WHEN THE WORLD WANES...

We don’t often think about how the world changes around us. Sometimes, we think of these changes over “eras”, like the 1980s, or 1990s, in relation to music, fashion, presidents and such. Some changes have been so acute and rapid as well as ubiquitous that it hardly seemed possible to imagine the world or life without it: I am thinking of the Internet, personal computer and smart-mobile phone. Apart from these three key appliances, some of the other great advances we have taken for granted a couple of generations earlier was piped potable water into our homes, 24-hour electrical supply and thereafter, television and telephones. But by now, some of us have become grandparents and parents, uncles and others more prematurely, passed on.

With the world economy apparently bottoming out from a near collapse, we may think in terms of an imminent recovery of sorts. Political and economic scientists have held their sway and split over exactly what inflationary or monetary medicine is needed. In real terms, personal wealth have all but diminished. Personally, what we have experienced in the past nine months is that Achilles Heel of the global economy which is wound up and running on a great deal of lending and intent to pay. When the crunch came, it became clear that only the fastest could move to save more of their wealth, and in this play, the smaller you are, the worst off you would be. Ultimately, in the financial markets, it is disposed that the richer are going to be better off, until they themselves are scammed big time by even bigger crooks like Madoff. But that is more or less isolated to investors who played into his hands. Yet, the eventual market collapse is more telling about the same sort of relentless lending that is brokered to create an series of tiered markets from what used to be basic business activities. The auditors said these were not against any regulations and that gave way for the financial Tower of Babel. Stock markets and those who operate in, for the most part, was designed for sharing of wealth and opportunity for those with extra money to generate more value in the economy. With all the forces that have operated to create the market highs and now, the nadir as well, you realise that the old word ideal of ethics is all past and gone. There is a new world order in deed, and the people who operate its many cogwheels are not bound by the ideas of ethical boundaries. It is all the case of who gets hit first, who gets away fastest, and whom is most lucky to get all... The Old World is gone. When I get back to slogging at the sweatshop, there will have to be a new sense of awareness and approach. You know what: you cannot trust anyone like you may have used to, especially those who are less experienced. Less experienced folks at work overcompensate for their lack of ability or knowledge by playing the victim and using their own weaknesses as the basis for manipulating sympathy. Nothing more than blackmail. The world wanes...