Wednesday 14 September 2011

Lament for the Organic Economy


Overheard in the Caravan:

No.1 Son; "Dad, what's a Walkman?"

Chairman: "Ancient technology."

Following that exchange, it struck me that to someone aged 13, a Walkman, which was iconic to my generation, is practically unknown.

While at the Ludlow Food Festival we heard a 5 piece band called Lament playing in one of the squares. Excellent, if you like Latino rhythms.


One thing notably absent from the festival was organic food. Seems people have now lumped organics into the same metaphorical basket as vegan food.

Pundits maintain we need low interest rates and tax cuts to stimulate the economy, but persuading people to spend more than they can afford has contributed to the situation we're now in. There's simply no incentive for people to save.

Oh well, I suppose the mystics (i.e. economists) will sort it all out. If only they could agree what's needed - but they can't, which is why I call them mystics.

Anyone read Alistair Darling's memoirs? Must be a bit like reading the memoirs of a Finance Director of a large company; riveting stuff - if you're a bean counter.

I hear the The Home Builders' Federation has been engaged in a bit of circular logic while defending the building of homes that are far too small for purpose. They said that if new homes were built bigger, some people would be priced out the market. Well, if people can't afford them, then surely the prices will have to come down to the level where people can afford them, else there will be no market for the houses in the first place. Methinks they protest too much.

2 comments:

Alan Burnett said...

The sad thing about economists these days is that they are still reading text books that were written before globalism meant that we have little control over many aspects of our own economy. Why you should keep interest rates low so we can buy more denim jeans made in China or India is beyond me. Maybe it is time I came out of retirement.

Steve Borthwick said...

My 10yr old Son thinks a CD is where the lyrics to tracks that he downloads onto his iPod are written down, he has no idea what the silver disk is for.