Perfect Storm!

Among Economist, Academics and Politicians there has been much talk and white papers written about the "perfect storm" of the global economy and the banking crisis.

At the time (and you have to question the word "time" as many knew about it before they let on to the rest) it was difficult to separate out the reality from people wanting to "spin" for their own self interest be they in industry, finance, politics, the media etc etc. There were, are and always will be people spinning it from either side ie over negative or over positive.

However two years on from the financial scandal and the UK political scandal its still hovering and merging with the other scandals, be that the catholic church and child abuse, the scientific community and the Climate change lobby regards real data, the Volcano in Iceland and the closure of Europe and the UK fly zones with all its impact on people and the economy (or not). Add to that the continuing armed struggles in Afghanistan and Iraq, the wide risk and fear of terrorism, the unrest in Palestine, the concerns about Iran and nuclear weapons, the state of the Euro (re Greece, Ireland and what some unkindly call the PIGS facing the IMF Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain) and the alignment of economies without aligned fiscal and monetary policies. The "Perfect storm" does seem to continue to brew. What is interesting is "have we been through it, or is it approaching"?

If 10 years ago anyone would have predicted the experience of 2010 very few would have believed it. The UK closes it airports for a week, hundreds of thousands are stranded abroad! The Pope is asked to close the club! More politician step down at an election on all side than ever before! (incentives maybe?) etc etc. Fewer still would think that most people could and would continue with their lives and business as usual. For me its a reminder of the resilience and determination of people, of individuals to keep going. Amazing!! Teams, groups, organisation, businesses and political parties take their hit, some fall and die others are born or grow from it. This is part of the natural process.

I remember as a young child seeing news reports of earthquake zones and thinking isn't it amazing that at times of great tragedy people get stuck in and do wonderful things to help and save others. In fact we see things in that way but the truth is it happens everyday. These crisis and perfect storms at a micro and macro level are common events and the good will of people is an everyday event as is the life cycle of everything from the joy and excitement of birth and growth (not just of people but also of business, social change, technology etc) to the decline of aging and eventual death of everything.

Im just documenting this here as a marker for myself, not knowing what 2011 or 2020 or 2100 will bring. Im sure interested and believe very much that the entrepreneurs and the generation Y are going to be the pivotal leaders of change, that deliver what i think will be the new triple bottom line of the next generation, where economic, social and environmental responsibility is seen under a new light, all carefully understood to be intertwined and hopefully not institutionalised in any one approach or dogma. I hope!

For now with all the economic and political upheaval, the key issues still remain for me those that are being furthered by the likes of:

http://www.theelders.org/
http://www.longnow.org/

and if i had to pick a top 10 it would be:

1. Respect for and inclusion/empowerment of women - women are great leaders of men.
2. Respect for Nature - earthquakes, volcano's and Tsunami's shape our planet and existence.
3. Respect for people and human rights - people trafficking and exploitation is the biggest cause of unrest everywhere.
4. Respect for diversity and evolving change - new ways of doing things bring on the new world.
5. Respect for renewal - small is beautiful and any institutionalisation eventually leads to bubbles that have to break or be broken.
6. Respect for your own wellbeing - be that related to food, stress, substance abuse or any addictive tendency, people can and do have answers to all these challenges.
7. Respect for young people - they are the future, not to be corrupted by our past ignorance.
8. Respect for science and fact - avoid those peddling spin and fairy tales.
9. Respect for Art, Music and Sport - The human, social and economic benefits of these are huge!
10 Understand the Triple bottom line".... Please, you add yours?


One thing is very clear, when trust is broken or promises of trust are revealed to be what they were, at best, hopes and good intentions and at worst, grooming purely for damning self interests, it helps us to focus on: "what do we understand we trust, and, what do we need to be able to trust better?".


This Millennium particularly with the maturation of the Internet is going to see real change, real access, real dialogue and real people power. Thank goodness for http://www.ted.com/ and Facebook and Twitter and all the others. Lets see where the semantic web and "linked data" combined with augmented reality take us next with the web. "Im trying to be careful with what i wish for as we might just get it!" as the old saying goes!

Id love to hear your thoughts of if you have any cross references beyond many of the things Ive blogged and twittered on in recent year do please share.