economic salvation

economic salvation

Stop listening/watching/reading!

Could doing so stave off the constant bombardment of the economic meltdown?

You'd think the pace of living, our fascination with celebrities, athletes, Facebook, being connected at all times, and as seen recently, an ad for a digital service, "Fast forward live television; that way you can watch more TV faster." We need more television faster.

Suddenly, a light went on; a possible solution to surviving our economic meltdown; I was hoping the global populations collective ADD would suffice, and we'd have moved on to the next crisis; unfortunately, we all seem to be paying attention, a crippling amount of attention, as jobs are lost, savings vanish and giant corporations are being bailed out(?) --- With a quick glance, it seems, the corporate heads may be stuffing their own pockets with the drippings from the olive branches. While, us who are affected most, fight amongst one another about the information we are being force-fed, as we try to make sense of our futures.

Then, a second light came on; maybe we're supposed to be distracted, be in the dark. We all seem to be waiting to be saved; for some "expert" to shine a light out of the tunnel and lead us to... what's that, the bulb just burnt out?

I think we may need some new experts, after all the "old" ones seem to have gotten the "whole globe" into some quicksand and depending where you look/listen --- there may be no way out. Hell, walking down Wall/Bay Streets may soon require wearing a hardhat, as "experts" hurl themselves onto the broke crowds down below.

After I changed the bulb, I came up with a radical solution to curb, or maybe at least slow the melting; as said above, stop listening, stop watching; stop being sold. Simplify things, could there be a better time; the holidays are for family and friends, a brilliant starting point. Love replaces consumption, even if it is dysfunctional and only for a fleeting moment.

The suggestion: extend the fleeting moments!

Wouldn't it be dazzling if for one week in January, for all of us to stock up on food, take off work, fire up the DVD collection, pull out of the rat race, and not listen to the sales pitch, no radio, no television, no newspapers, no trips to the mall, and then make a pact/resolution, to place friends/family, ahead of stuff, in 2009.

Just imagine, if everyone stopped listening to what we are now being sold (economy in crisis), wouldn't the messenger need to find something different to talk about?

Don't mistake this suggestion for denial; I just think it may be time to change directions, collectively.

Dare to dream!

Lindsay is a Vancouver based author. For information visit www.seedenterprises.com