Navigating the Minefield of Short-Termism
Its disappearance went largely unnoticed. There was no post mortem, no eulogy, no deep sighs for what had been lost. Posterity slipped from our consciousness as we ushered in the neoliberal era 40 years ago. Populations would now be administered, not led. Grand vision was a quaint artifact of generations past. Besides, the invisible hand of the marketplace would see to all our needs today, tomorrow, forever. Politicians grew smaller and smaller until they shrunk to fit the mold of technocracy. Like sheep being dipped we were plunged into a world of supply-side economics in which lower taxation and deregulation would deliver manna from heaven. We focused on skinning the economy, and society, right to the bone. Everything would be maximized, nothing would be wasted, not even the offal. We were surrendered to a world of short-termism. We elected governments of technocrats - grey suits stuffed with wet cardboard - whose horizons were measured in electoral cycles. They would do what they
I'm really distressed about this, Mound. Just yesterday I was kidding with my wife about how I hoped she would make it to her 100th birthday.
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad, Lorne. Earlier this week there was an exchange between Betty White and Ryan Reynolds when she said he couldn't get over her. Typical Betty White, right to the end.
DeleteTo see Betty on the same page as Trump and Epstein is perplexing!
ReplyDeleteHappy new years to all.
TB
Too bad Christopher Hitchens is dead. I think he had an anti-Betty White book in him.
ReplyDeleteRIP Betty. Thanks for your smile.