So a few weeks ago, I decided to fast track my economic education with a compulsory daily pig out on all things finance. I began scanning the business pages in the paper and online, reading as much as I could. I stopped flicking the radio dial or remote control when the finance report came on. I even sat through several prime ministerial addresses about the global financial crisis, only wandering off for snacks twice. Three times tops. How committed is THAT?
Much to my surprise, the economy now has me hooked on its current mix of drama, fear and panic. I find the whole thing gripping. Each night I’ve begun flicking compulsively between the E! entertainment channel and the Sky Buisness channel. Which is how I came to understand that a recession means two consecutive quarters of negative growth – just like Angelina Jolie’s body since she had her twins two consecutive quarters ago.
All the men in my life and several of the women pay close attention to the stock market so I have many excellent teachers in my attempt to speak fluent economy.
In conversation, I’m now able to casually drop in (other people’s) clever opinions like “Oh, I think today was just a dead cat bounce”. I can also confidently use the word ‘bottom’ as a verb (as in, ‘we haven’t bottomed yet’).
My new lingo works a treat with everyone from taxi drivers to people at parties because have you noticed? The economy has suddenly replaced the weather as the default topic for small talk in every situation.
Top Comments
Mia - this is a brilliant article ... it's so true in many ways although I'm not doing my bit by getting pregnant nor do I shop very much here, I usually jet off to the US to do a massive shop each year but I haven't done that for sometime due to being sick and my business being the main drain on my funds.
I've always been interested in the economy and politics and could gab on about it forever, but I too am finding myself much more obsessed with the overnight results of the NYSE and our dump of a dollar ... I import my products from the US so it's a really crap time for me right now and I'm obsessed with watching the dollar continuing to sink lower and lower and economists saying it's not traditional and doesn't make sense!
my life is a soapie. seriously though. and so is the economy. and all those petty wars have gotten so out of hand they aren't even ironically funny anymore.