Harmony

There was a time when I felt that things generally worked out for the best, and that there was some order to the world. In other words - there was an equilibrium, a rhyme and reason to things! I would also characterize my experience as being part of what I would call an efficient market.

Things seemed to have a way of working themselves out, and did so naturally and accordingly.

There was also, it seemed like, some type of reward system in place. In general, if you did right, and did good, you were rewarded. If you did wrong, you were not.

I don't know how to characterize my feelings right now, other than to say that I no longer feel that the world operates with this same order and balance. Which reminds me of the very popular and succinct saying from Bill Clinton's presidential campaign, "IT"S THE ECONOMY, STUPID." And perhaps there is much truth to this. It makes some sense that when the general population is doing well, that people act accordingly and in the right manner, because they are happy and why wouldn't they do right by you? Now, however, if you inadvertently start shrinking people's net worth, and start taking money away from people, they lose the incentive to do the right thing. They're not getting what they want, so why should you?