The economy and us

This economics idiot here doesn’t understand a lot about this system that humans have created called the economy. I don’t understand why Singapore is considered to be in recession, our economy is still growing, albeit at a slower rate. Official figures have showed that Singapore’s growth forecast has shrunk from 4.5% to 3%. There is still growth so why is it in recession? I mean, our economy can’t grow infinitely in the long run right?

I like recessions, in a strange way. It’s the only time where the environment gets a little respite from consumerism which sucks up all its resources. It’s funny how economic growth and the environment have only one thing in common which is they both start with a letter ‘E’. One can’t exist in harmony with the other. Sadly, economic growth is usually at the expense of the environment.

We live in a contractual society where we draw up many laws, rules and systems, which tell us how to behave and what we should do, where systems invented like the economy dictates the direction our lives go. Very unfortunately, with a recession in this system, it seems like there are cloudy days ahead for all of us. That’s why I think humans are the victims of their own cleverness until we become the dumbest of all creatures alive. We draw up so many laws, rules and systems, until it bounds and entraps us with no hope of escape.

It’s different for animals. The grass grow, the sun rises and the rain falls and they all live happily without the need for any rules or systems to tell them how to live except for their own natural instincts as it should be.