Weekly Musings 32 8-13-11
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For those who are new to the Musings: they are basically a glimpse into my notebook, the unfiltered swamp where I organize future themes, sort through the dozens of stories and links submitted by readers, refine my own research and start connecting dots which appear later in the blog or in my books. As always, I hope the Musings spark new appraisals and insights, and thank you for supporting the site.
New Book Note
"An Unconventional Guide to Investing in Troubled Times" is still in the top 10 of the Kindle Store's "Investing" category (currently #7), which sounds more impressive than the actual number of books sold, which is 420 ebooks for August 1- 13. Clearly, it doesn't take many sales to make it into the top 10 in "investing."
I delivered the final copy for the print edition's back cover today, including endorsements from Jim Kunstler, Chris Martenson/Adam Taggart, Tyler Durden/Zero Hedge and Michael Panzner. I feel very fortunate to get positive reviews from these forward-thinking luminaries.
The goal is to issue the print edition by early September.
The Process of Change
We often talk about change, about how change is the only permanent feature of life, and so on, but we talk much less about the process of change, which is often wrenching.
It is the premise of oftwominds.com and many other books/blogs that the Status Quo--dependent on ever-rising debt and asset values, on cheap, abundant energy, food and other resources--is unsustainable, and thus it cannot last. As a result, it will be replaced by some other system, very likely within the next 10-15 years.
For those who fear this loss of the Status Quo, then this change will likely be unwelcome, unsettling and frightening. Yet it need not be so. In my view, the process of change remains the same over the full spectrum of human experience, from individual self-change to transformation of vast social and economic systems.
To speak of the coming transformation in terms of Kubler-Ross's stages of denial, anger, bargaining, resignation and aceptance has become common, and that is a realistic model when dealing with loss.
But the entire process of change more closely resembles classic psychotherapy, in which the patient seeks help because their responses and models are no longer working: something is deeply and irrevocably wrong in their life, and at some breaking point they surrender their pride and fear of the unknown and seek help.
Having gone through classic psychotherapy with a female psychiatrist during a critical crisis phase in my life circa age 37-38, I know a bit about this process. While there are long shelves of books on psychotherapy, self-help, self-analysis, and a vast range of other therapies, the basic idea can be boiled down to this:
The patient has to face that their fantasy-self, the person is who is always in control, always caring, always selfless, etc., is not real. The person must then come to terms with their real self, which includes positive traits and also all those elements they refused to accept before: weakness, selfishness, and a host of other faults.
The typical first reaction is the familiar stages of denial and anger, mostly triggered by an awakening self-hatred: we only "like" the fantasy self, and dislike the weak, vulnerable, depressed real self.
The process of change is integrating the various parts of the self into a whole being that is accepted and nourished for what it is, a dynamic mix of impulses, habits, tropisms, thoughts, emotions, motivations, talents, experiences and actions.
The person who has never gone through this profound process often fears what will be uncovered; ironically, we fear the discovery of our true self, and cling to the fantasy-self which is fundamentally the cause of our problems and anxiety.
In other words, we fear the process that will make us whole and bring us a grounded well-being and happiness because the outcome is unknown.
As a nation, we are precisely in this same place: we cling to a fantasy version of the U.S., as a powerful, 'can-do" innovative country of limitless wealth and freedom. The reality is much less attractive, and yet rather than face up to the darker aspects of America we are in a stage of denial tinged with rage.
We want the Savior State to keep paying our bills, and we don't care how it does so. We are terrified by the possibility that the Savior State might implode, even as we recognize it is also a too-powerful force of oppression dominated by a self-serving financial Elite.
We can't have it both ways: we can't cling to the fantasy version and get the benefits of a realistic appraisal. If we want to move forward to a healthy realism, then we have to move beyond denial and self-loathing.
As a nation, this will require accepting that we can no longer consume unlimited supplies of energy at low prices, and print unlimited sums of paper money to support our services and asset prices. We must accept that allowing the nation to operate for the benefit of a self-serving Elite is not serving the interests of the lower 99% or 95%.
One of the key stages in the process of change is to accept responsbility for where we are right now, and fashion a realistic response. Offering some ideas on what constitutes a realistic response and plan of action is the subject of my books "Survival+" and the new guide to investing in troubled times.
We are not victims, helpless, or trapped. There are things we can do to improve our resiliency, sustainability and well-being. That is the path of positive change and transformation, and it's what motivates me to keep writing, and to do those practical things for myself and my household.
From Left Field
Genes vs training: The secrets of success (via Michael G.) -- rebutting the "10,000 hours of training are needed for mastery" theory.
My own sense is the key metric is how much technique is needed--playing violin is mostly technique, running/biking is much less so.
to denigrate the role of government and vigorously oppose taxes to fund it." Oversimplification, but interesting. The super-rich definitely have a sense of entitlement while claiming to be self-made.
China ghost city video (14:38) - inc ase you missed all the previous mind-boggling videos of empty cities awaiting magicially wealthy new residents
The Bacon Uprising: How China's Top-Secret Strategic Pork Reserve Is Burning Down The Amazon
"What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone? (Winston Churchill)
Thanks for reading--there won't be a Musings next weekend, as I'm taking some time off.
charles
