Shit yourself quick! It's a CRISIS!!!

Have you happened to notice how everything these days is a Crisis? Years ago, we had the Cuban Missile Crisis, which, if you recall anything historic at all, was a wonderful springboard for political denunciations and witch-hunting that came a little sooner than Orwell predicted. I think some sub-editor was just doing his job of course, but the word itself became altogether very useful to the political machinations of the time. But now we have grown up, moved on and learned from the past. Nothing like a little Crisis to inject some fear into an already fearful populace. The more afraid you are, the easier you are to control. Of course there are very real issues we are facing, but I'm not going to get in depth on those this time.

So first the US had the Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis, which led us to the Global Economic Crisis or World Financial Crisis (depending on which media outlet you are reading). Of course the Middle East Crisis never seems to go away, but it did get re-tagged again as a Crisis. They might have meant Iraq, or perhaps Palestine/Israel, or even Afghanistan as they all seem to be countries in Crisis. However, it's better that you don't really know what they're talking about, so long as you are sure the World is in Crisis and keep panicking, everything will be alright. That wasn't enough, though, and we were soon coming face to face with a Welfare Crisis, which was caused by the Jobs Crisis, which was a lead-on from the Global Economic/World Financial Crisis, of course.

But wait! There's more! Those were just the main Crises our popular media parrots on about!!

Now we have a state health system in Crisis following revelations that the State Government owes $117.5 million to hospital and other medical facility suppliers leading yet more people to face their own personal crises.

Let's not also forget our fellow men overseas whilst they suffer still in what has turned from a simple humanitarian Crisis of a few thousand dead from cholera (a very avoidable disease, but what's a few thousand Zimbabweans compared to a few thousand Americans right?) into what is now being touted as a full-scale political and economic Crisis.

Sri-Lanka is also facing Crisis according to the Red Cross but of course the powers that be are denying that is the case. Perhaps that's because they prefer using different words like disaster, catastrophe or emergency? Or is Crisis too harsh a word? Would they rather we just call it a pickle, or a spot of bother?

Frankly, although this is most definitely a period of significant upheavel for just about everyone around the world, the trumpeting of the world being in Crisis is, to my mind, duplicitous. Yes, things are bad for many people and I could argue all day as to how blatantly unfair it is for so many people who are suffering due to the reams of mis-management that we call governments across the world. This is nothing new, so like I said, I won't say too much about it right now.

But what I see is a period of change and an opportunity for us all. Of course personally it is an opportunity to re-evaluate my money (mis)management skills so I can protect myself somewhat in the future. It is also an opportunity for everyone to re-evaluate their priorities and what we as a society put our faith in. For far too long, we, the middle classes in particular, have coasted along thinking that we didn't really need to worry about what was happening in the world because we're ok. You might have known that things weren't quite right for a lot of people, but you couldn't see it so it was easy to ignore.

The only good thing to say about this current infatuation with the word 'Crisis,' is that it is making people realise they need to change how they see the world and their place in it. We're all in this together!

One thing that is not good about calling everything a Crisis is that the panic it induces also induces a state of catalepsy in the population, making us all easier to control. Don't mistake me for a conspiracy theorist here. It is simply a fact and if you don't believe me, tell me so and I will get the proof for you and put it in another blog. If you are afraid, you will do what you are told. And that's just what is wanted. We can't have people thinking for themselves, oh no, that would cause us to realise that the way we have been doing things since the rise of capitalism is not working. There are alternative models of government and as I have said before, those governments that are protecting their people during such times are beacons of hope, which we just cannot have, of course.

I don't say that the media should stop using the words they wish to to create their often amusing headlines. These 'Crisis' headlines I am finding particulary amusing myself. Just be aware of it and that will be enough. Perhaps in time you can laugh at it too!

What do you think? Have you come across anymore Crises?