I've been thinking of this for some time.
We have the worst economy in 80 years, since the 2008 financial collapse (thank you, Wall Street) so it's the worst downturn since the 30's, since the Great Depression. They've called this one a few things like the "Great Recession" and the "Great Mancession" since so many men, proportionately, lost their jobs. It's even been referred to as the "Second Great Depression."
And now?
Now, the worst drought and heat wave since the 30's, at the same time. (See links below).
What are the odds?
1934 and 1936, specificially, were the worst drought and heat years of that time.
I tell you, the similarities and attributes these 2 economic downturns share are pretty uncanny.
Here's hoping it gets no worse. Let's hope there are no worse bread lines, like those of the 30's, etc., etc.
I don't think we're as tough now as those people were then. We aren't as close to poverty, as a group, as a nation, as a people, as they were then.
We aren't good at living without, I suspect.
Links: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48076883/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/05/12579687-drought-hits-56-percent-of-continental-us-significant-toll-on-crops?lite
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4 comments:
My mom and dad got married in 1932. Mother had a lot of stories about those drought years, and how they lived mostly on beans, bread, and water gravy. They both worked on farms as hired help. She always said that the depression didn't affect them much, since they were already poor before it started.
And that's the thing. Then, people didn't have much. To fall back now, people either had things or had expectations or both. I hope we're tough in this sense. If not, it won't be pretty. Already suicides for middle-aged men are up, at least. We'll see. Here's hoping for the best, of course.
It's funny, but a lot of my friends and I have been having the same discussions. Let's hope for the sake of us all, that the similarities end soon.
I couldn't agree more, Chloe.
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