An Alternate View of the Depression

Today we discovered a very interesting blog. It is called "Meltdown 2011," and presents what we would call a conspiracy interpretation of current events. The author, a Mr. Scott Gallup, believes the 2007 Depression, or "The Meltdown" as he calls it, is being created intentionally to further the ends of what he calls 'Shadow Powers'. Generally, we discount such a viewpoint, but nevertheless listen to it.

The 'doom and gloomers' have had a better predictive track record than the rest of the population lately, and one could chalk that up to the 'broken clock is right twice a day' effect. On the other hand, given the present economic crisis, the notion that they might be on to something deserves a bit more attention than usual.

If you can navigate Meltdown 2011's enigmatic layout, you will find a treasure trove of 'alternative ' information. We would categorise much of it as more than a little tired, but some of it is original and well-informed, such as it's coverage of issues in the precious metals markets (which was what drew us to the site in the first place).

It is a taxing task to attempt to wrap one's head around vast and complex issues. We ourselves attempt this with open-mindedness, and avoid reductionism. Our opinion is that even if some would-be overlord class is attempting to manage the world's institutions, economies, people and so forth, they are almost certainly not up to the task, and would fail to achieve their intended results. Ultimately, the only functional human systems are those where power and decision-making are widely distributed. Efforts to set up non-functional systems may bring misery and suffering (the Soviet Union again comes to mind), but in time they do collapse.

There are always attempts by politicians, seen and unseen, to grab power. That is what they live for, after all. Perhaps the 2007 Depression will be perceived by the political class as a capital opportunity to grab more power. Perhaps they will even succeed for a time. However, the more vigilant the citizenry is towards attempts to take power from it, and the more prepared they are for such an assualt, the less likely they are to be overpowered. Meltdown 2011 may be going overboard a bit in the vigilance department, but nevertheless it provides interesting food for thought.