Fresh look

Supposing one woke up from a sleep of 30 years (think Rip Van Winkle) or one spent the past 30 in a cloistered environment (think Thomas Merton) and, at the same time, figure that the view before that lapse was fairly aware. The lapse's start would have been before shenanigans that precipitated the recent troubles, somewhat. Could we learn something by looking with this type of view? Would what was learned be of interest?

Why 30 years? Well, it sort of coincides with the post-hippie time. That is, some of the social dynamics that can be associated with the 1960s had run their course. Others were just beginning such as silly business. Too, it is close to 25 years (since Orwell's year of interest); he who worried about what we might call class acts.

Well, as the basics can show, after we collect a few more - never to be complete (and, the major theme here continues to be truth and its engines), we have people in a world which is always moving forward, with things changing, some people gaining (a small set doing so enormously), many losing, the mature trying to establish better means and methods, and some merely playing, all this under that old sun which has observed the gamings of humans for what seems like eternity.

So, we wake up and what do we see. Well, a very rich man, who just a few years ago, said that derivatives (financial, of course) were WMD (look up Iraq circa 2002) and is now dabbling. What gives there? Too, we see daily bombardment via TV and the Internet of information that is related to what is supposedly capitalistic in nature (but is casino-like).

Yes, we see there some millions of bucks oriented toward keeping the game afloat. Mind you, the aforementioned bard (rich guy) got his using rules and methods established in the early 1900s (we're now in the early 2000s). Now, has he left his quibbles behind? Or, is it that he has too much money and just wants to play around?

We see people driving down the street with their minds elsewhere. What? Yes, hurling through space (well, a little more constrained than flight) blindly. Doing things like texting (or venturing into tweet-ville - more later). As if where their minds are is better than where they are. Ah, interesting. But, didn't they see that on Haight-Ashbury? And, so, too, these zombies make themselves and others suffer.

Much like business, too, folks. Another type of zombies running after not much. Well, riches. Ah, yes, the best-and-brightest of us all.

Too, we see all sorts of analysis oriented to wondering what went wrong over the past 30 years some of it containing a bad guy list that looked for culprits. That list does not include one important viewpoint, though, namely Milken. No, any influence that he may have had on the immediate issue would be from the more remote times (pre-1990, let's say); yet, a lot of the acceptance of the gaming can be taken back to Mike's work.

Ah, yes, finance does need some scrutiny from a fresh set of eyes. Fortunately, the basics will allow such to come forth. No hurry, folks, as we cannot be complete, but we can be thorough.

Remarks:

03/17/2015 -- Still appropriate.

01/15/2015 -- At last, a series that will establish the basis and extensions, as required. We are going to go back to some simple and come forward to the modern, complicated economy. Why? My long chain of ancestors (inherited via Prof. Lucio Arteaga) is one motivation.

06/08/2014 -- Does time tell?

09/19/2013 -- To some, evidently, grabbing oodles of money, without due consideration of ramifications to others or to the common weal, is the smartest thing; but, we do know that virtue is smart, to boot. Even the secularists are trying hard to show how their worldview can lead to right living (as in, they do not need God to have a conscience). And, what virtue might be prime important to this discussion? Prudence (see Remarks, this day).

06/25/2012 -- Washington Post on Congressional non-ethics. The idiocy goes all the way to the top, it seems.

12/05/2011 -- It's interesting how idiotic the supposedly smart can be. The real issue: the failings of an idiot have a small influence; the failings of the 'real idiots' has wide impact (and, in so many ways). Somehow, we muddle through.

11/09/2011 -- It's good to see states making it illegal to text and drive. It ought to be that commonsense says to not. Many who do this with no problem are pushing their luck; unfortunately, when the texter's luck runs out, others get hurt. I79 in West Virginia is the utmost anti-text road; there are no flat spots or straight sections for 160+ miles; it's all up and down and curvy at 70 mph.

04/30/2011 -- The naive view that is described here might be the basis for a re-look at what the idiots have wrought. The rich guy? Of, course Warren. The idiots? Too many to enumerate, unfortunately.

10/22/2010 -- We need more like Perelman in order to have a fair economy.

01/26/2010 -- What? We've learned nothing from the mess, as the casino cascades continually.

11/08/2009 -- The gigantic chimera needs proper attention.

08/17/2009 -- As promised, FEDaerated is here.

06/20/2009 -- Yes, rent can go to labor (new look at capitalism), and finance can have a higher calling.

Modified: 03/17/2015