Financial Worry, Financial Concern
With the financial issues and credit crunches going on all around us, it is easy to wonder how this is affecting people, not just their bank accounts and wallets, but the impact on themselves as a person. How much stress is this causing people? We know the numbers and how it impacts the Pound, Dollar, etc, what about the people?
I can tell you that it is stressing me a good bit. Part of it is that it is all I am hearing in the papers, on the news and around the water cooler. It feels as though I am surrounded by this constant thought and worry that the world around us is on the brink of financial collapse. At least that is how it is being painted. And I know it is bad, in America it has been equated to as bad, or worse than the Great Depression they went through around 80 years ago. It was during that time there were huge unemployment lines, people selling apples to make money to live, and in the extreme stories I was told, people committing suicide, jumping out of buildings because they were now financially ruined.
I have read of a couple of stories of this occurring recently and I hope and pray it does not become a trend. It appears the governments are acting swiftly and doing what they can to steer us away from the worst, but there still is plenty of bad happening. In the states many people are losing their retirements and pensions due to the downturn of the stock market. I read Iceland, the Country, not our local food shop, is on the brink of bankruptcy. A country near bankruptcy, now that is some scary stuff.
I being the eternal optimist believe things will turn around, but they may have needed to get to this point as we and many businesses and countries, have relied on credit and debt far too long. It is as if the Great Banker in the Sky has called in our debt. Sounds philosophical I know, but it does help to get a perspective on the matters.
I also read that since people are extra cautious about spending money that they will stay in more and not go out. One journalist made the statement as to see if there is a spike in births over the next 9-12 months as if people are spending more time in, that in may be in the bedroom. Funny stuff, and partially true. So we will wait and see.
Something not so funny is that various food shops are putting electronic badges on some of the meats; if someone tries to steal them they will set off a loud buzzer as they go out the door. The food shops are also putting on extra security. Now that is sad, people stealing food in order to eat, or to sell it to make some cash. I realise that has always gone on, but it seems more immediate now.
There also may be a spike in the number of people seeking counselling or therapy as a result of the economic downturn. More people renting DVD’s and watching movies on TV. This can in turn hurt the cinema business and tax the NHS with more people in need of counsellors.
However on the upside I read where there is one industry that may very well prosper during this time, the pubs! We all go off to drown our sorrows. But as Bono said in the song, End of the World, my sorrows learned to swim.
I can tell you that it is stressing me a good bit. Part of it is that it is all I am hearing in the papers, on the news and around the water cooler. It feels as though I am surrounded by this constant thought and worry that the world around us is on the brink of financial collapse. At least that is how it is being painted. And I know it is bad, in America it has been equated to as bad, or worse than the Great Depression they went through around 80 years ago. It was during that time there were huge unemployment lines, people selling apples to make money to live, and in the extreme stories I was told, people committing suicide, jumping out of buildings because they were now financially ruined.
I have read of a couple of stories of this occurring recently and I hope and pray it does not become a trend. It appears the governments are acting swiftly and doing what they can to steer us away from the worst, but there still is plenty of bad happening. In the states many people are losing their retirements and pensions due to the downturn of the stock market. I read Iceland, the Country, not our local food shop, is on the brink of bankruptcy. A country near bankruptcy, now that is some scary stuff.
I being the eternal optimist believe things will turn around, but they may have needed to get to this point as we and many businesses and countries, have relied on credit and debt far too long. It is as if the Great Banker in the Sky has called in our debt. Sounds philosophical I know, but it does help to get a perspective on the matters.
I also read that since people are extra cautious about spending money that they will stay in more and not go out. One journalist made the statement as to see if there is a spike in births over the next 9-12 months as if people are spending more time in, that in may be in the bedroom. Funny stuff, and partially true. So we will wait and see.
Something not so funny is that various food shops are putting electronic badges on some of the meats; if someone tries to steal them they will set off a loud buzzer as they go out the door. The food shops are also putting on extra security. Now that is sad, people stealing food in order to eat, or to sell it to make some cash. I realise that has always gone on, but it seems more immediate now.
There also may be a spike in the number of people seeking counselling or therapy as a result of the economic downturn. More people renting DVD’s and watching movies on TV. This can in turn hurt the cinema business and tax the NHS with more people in need of counsellors.
However on the upside I read where there is one industry that may very well prosper during this time, the pubs! We all go off to drown our sorrows. But as Bono said in the song, End of the World, my sorrows learned to swim.
