So here we are, trapped in what appears to be a financial crisis of a global scale. Most of us are incapable of comprehending the causes, effects and scope of this crisis and we feel paralyzed by fear and incomprehension. We look to the government for help—but the government can only do so much. In the end, the crisis is our problem—the problem of everyone affected by it. It is up to us to deal with it—at least that's what I believe.
So let's try to get a handle on what the problem is. In my opinion, the first step towards addressing any problem is getting a clear understanding of what it is. Expert opinion tends to be so specialized that it can be more confusing and irrelevant than useful or helpful. What you need is a clear, holistic perspective on the problem in order to be able to address and solve it.
What are the facts? Firstly, most of us don't really understand what's going on other than our day-to-day experience of what's happening around us—apparent panic on the faces of the talking heads on TV, most of whom don't seem to understand what's going on themselves, let alone try to make any of us understand; job layoffs in the thousands and rising unemployment; the loss of a steady paycheck, and so on. But those are the facts as they relate to our individual experience of the problem—for those directly affected by the crisis, at least. In order to get a useful understanding of a problem of this apparent magnitude, you have to go back to the basics—you have to go beyond the soundbites and the inane, empty political rhetoric, most of which is more deceptive than helpful, to get a comprehensive, holistic appreciation of what it's all about.
Basically, what we're talking about is the failure of our entire commercial system—a system of trade that hinges on the exchange of goods and services. Historically, this "system" began as the barter system—the literal exchange of one commodity for another at the "marketplace." Ironically, the way things are headed, we might well be on the road to returning to the barter system, which might not be so bad, but that's another story.
What does the barter system hinge upon? Basically, in the ancient world, much as in modern society, different individuals or groups each had different occupations, each geared towards survival. Some people farmed the land while others hunted or maintained livestock. As time went on, people realized that by exchanging goods at a marketplace, they could collectively improve each others' quality of life. Thus, farmers could exchange grain, fruits and vegetables for meat and dairy products, thereby improving the quality of their diet and lifestyle, while hunters and ranchers could exchange meat and dairy products for grain, fruits and vegetables, thereby diversifying their diet and achieving a better quality of life.
As time went on, the marketplace continued to evolve. A wider range of products and services began to appear in the market, produced by specialized tradesmen and entrepreneurs, in the expectation of meeting a market demand. What fueled this evolutionary process was, fundamentally, a belief in the marketplace—which reduces to the belief that through the system of trade, i.e. the exchange of goods and services, one could achieve a better quality of life or standard of living. This is a fundamentally materialistic worldview, but one that is at the basis of the evolution of the marketplace.
As history progressed, the marketplace continued to evolve until it attained the mind-boggling level of technological complexity and specialization where it stands today. As it increased in complexity, so it became subject to various economic forces associated with demand and supply—market trends, technological advancement, styles, fashions, advertising, etc.
But in spite of its almost incomprehensible level of complexity, the marketplace is fundamentally still about the exchange of goods and services—and it is fueled by the collective desire to improve one's quality of life by trading in the marketplace. It's not just about survival—if it was, then we would still all be hunters, gatherers and farmers. It is about the desire to achieve a higher standard of living through the trade of specialized goods and services.
So, in a sense, the success of the marketplace depends on our collective materialism, in our belief that the quality of our lives can be improved by buying and selling commodities. When we experience a disillusionment in the ability of material commodities to improve the quality of our lives, other than by providing us momentary gratification, that is when the marketplace begins to falter and fail.
So what's the solution? To become more materialistic and ignore the widespread fraud and corruption that has destabilized the marketplace by undermining its credibility on a massive scale? Should we continue to engage in the collective belief (or delusion) that the quality of our lives can, in fact, be improved by acquiring trendy new commodities? Maybe it's only for the best that the marketplace does fail, and we awaken to the reality that materialism is a delusion and that there are more important things in life, like faith and friendships! Of course, the problem with that approach is that thousands of lives will be destroyed as people lose their jobs and are reduced to poverty.
Maybe the only real solution is for someone or something to restore our confidence in the viability of the marketplace, so that greedy, materialistic entrepreneurs can once again feel the need to invest in it and give people jobs. And poor people can once again begin to earn money and spend it in the ongoing delusion that shiny new commodities can actually improve the quality of their lives, other than superficially!
So perhaps what is at the core of the current widespread economic failure is a general sense of disillusionment in the viability of material gratification itself—maybe what people are feeling is a deep spiritual hunger that no market commodity can gratify. Maybe that's a good thing in the long run—a trend that will save our souls rather than save the market! Maybe what we're seeing is a movement away from crass materialism and towards faith and spirituality! If so, then it is a good thing for humanity, even if it is devastating to the market!
Horizon Cybermedia is committed to treading the delicate balance between materialism and spirituality. We believe that the human soul needs nourishment that no market commodity can satisfy. However, at the same time, we depend on the marketplace for our own commodities to be viable! Such is the dilemma that confronts us—but we remain committed to quality and high standards even in the face of economic pressures.
Meanwhile, we invite you to check out our website at ExplorationTheSeries.com and our ongoing film series, Exploration with Uday Gunjikar. Stay tuned for the next episode in the series coming soon and currently in the editing room—a tour of the Wine Country of Sonoma County, CA.
Wishing you the very best,
Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.
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