Post industrial
Dayton, Ohio, January 2008 [Click to enlarge]
We pull off the highway at the Edwin Moses exit. The irony that a road named for one of the greatest middle distance runners of all time can look as dreary as this isn't lost on me.
Each day brings ever more depressing economic news. Between mortgage meltdowns, financial sector failures, record energy prices and massive job losses, it's easy to lose sight of the individual. Somewhere within the megatrends, the gigantic numbers, the 8-second sound bites from smart-sounding think tank professors on the evening news, there's one person who works at a factory much like this one, walking to his car late on a bleak afternoon and wondering what this all means to him.
When I first took this picture, I thought it was empty. But the more I took in the scene, the more I realized it was telling me the story of so many anonymous souls around us, all fearful of what tomorrow may bring.
Your turn: Is growing speculation of economic storm clouds causing you to worry? If so, how?
I'm not just worried but petified.
ReplyDeleteOne of my 10 yr old daughter's teachers decided that it was necessary to give her an article from our local paper descibing how her Daddy's going to lose his job.
I can tell Ry's concerned.
Read my blog for the details.
We are very very worried. Our daughter and her son now reside with us adding to our financial strain. But our business is a family one.. at least it still is. Two of our sons work with us. If we have to lay them off guess where they move to? Sometimes we are paying them just to mow the lawn so they've at least earned the pay they get.
ReplyDeleteOur business is in construction and so far our expenses more than doubled because we get charged fuel surplus charges on so much that is delivered... which in itself has higher prices.
We are operating in the red right now but NOT using credit cards to make it... so far. Those are getting paid off. So, for that I feel rather thankful.
Change will come.. it always does.
Yes! I believe that outsourcing is killing us! Why should other countries always feed off us? I see more & more companies fold because China can produce at a lower cost, yet the quality of those things we once produced and now have to buy back from Chinese factories has lowered immensely.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't get me started on all the re-calls of poisonous foods and toys they've shipped us in return for giving them our economy! LOL!
Lovely meditation Carmi. Not too worried myself, prayer of serenity and all.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, the world is made up of people who work in places just like these, often for low wages, few benefits and no job security. And that's in Canada, I can't imagine what its like in the States.
ReplyDeleteAs a recent social work grad I've seen the same trends in that field, short term contracts, slashed gov't funding/programs, EAP's that disappear with the factory etc. These factors are already in place, it's worrisome to think of what a real economic downturn would do. It scares everyone.
Right now I'm a probation officer, so ironically, I suppose it may be good for me as long as my contract gets renewed every month, poverty and unemployment fuel crime like no other factor. I already see the results across my desk on a daily basis.
Yeah, I am a little worried... pretty selfishly right now, though, I hate to admit... We are trying to sell our house. The market is crumby. A job awaits my husband and we hope we will not have to have two mortgages.
ReplyDeleteP.S. This photo has a lot of soul, Carmi.
ReplyDeleteI don't so much worry these days, as send up a regular prayer of thankfulness that I'm no longer in the mortgage industry.
ReplyDeleteEventhough I am located in Canada, I am still watching the US economy because most of our trade exports are the US.
ReplyDeleteWhat affects you today will affect us tomorrow as part of the chain reaction.
The good news is that the US dollar is in the increase..... hopefully, everything else will follow suit.
I do worry about economic strain on my wallet and filling the gas tank in my car and the oil tank in my home... but there are so many others that are in a worse boat and I thank God for whatever I am able to have and hope that others get through the struggle.
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