Posted by Ritch on April 30, 2002, at 10:30:12
In reply to The irony of the rat race, posted by Phil on April 30, 2002, at 7:12:56
Phil,
Very cool parable indeed. I have been "working" on an economic theory that ties economic boom/bust cycles with elements of affective disorders. You have different phases of economic activity through the boom/bust cycle. Right now we are in a slowly lifting fog from a recession. Nobody knows what the future holds and they are uncertain and hesitant. Many are burnt out from the last few years of working 60hrs a week to buy all their toys (that everyone spent all their time making and selling). Time to go fishing. So we "fish" for a while until we get a little *greedy*. Usually, somebody stumbles on an *idea* and starts making some decent cash from it and then everybody else chimes in to do the same thing. We work a little more, a little more, a little more, buy more stuff, make more stuff, get all excited about the process-get a little manic. Spend a lot of money, make kooky, unwise decisions. Then WHAM!, there's a scandal (Enron, i.e.), sudden reappraisal of what we were enthusiasic about (investments-economic and psychic), and we get BURNT OUT, and don't want to work 60hr weeks anymore, and a recession hits. Time to go fishing again.
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:22890
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020430/msgs/22909.html