!

Arthur Gittleman of AR @ May 21, 2009 14:42:02 PM