In the USA alone, when your neighbor is out of work it is a slowdown, when your
family member is added it becomes recession and when you too join the same line
then it surely becomes a depression. The unofficial employment rate in the USA is being claimed
at 15-25 percent while the economical turnaround seems a mirage; the closer you
get the clearer becomes the reality, nothing but refractions. The Internet civilization
toying with hyper communication is under tremendous pressure to find a quick
online solution, while the blogging-nation along with instant punditry is trying
hard to provide some warmth to the gasping economy. The USA midterm election
clearly points to an even more polarized citizenry forcing a new posture towards
an internal civil war of ideologies amongst the brightest minds from left and
right but where the weapons are only the dumbest sound bites or silly tweets.
Is technology to blame for this downward spiral towards an intellectual void?
Is it the wired citizenry in a rage to change; is it the unemployed mobilizing
free mediums and viral broadcasts splintering the votes and public opinion? Technology
may be blamed for the hyper speed and massive accessibility but Joe Public cannot
be held responsible for shattering the credibility of sacred institutions. However,
it seems that technology now provides a halo to the enlightenment of Joe Public,
while truth like a messiah descends upon us.
The images of the west, public and corporate along with thousands of long established
brands are in trouble while the image of the finest institution is on the block.
The countdown to global image shifts is pointing to the next couple of years when
China will overtake America as the largest economy, at least based on purchase
power parity, according to Conference Board of America. Is it that Americans
are not aware of this tectonic shift or that they have no idea how to tackle
this unstoppable change. Both questions seem odd. Americans all along have been
the best front line trend forecasters and solution providers.
The deep silence and lack of real focused debate with action simply makes no
sense. The global interactive voice of the Internet, currently the multibillion
interconnected populace of the world, large enough to simply sneeze in sync will
cause enough air displacement to create a small hurricane, shows deep concerns
the way the entire world and its economy is headed. The possible second meltdown
or the possibility of a new third war theater or both on the horizon concerns
all. The advance of a broad base level complexity of issues requires massive interactive
communication across the globe, and this makes current communication technology
the real thermometer of global opinion while the Internet itself becomes an
intravenous drip for the exhausted nations.
Four new dance routines scheduled for the world stage
The Techno-Bhangra: When BRIC nations create their own local massive technology
flood to boost their own populous to quickly become middle class in a hyper technology
mode. In a world divided by population-rich emerging nations and experience-rich
developed nations, the global image shifts toward population-rich nations. Would
they become hyper productive and further accelerate the tilt of global imbalance in
their favor?
The War Tango: When wars appear to be the only logical solution for the developed
nations and when developing countries appear to provide the most fertile grounds
for such theatrics. At this point the Internet becomes the real melting pot of global
opinion, hot enough to sway global moods and trades creating an unstoppable swing
of forces? What will the experience rich nations of the west do at this stage
after making all these technologies freely available to the world, or should the USA
seek to push the 'Internet Kill Switch', now as a proposed bill, as a last minute
national security device to control global techno-commerce shifts.
The Zorba Dance: When American-Anglo models based on QE2 become the new setting
of Greece style meltdown in the USA. With PIGS already teetering on the edge, would
observing their outcome create a brand new landscape for the US and would it
be a good turning point of sobriety and productivity or a major shut down of
American lifestyle for a long time.
The Chicken Dance: IMF forecasting $10 trillion dollars needed for the developed
nations to stay afloat in 2011. If money printing appears to be a better way
than money generation than why not print $1000 trillion and let the chicken dance
among all nations begin. The global financial wizardry of the old school is in
sync with national monetary policies of the developed nations favoring QE2 models.
The pragmatic punditry of the emerging economies is seeking brand new global
banking and new financial models.
To summarize, the complexity of this global crisis cannot be ignored, but neither
the pain nor the agony it is causing the entire world. All of us are being directly
affected, population-rich or experience-rich, with sharp or dull image, good
or bad, and we all have to raise our voices and share our opinions. Hark, the music
is in the air; the dance floors are busy but take serious caution before picking
the tune or the partner. What do you think?