I think it is dawning on me and many others now that we truly are in this for a long haul. That this is not the speedy bounceback to growth associated with other recessions in the last two decades.
The recent flash riots in London and the UK seem a striking example of the western world's ever edgier feelings, almost slipping to a world we've only read about in history books. The West has just shown a series of signs of political weakness internally, and it seems in good part because leaders do not know how to handle this recession, they cannot establish a strong vision of a future people can believe in. The weakness of european leaders has paralysed decision making over the Eurozone - Sarkozy, Merkel, Berlusconi. Of all the major European countries, I would have actually said the UK was holding well, the sort of 'dunkirk'/'blitz' spirit coming through to tough it out. So these riots reveal the underlying tensions, which start impacting the social enablers required to spur forward economies, like immigration.
Most disappointing has been the US lack of vision and action. The Democrats did not play their hand well in 2008-10, leading to the Republican Congress which has brought on paralyising debates over deficit and debt ceiling. The intellectual dishonesty seems unbounded, on both sides I would say. How much is Obama to blame? Difficult to tell without really understanding the political machine in detail, but I do feel he has failed to bring a clarity of vision to the people as to where they are now and where they need to go. In his shoes, I'd find it hard though to resist the temptation to say 'screw them' in the face of the republican non-cooperation.
And yet, this is also a time of great positive movements. The Arab spring may yet topple Gaddafi, which on top of Mubarak, brings profound change. Syria too continues to be on the boil. Lets see how democracy can flourish in any religious environment and without the need for American intervention. One can hope. I think in business too, this is a time where sustainability and innovation accelerate rather than stop, because we have to adapt to the new circumstances of the world.
So I feel I can be positive, even when most worried about the west embracing the new world.
The recent flash riots in London and the UK seem a striking example of the western world's ever edgier feelings, almost slipping to a world we've only read about in history books. The West has just shown a series of signs of political weakness internally, and it seems in good part because leaders do not know how to handle this recession, they cannot establish a strong vision of a future people can believe in. The weakness of european leaders has paralysed decision making over the Eurozone - Sarkozy, Merkel, Berlusconi. Of all the major European countries, I would have actually said the UK was holding well, the sort of 'dunkirk'/'blitz' spirit coming through to tough it out. So these riots reveal the underlying tensions, which start impacting the social enablers required to spur forward economies, like immigration.
Most disappointing has been the US lack of vision and action. The Democrats did not play their hand well in 2008-10, leading to the Republican Congress which has brought on paralyising debates over deficit and debt ceiling. The intellectual dishonesty seems unbounded, on both sides I would say. How much is Obama to blame? Difficult to tell without really understanding the political machine in detail, but I do feel he has failed to bring a clarity of vision to the people as to where they are now and where they need to go. In his shoes, I'd find it hard though to resist the temptation to say 'screw them' in the face of the republican non-cooperation.
And yet, this is also a time of great positive movements. The Arab spring may yet topple Gaddafi, which on top of Mubarak, brings profound change. Syria too continues to be on the boil. Lets see how democracy can flourish in any religious environment and without the need for American intervention. One can hope. I think in business too, this is a time where sustainability and innovation accelerate rather than stop, because we have to adapt to the new circumstances of the world.
So I feel I can be positive, even when most worried about the west embracing the new world.
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