Don't you just wonder sometimes...
Lately I've been waking up every single morning with this thought. "The world's insane". Our radio comes on to CBC every morning about 6:28. We catch the tail end of the financial report and then the news. For the last month or so, it has been all about the global financial crisis and the economy. Understandable. This is pretty huge stuff. I feel pretty small and insignificant when the powers that be toss around numbers in the Billions. Billions.
For the most part, we've been shielded.
And then it began. First some layoffs in Nestle Guelph. Then a whack at the plant in Hope and Chilliwack. And then the second batch. Yesterday, another 50 in Guelph. And this time it was painful. This time it was people that Reid knew. Suddenly the numbers have faces and it begins to hurt.
Two thoughts as I finish up. One...read the book "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein. She is a journalist, author and film maker. If you want to understand the history of economics - specifically capitalism. Read it. But I will warn you. I found many of the stories and data difficult. As in, so disturbing it occasionally kept me awake at night. People in general, are a greedy bunch and greed drives people to do some shocking things.
Final thought. I'm also reading a book called "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne. Interesting in a different kind of way. But he brings up some of God's economic policies established in the Old Testament. How's this? Work hard and then rest every 7th day. And every 7th YEAR - take the whole thing off - yup, the whole year. During this year long break, all food that keeps growing in the fields is available for the taking by hungry/poor families. Debt that anyone had from the past 6 years was erased. Imagine how that would keep the balance of rich and poor. Imagine poverty virtually erased. BUT then! There is one more - every 49th or 50th year (70x7) was deemed Jubilee. During this year debt was forgiven, encumbered or forfeited land was returned to the original owners and slaves were set free. Claiborne refers to it as "a regularly scheduled revolution." Radical yes. But think about it...work hard, plan ahead - and then enjoy! Party! Celebrate! And don't do it alone. Everyone celebrate. Rich, poor and everyone in between.
Now there's some interesting economic ideas.
Lately I've been waking up every single morning with this thought. "The world's insane". Our radio comes on to CBC every morning about 6:28. We catch the tail end of the financial report and then the news. For the last month or so, it has been all about the global financial crisis and the economy. Understandable. This is pretty huge stuff. I feel pretty small and insignificant when the powers that be toss around numbers in the Billions. Billions.
For the most part, we've been shielded.
And then it began. First some layoffs in Nestle Guelph. Then a whack at the plant in Hope and Chilliwack. And then the second batch. Yesterday, another 50 in Guelph. And this time it was painful. This time it was people that Reid knew. Suddenly the numbers have faces and it begins to hurt.
Two thoughts as I finish up. One...read the book "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein. She is a journalist, author and film maker. If you want to understand the history of economics - specifically capitalism. Read it. But I will warn you. I found many of the stories and data difficult. As in, so disturbing it occasionally kept me awake at night. People in general, are a greedy bunch and greed drives people to do some shocking things.
Final thought. I'm also reading a book called "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne. Interesting in a different kind of way. But he brings up some of God's economic policies established in the Old Testament. How's this? Work hard and then rest every 7th day. And every 7th YEAR - take the whole thing off - yup, the whole year. During this year long break, all food that keeps growing in the fields is available for the taking by hungry/poor families. Debt that anyone had from the past 6 years was erased. Imagine how that would keep the balance of rich and poor. Imagine poverty virtually erased. BUT then! There is one more - every 49th or 50th year (70x7) was deemed Jubilee. During this year debt was forgiven, encumbered or forfeited land was returned to the original owners and slaves were set free. Claiborne refers to it as "a regularly scheduled revolution." Radical yes. But think about it...work hard, plan ahead - and then enjoy! Party! Celebrate! And don't do it alone. Everyone celebrate. Rich, poor and everyone in between.
Now there's some interesting economic ideas.
posted by Cyndi | 8:36 AM
1 Comments:
I'm reading the Shock Doctrine but in small doses because it is hard to handle. I remember reading the Old Testament economics and thinking, "let's do it". How many people does it take to create critical mass? Or maybe the question is who has to be pushing the agenda to make it happen?
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