Lost Penmanship: Thomas Jefferson Would Be Saddened
- Image by blmurch via Flickr
There are of course similarities between the economic recession that blanketed the US economy in 2009 and the Great Depression of the 1930s. The stock market took a beating. Unemployment was prevalent in families and communities across the nation. Food, fuel and livestock became almost unbearably expensive, causing folks to turn to conserving and rationing their food and transportation.Yet, historians will balk at comparing the economic recession of the recent times to the Great Depression. To understand why, they say we have to rewind the clock two or three generations.During the Great Depression, a staggering one in four Americans was out of work. Parents who had little income in the city couldn’t afford to feed their children. They sent the kids off to live with relatives in the country who could use their help on the farm. Soup kitchens and bread lines became iconic symbols of need. Families would store fresh potatoes under hay to preserve them throughout an entire winter. Compare that to the modern-day recession, when the worst of times saw the unemployment rate hovering around 10 percent. So far, stories of children being shipped off to live with relatives in the country have not become commonplace. While food pantries have seen their number of patrons rise significantly, the middle class still goes primarily to the grocery store to get their groceries.It’s not an act of disrespect toward those who struggled through the Great Depression to compare these difficult times to theirs. Also, it’s not intended to lessen the significance of the hardships faced by Americans these days to say the two cannot be compared.But a bit of perspective never hurt anybody. Perhaps today’s generation has gotten a dose of empathy, even respect for the ancestors who proceeded, and who waded through much rougher waters than we today can imagine.
Is the Recession Comparable to the Great Depression?
- Image by Renegade98 via Flickr
There are of course similarities between the economic recession that blanketed the US economy in 2009 and the Great Depression of the 1930s. The stock market took a beating. Unemployment was prevalent in families and communities across the nation. Food, fuel and livestock became almost unbearably expensive, causing folks to turn to conserving and rationing their food and transportation.Yet, historians will balk at comparing the economic recession of the recent times to the Great Depression. To understand why, they say we have to rewind the clock two or three generations.During the Great Depression, a staggering one in four Americans was out of work. Parents who had little income in the city couldn’t afford to feed their children. They sent the kids off to live with relatives in the country who could use their help on the farm. Soup kitchens and bread lines became iconic symbols of need. Families would store fresh potatoes under hay to preserve them throughout an entire winter. Compare that to the modern-day recession, when the worst of times saw the unemployment rate hovering around 10 percent. So far, stories of children being shipped off to live with relatives in the country have not become commonplace. While food pantries have seen their number of patrons rise significantly, the middle class still goes primarily to the grocery store to get their groceries.It’s not an act of disrespect toward those who struggled through the Great Depression to compare these difficult times to theirs. Also, it’s not intended to lessen the significance of the hardships faced by Americans these days to say the two cannot be compared.But a bit of perspective never hurt anybody. Perhaps today’s generation has gotten a dose of empathy, even respect for the ancestors who proceeded, and who waded through much rougher waters than we today can imagine.
Unemployment Can Trigger More Than Depression of a Bank Account
One of the hidden downsides of unemployment comes as a surprise to many: depression. Whenever a nation goes through an economic slump, the spirits of the people tend to mirror those numbers. For many, losing a job is enough of a shock to the system and to one’s self-esteem to trigger depression. Add to that the stress of needing to provide for a family, the rejection of job applications, and mounting bills, and it’s a wonder that someone who’s been unemployed for several months is able to mount a smile at all.
Experts say it’s something to watch out for. They also say it’s something that can be dealt with, and to a degree, prevented.
One thing for the job-hunter to keep in mind is: unemployment is temporary. It will eventually end. In the meantime, mind, body and soul must be kept healthy so that when employment does resume, the worker is ready to hit the workforce again.
One way to prevent depression from creeping up is to exercise regularly. Whether it’s a walk in the park or a game of tennis with a friend, getting the heart rate up is a huge factor in fighting depression from creeping in.
Another thing experts recommend is volunteering. Since most unemployed are home anyway, they tend to have extra time on their hands. Volunteering serves a dual purpose: it fills a void in the volunteer’s heart, and serves a purpose in the community.
While it might be easy to stay in pajamas when there’s no office to go in to, it’s more likely that a person is going to feel like a bum if he or she is dressing like one, even at home. Self-grooming is an important part of feeling mentally stimulated during bouts of unemployment.
Despite the fact that it’s a time of struggle, those who view the period of unemployment as an opportunity to grow will be the most successful in keeping depression at bay.
