I popped to my local pub for a beer (it turned into two) with a copy of The Australian after work today.
I was reading about the stimulus package – a topic that I blogged on earlier today – and it occurred to me that the focus is on how bad things are right now.
Which begs the question: How good were things before the financial system/ economy went tits up?
Yes, we’ve enjoyed many years of financial growth and prosperity, but what do we have to show for it? Here are some thoughts…
- A increasing gap between rich and poor
- A public health system in crisis, an education system in Australia requiring a ‘Revolution’
- Bigger TVs
- No progress in the Middle East – a more complex, confrontational situation (if you believe the media)
- Apparently, no change in The third world
- A climate change – the result of many year’s excesses
- An overnight swing from surplus to deficit
The list goes on – I’m sure there are some positives that we can point to.
The irony is that it requires a financial downturn for people to take stock and actually assess their situation and make steps to improve it for the better. Will a $950 bonus from the Government really make anything measurably better? OK, it might ease the pressure for a lot of people – that’s great - but its not sustainable and still needs to be paid back by someone.
It strikes me that throwing money at a problem caused by an obsession with money won’t change the fundamental problem.
I think my main problem is that the Government bailing out the economy prevents us really ever confronting the money thing – its a missed opportunity. It makes the world go round after all.
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