Spring Break
Column: Be active to avoid the fear
James Stewart/ Columnist
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: Opinions
Put down this newspaper and do something silly.
No, really. Go do something silly. Go to class and throw snowballs at your classmates during a quiz. Go construct a scale replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa out of snow and lunch trays. Do something ridiculous. Do anything. Just don't read any newspapers or listen to or watch any news, whether it be on the radio or on TV. Read a book or, better yet, rock out to music in your underwear. Do anything, but be informed. Now, many of you, I'm sure, are wondering why I'm saying this, especially in a newspaper that I've just told you to put down. It's because of the recession. No, this isn't about being "green" or conserving energy. It's because we all know there's a recession. We have all heard the news reports about factories closing, people being laid off, rising cost of living expenses, the waning dollar and the strengthening euro. We know. If you don't know, welcome to the depressing reality.
Because we've all been informed of the recession, we don't need to be constantly reminded. Have you ever been dumped and your ex, bless his or her heart, decides that, right after your relationship ends, right then is the best time to gush about their new boy/girlfriend? If so, you know how hard it is to fight the urge to smack that person and retreat into a cave out of which you will only emerge to hunt. You don't want or need the constant reminder of what you lost. Listening to the news now is a lot like that, but with more emphasis on the "retreat into a cave" part.
A few months ago the recession was news. That is, when those who know best announced America is officially in a recession. Since then, it's not news. It's the status quo. What if CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc, every morning, announced the sky is blue and air is invisible? Not only would they announce it, it would be the top story every single day and would be repeated constantly. Experts in blueness and invisibility would come on daily to confirm that, yes, the sky is indeed blue and air is, in fact, invisible. Eventually people would tune out. Well, now it's time for us to tune out.
All that being reminded of the recession is going to do is make consumers more and more nervous that they're going to wake up without a job or with a foreclosure notice. This fear will prompt people to stop purchasing and save as much money as they possibly can.
What happens when money stops pouring into businesses? The businesses close or shrink significantly, which results in more lost jobs, resulting in more fear, which results in more people saving their money. You see the pattern here? I'm not advocating frivolous or ill-advised spending. One must live within his means. However, not spending money will only cause more problems. Be responsible, be sensible and turn off the news. Now, put down the paper and go dye your hair an unnatural color. I'm going to work on becoming CNN's expert on invisibility.
James Stewart is a junior English major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
No, really. Go do something silly. Go to class and throw snowballs at your classmates during a quiz. Go construct a scale replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa out of snow and lunch trays. Do something ridiculous. Do anything. Just don't read any newspapers or listen to or watch any news, whether it be on the radio or on TV. Read a book or, better yet, rock out to music in your underwear. Do anything, but be informed. Now, many of you, I'm sure, are wondering why I'm saying this, especially in a newspaper that I've just told you to put down. It's because of the recession. No, this isn't about being "green" or conserving energy. It's because we all know there's a recession. We have all heard the news reports about factories closing, people being laid off, rising cost of living expenses, the waning dollar and the strengthening euro. We know. If you don't know, welcome to the depressing reality.
Because we've all been informed of the recession, we don't need to be constantly reminded. Have you ever been dumped and your ex, bless his or her heart, decides that, right after your relationship ends, right then is the best time to gush about their new boy/girlfriend? If so, you know how hard it is to fight the urge to smack that person and retreat into a cave out of which you will only emerge to hunt. You don't want or need the constant reminder of what you lost. Listening to the news now is a lot like that, but with more emphasis on the "retreat into a cave" part.
A few months ago the recession was news. That is, when those who know best announced America is officially in a recession. Since then, it's not news. It's the status quo. What if CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc, every morning, announced the sky is blue and air is invisible? Not only would they announce it, it would be the top story every single day and would be repeated constantly. Experts in blueness and invisibility would come on daily to confirm that, yes, the sky is indeed blue and air is, in fact, invisible. Eventually people would tune out. Well, now it's time for us to tune out.
All that being reminded of the recession is going to do is make consumers more and more nervous that they're going to wake up without a job or with a foreclosure notice. This fear will prompt people to stop purchasing and save as much money as they possibly can.
What happens when money stops pouring into businesses? The businesses close or shrink significantly, which results in more lost jobs, resulting in more fear, which results in more people saving their money. You see the pattern here? I'm not advocating frivolous or ill-advised spending. One must live within his means. However, not spending money will only cause more problems. Be responsible, be sensible and turn off the news. Now, put down the paper and go dye your hair an unnatural color. I'm going to work on becoming CNN's expert on invisibility.
James Stewart is a junior English major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
mrc
posted 2/06/09 @ 7:38 PM CST
I'm afraid you fail to grasp the magnitude of the events that are taking place around us. It's not "old news". The depression has barely even begun. (Continued…)
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