I have been curiously watching some of the theories circulating about 2012, the doomers and the excited, depending on you perspective. Add to this the current economic crises, and the social change folks and the ultra conservatives have jumped in, as well as the consciousness movement. Lots of fun!
My gut doesn’t buy into the end of the world scenario. I take more to the end of the world as we know it. But even that is a stretch for me. Those that say that our current economic problems are the beginning of the end of “Capitalism” and by 2012 we will see new world economic orders are engaging in wishful thinking. History doesn’t move that fast without a revolution and I don’t see that happening.
What I do see happening is a shift in peoples expectations in government and in their own behaviors. Citizens will allow more government regulation and oversight. More people will embrace what Europeans, Canadians, Australians and other liberal democracies have embraced years ago, some form of universal health care. That would be a giant shift for us in the U.S.
I see moving away from senseless consumerism to a more holistic approach to supply. This recession has already put the brakes on material consumption and while there is some pent up demand waiting to buy, I think many of us have already come to the conclusion that “what is all this stuff for/”. For years now I have only bought clothes when something has worn out or I put on or lost a few pounds. My closet is a quarter of what it used to be in the 80,s and if they have a designer label it is because I bought it at Ross’s or Goodwill. Will we go back to the high spending ways of a few years ago or take on a new approach of contemplating do we really need it? Are we just satisfying a habit like alcohol and drugs.
What if we do reduce our demand in a more permanent way? If this is the case, the economy cannot rebound to its previous level. If there is no demand, then there will be no supply and those who supplied will be out of work. What becomes of this excess capacity. This is the fundamental question for the next few years and the shift to a new economic order. We do not know at this time. However, one thing I do know is that the human race and the universe behind it will think up something. I look forward to seeing what it is and how it will develop.
