THE GOOD WAYS

With the economic downturn taking its toll on employment in the US, would you be surprised if you were told that Americans are looking for a GOOD job?

What’s new? One would wonder. Wasn’t that happening all the time?
Except that a GOOD job that we are learning about now, is a “Get Out Of Debt” job.

While most orthodox Indians have been shunning debt and viewing it as a burden, Americans have been known to have embraced the idea of being perpetually in debt so much so that…. “until debt do us apart”, was perhaps the only foreseeable end of the hugging enchantment for it. Living beyond their means had been a way of life encouraged by one and all.

So when one learns that Americans are looking for a GOOD job, one wonders whether a well paying job to settle the debts would really work? Or will they, having heaved themselves a few notches up, go for bigger loans to enter a higher spiral or orbit?

But the world is really worried, not because they might get into the Debt trap again, but because they wouldn’t get enticed by it. Because if they do turn over a new leaf, live within their means and spend within their means, it will mean an economic downturn will affect China, India and the emerging markets.

So many people depend on their not-so-GOOD ways of life! Not to worry – it is very difficult to get out of habits – especially bad ones. It is as difficult as it is to get into good ones though.

You may have learnt about the how this wonderful little word sticks on to us:
HABIT
Remove H, A BIT still remains.
Remove A, BIT still remains.
Now, remove B, and IT still remains!

So millions of people living in emerging economies live in the hope that Americans will not change their ways and continue to spend. But wouldn’t this change only cause a temporary drop in the economic activity, eventually continuing to grow once the ‘adjustment’ to the new way of life is complete? Would not the new way of life find Americans steer clear of going overboard and do away with ‘NINJA’ loans (‘No-Income-No-Jobs or Assets’ loans) that eventually led to the economic collapse?

It is commonly observed that it is easy to get into any situation and difficult to get out of it. Just as Americans are finding it difficult to get out of debt, several Indians investing in equities, are finding themselves in the same predicament. There are loads and loads of experts to advise how to invest, but not a single soul to advise when or how to exit from it. So we find millions of small investors trapped in the share market. However, we can take respite in the statistics which tells us that not more than 5% of Indians have entered the equity markets.

So where are these remaining 95% Indians trapped, if not in equities and debts? Perhaps in vices like excessive spending, smoking, drinking, tobacco or god forbid, even drugs. Several such habits that tempt us along life’s path. You can choose your ‘drug’ – your opiate, as in your chosen substance or habit that gives you “a high” or “a kick”, that you must have or partake. You can spend your lifetime in it – until it kicks you. You will find yourself in a situation like Abhimanyu did, in the epic Mahabharata, who knew how to get into the battlefield - but not how to come out of it. Perhaps this episode cited in the great epic is a symbolic message to us all to avoid the several traps in our life’s path.

But there is hope for those who wish to come out of this chakravyuha - you can choose to lead a GOOD life – a Get Out Of Drugs (drug= your opiate) life. When enemies are within, one finds it difficult to strike. Difficult choices exist, if one is determined, one can break free and Get Out Of Disaster.

Countries get into war-like situations in much the same way. War seems like the only solution. Countries get into one without knowing how they will come out of it. Getting into a war is easy, getting out of it isn’t. War can mean Devastation, Destruction, Destabilization. Oh, so many D’s to eventually get out of! Yet, we find ourselves wanting to get into this situation – without knowing for how long and how to get out of it!

The terror attacks in Mumbai, has angered us all. We want action against terrorists. We want to carry out a precise surgical attack on terrorist camps. We are not against any country but what lies within it. Surprisingly, Pakistan, India, US, the entire world wants to take action against terrorists, but they don’t join hands in doing so. We have a common enemy, but we don’t fight together. We fight each other. Because that is something we know how to do. But there is no expert to tell us how to fight a faceless, nameless phenomenon called Terrorism. We need to learn to fight the scourge of terrorism together. For which we need to first Get Out Of Disputes amongst ourselves. There is always a first time. And most importantly, there is still some hope.

Wishing all people Getting Out Of D's GOOD luck!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year 2009!

Hope the New Year shows us some GOOD ways of living together

‘GOOD’ as in Get Out Of Dangerous ways of living!


Blogger's Postscript 1: Disclaimer - There are exceptions to the observations. If it does not apply to anyone, it is for this very reason. A few exceptions often go to prove the overall trends cited.
Blogger's Postscript 2: Recent events have compelled me to post some of my thoughts related to important matters that affect our life. Do expect some of these off and on and not as another attempt at 'di-worse-ification'.