And we were told it would increase because soon there would be none left. The price of petrol reflected all this. Other products of course increased in price as the price of petrol was going up because oil was reported to be such a finite resource and about to run out.
Current Situation
At the end of 2008 the price of oil had crashed. According to Oil Price, Today and Tomorrow, during 2009 it has traded between $US35 and $US50 per barrel. So few people want oil now that it seems it will last forever. The freeways must be nearly empty and there must hardly be a plane in the sky. Hardly anyone reading this must be driving their car anymore.
Reality or Global Economic Crunch
Of course this does not reflect the reality of most people. Nearly everyone is getting up and going to work. They are putting petroleum products in their car and using the petrol based products that make the world go round, much as they did last year when they had to pay so much at the bowser. Something has happened. There has been a ‘global credit crunch.’ Nobody can get credit anymore.
Where does money go when it is ‘tight? Do people keep it under the bed? There must be a lot of beds with bulges in them. Or is that the price of oil is something that only annoys us when we fill up? Is money just the cursor at the end of the currency traders computer table? Are ‘the numbers’ just that ‘numbers’ that are neither good nor bad?
Rate of Unemployment
Even in the Great Depression there was about a third of people out of work. By far the vast majority kept their jobs. The Australian government now predicts that the jobless rate could be as high as 10%. Ninety percent of people will keep their jobs. Perhaps it is all in the reporting of things? Would people feel different if the report said 90% of people will keep their job? The reality is that the recession, global economic crisis, end of the world as we know it is likely to come and go. Most people are going to keep the jobs they probably hate (since 90% of people will stay employed). Some lucky ones might change to a job they like a little better.
Beating of the Blues
None of us shared the salaries of those few that are now crying poor, so why should we share in their misery? People should say ‘we are sick of ‘plunges’ and rallies on the big stock markets. We did not get their wealth, and we do not want their gloom. We are sick of the recession and we are going to ignore it. Instead we are going to love our spouse/family and children, none of whom will change and let the hyperventilating money men pay too much or too little for oil. The sun will go up and set at night. The opposite sex will always be attractive and flowers will always smell. Nearly everyone will have a job and no doubt the price of oil will go up again one day.
What to do
It might be wise to ignore their ‘global financial crisis’. Everyone has their own problems, large or small. The media will let everyone know when it is over. In the meantime we are living in a world where there are people good and bad and weather good and bad. Most people will keep their jobs according to government predictions. According to Steve Biddulph, renowned psychologist, as the world economy slows down people should rediscover community and focus on friends, family and the planet earth. And maybe try to remember what night is garbage night.
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