World Weary- The company of Strangers and Friends

2011. We are smack dab in the early part of the 21'st century. Already eleven years into it and days have been falling of calendars since January 1, 2001 we are galloping into the 22nd century full tilt, and will ring it in come December 31, 2100. 

The 21st century like any young adult would declare, has brought about it's own share of acne, pimples and the burn of aftershave. Oh yes that first real shave that comes with barely surfacing maturity and the first after burn. We have seen the flare up for democracy in Sudan, Egypt, Libya. Even some of the liberal Middle Eastern Countries have seen situations of unrest. As the world is teetering on the brink of a global recession unemployment levels are reaching historical highs, there is a growing force of lower, middle and upper middle class struggling to make ends meet in all regions of the world and they are standing up and questioning and looking for answers. Be it Asia -India and China have both had resounding concerns with corruption. Be it Anna Hazare's fast for anti-corruption and the introduction of accountability at all levels of government in India, or the derailment of the high speed train in China which led to graft related enquiries. Both of these anti-corruption efforts were driven by well educated, middle class people. In the Northern African region and the Persian Gulf Countries widespread unrest occurred amongst the younger middle and upper middle class. The Arab Spring revolution that began in Tunisia spread so fast through social media and coursed through Egypt, Libya, Yemen,Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman along with a number of the more liberal Middle Eastern Countries. Some of the causes that led to these uprising have been the tense political climate, the autocratic regimes, corruption and the unemployment in large numbers of an educated young populace. This unrest led to the ouster of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia and the resignation of 30 year Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak. The Lehman financial downturn rippled outward from the United States and besides a persistent itch like recession it caused a widespread fear among investors all over the world to stay the hand that feeds unto Public debt. The Euro Zone is faced with a second round of bail out funds for Greece, while having already bailed out Ireland, Spain and Portugal. The International Monetary Fund initially provided a €110 billion loan for Greece, based on the acceptance of various austerity measures This was followed by a €85 billion rescue package for Ireland in November,and a €78 billion bail-out for Portugal in May 2011. This is all part and parcel of growth. It is painful but needs to be done. I believe that if this were not resolved and further austerity measures imposed by the country's government it would have lead to widespread unemployment, banks would refuse to lend funds to businesses, smaller businesses would then close up shop, and taxes and governments would falter eventually. This would have led to a downward spiral which would have dragged the Euro Zone and the rest of the world into another round of belt tightening. It would have been a vicious cycle which would have resembled the spiral ripples around a fast draining sinkhole.

This is a simple synopsis of a big problem.

The world realises it, though weary from a Natural disasters, global epidemics and economic fed bout of diarrhea, the world does know that it might have lost some electrolytes along the way but it knows maybe worse for the wear it can be replenished, it will come through, it will survive. As I see it even if we are back to one, we are left with exactly the same number of players/countries, our population is growing, and we are building ourselves into a more educated, more connected world community that will prevail through sheer force of will and comprehension of issues that matter. We all want to attend the party, the geek, the lover, the drunk, we all want to get through college but dad and mom eventually foot the bills for our generation, or we may even live to ride the wave of massive student loans. But in the end we live and learn; some do succumb but with the company of Strangers and Friends who help most of us do find ourselves when we are lost and confused.

This is what I would like to draw your attention to the media dooms and glooms everything, it is necessary that they not sugar coat everything but they also need to focus on what would happen if things were worse. Even though Egypt is on the mend and even though it pulses under temporary military rule, even though unemployment remains high the country's first free and open elections are still scheduled for November. This is a start. The Libyan struggle continues and the rebels seem to be winning. This is a start for democracy Muammar Ghaddafi ruled for over 40 years (40, even saying it sounds old, I know I feel it in my bones too) it might just be time for a change of scene. The Euro Zone crisis has five of the World's Central Banks the European Central Bank, the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan and the Swiss National Bank ready with a plan to pump funds into large European Banks and provide them with ample access to US dollars in order to prevent a clog up of much required funds in the traps set by institutional fear. If this does not happen it could lead to a disastrous economic meltdown for a large portion of the world. North America is picking up again even though the U.S has been downgraded it is still a powerhouse, its political, financial ramifications are still a vital pulse to gauge the world's health. Canada is recovering too, it will take a while to get up to speed, but we need to focus on the getting up not what threw us down, not the kick that unsettled us, but the waking up. We need to move, else the economy will spread into a lethargic rigor mortis that will damage us greatly. The BRIC - Brazil, Russia, India and China seem to be the way to go with an average 9% growth rate in GDP and a 9-10% inflation rate they seem to bring a balance into the equation as the rest of the developed world struggles at approximately 3% growth rate. The BRIC has low levels of Debt to GDP ratios India at 55.90%, Brazil at 66.8%,China at 19.1% and Russia at 11.1%, while developed countries like the US are at 92.7%, Canada at 81.7%, Europe averaging at the low 80% and Japan at 225.9%. There was a time when I was younger that the Indian currency, would not be listed at Foreign Exchange centres due to the volatility of the Rupee but today it rests a beacon of stability along with the rest of the BRIC.

We all grow up sometime or the other and it is at these times that we can offer our company to the ones who need it most, maybe as strangers. Maybe as friends. Generation Y, the Millennial Generation, Generation Next, Net Generation, Echo Boomers need us now at our 21st to stand and deliver.