I just had a great conversation with one of the firm managers during my lunch break. She invited my response on the current financial situation of the nation.
We got to the point of discussing personal responsibility. And not just the executives, but all the way down to the mortgagees or the insurance agents. Personal responsibility is a staple of most conservative fiscal policies. I then branched off to show how the U.S. compares to cultures abroad. It appears our society has become so caught up in the rat race that we only think about getting ahead. People think that they deserve the American dream and often work hard to achieve it. If it is slightly out of reach they, well, often overreach.
The international perspective I like to use is that Americans live to work while the rest of the world works to live. At least from my international experience, I have found this to be true. People are satisfied with having just enough, but are also satisfied with familial and social relationships. Americans define themselves so much on their career and home that they often forget the satisfaction of being blessed with family and friends. The perfect example is the annual winner of the happiest nation survey: Denmark. The surveyors found out that the people of Denmark are happiest because they set moderate standards. Not low or high, but reasonably attainable. That is why I think it is so important for people to travel abroad: to be able to compare our view of life to the rest of the worlds. If we don't envy theirs, then we will often appreciate what we do have.
She also made a point about the solution of tapping into our oil reserves here at home. She said that is like when you max out a credit card, the solution being to open another one. I agree that our domestic oil supply will not be the solution. But I do think that our modern day technology will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment. What is most important here is her point - to get out of this situation we can't keep consuming (at least not oil). Otherwise our finite supply will firstly become even more expensive (less supply more demand) and then be completely gone. Better travel now!
Links of the Day:
Awesome Video
Addicted to Debt
When he’s made of plaster…
13 years ago
2 comments:
Lagom-The Lexin Swedish-English dictionary defines lagom as "enough, sufficient, adequate, just right".
Good concept.
DRILL, DRILL, DRILL - Much of the rigs are off the coast of Santa Barbara, and those people are the worst. So if we spill, at least it washes up on their shore. Jerks should widen the 101 to 3 lanes anyways. Plains Exploration (ticker PXP) would benefit.
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