5 minutes
Friends,
I am a creature of habit. Every morning, I wake up at the same hour and go through the same routine of getting ready, down to the minute. Although I do switch up my tasks during my designated ‘computer’ time, it always cycles between checking social media, working on my website, and promoting myself.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
When I get to work, it’s the same thing: I get my water, go potty, log on, and, first thing first, check out what’s going on in the world.
I’m not one of those people who only watch one news channel. I flip through them all so that I can get a broad sense of what is going on in the world. After 30 minutes- I shut it off and move on.
But lately, the news has been bothering me.
It’s easy to sit in my cushy chair and judge from the comfort of my office. For the most part, ‘big-ticket’ items don’t affect the common person.
Until lately.
The dreaded politicians and the economy
Now, I never dive into the deep pool of politics- I have my own personal feelings about ALL of our elective officials here in the U.S. Some good. Some indifferent. Most of it is not all that great. But I understand that I am not privy to the information they are and can not in good conscience make a statement one way or another.
But what I can comment on is the economics and historical impacts of making decisions. Why? Because I’m a historian who spent years researching, reading, and documenting past decisions that led to the fall of some great density. Rome. England. American political groups. War.
The one thing everyone has in common is decisions that affect the economy. That’s when a civilization will fall. In my humble opinion, we are retracing the missteps of our forefathers, regardless of where our ancestors came from.
It wasn’t just one thing
COVID was devastating, not just because of the actual illness but because of policies and procedures implanted based on emotions, fears, and skepticism. No one trusted anyone. Everyone was an expert on a disease that no one knew anything about. Corners were cut. Analysis was skipped for rash decisions.
If a commander on a battlefield would have reacted the way that we did- a few battles may have been won, but the war would have been a decisive loss.
We are seeing the fallback of losing the war. The rash determinations, emplaced for a ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling, have trickled down to the fall of the U.S. economy.
Don’t go to work. Stay home. Order your groceries. Don’t go outside. I’m not going into the medical necessity of wearing a mask—that argument has been beaten until the bones are shattered and turned into paste.
What I’m talking about is the loss of jobs and an increase in prices. What did we all think was going to happen when we closed small businesses? When cashiers, construction workers, federal employees, and trade workers were laid off to protect the world from what is now considered ‘the flu?’
Did you expect us to bounce back right away? Did you think everything would return to normal as soon as the highways reopened?
No.
We handed big businesses the trophy
We have given large corporations such as Amazon, eBay, and Wayfair a monopoly in the online retail world while also feeding into the idea that people are dangerous.
We’ve been advised to distance ourselves from social interactions, leading to an increase in mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, as well as a decrease in educational progress.
Now politicians are trying to backpedal. They are trying to fix the problem by blaming one another for joint decisions that made them ‘look good.’ I don’t blame one party or another. They all had an equal hand in creating the monster we see now.
Will the U.S. survive this new economy? I’m not sure. Rome was an influence on the construction of the U.S. By far, it is one of the most impressive examples of an empire rising with the times, but it fell to internal corruption, division among the people, and outside invasion. Sound familiar?
What can we do?
You probably asking- ‘What can we do about it?’ Well, there is the normal argument that we can all vote. Not just in the Presidental election- but for our state representatives- you know, the ones that hold the real power.
But I can already hear the argument- ‘That’s not going to do anything.’ ‘I don’t have time.’ And the list goes on and on.
It’s important to support both small and large businesses, as they are the backbone of job creation. However, our current mindset is hesitant to go out in public and interact with others. We have been taught to be wary of everyone, as if all humans are inherently malicious.
It’s easier to order online than deal with lines, traffic, and lack of parking spaces.
Here’s what you need to understand: In order to make an impact and boost the economy, we need to be active participants in the market. Take a risk and venture out into the world. If people don’t visit stores, employers won’t have a reason to hire new staff, and businesses won’t thrive. Museums will shut down. Artists may actually starve.
If you don’t have the money to buy useless items, that’s fine. Still, go. Write a review. Encourage other people to visit.
While you are at it- feel free to buy a copy of my book.
Until tomorrow, my friends- Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.
If tales of legend, myth, and fantasy topped with a cup of coffee interest you, I suggest checking out my book, The Writer and the Librarian. It’s a historical fantasy about a middle-aged woman faced with a decision: accept what is written in the history books or find out for herself the truth behind the stories. Limited edition copies are now available on my website
(Shop – R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author (rlgeerrobbins.com)
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