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The gaming abstraction really took hold in the latter part of the 20th century as computational systems improved. Trouble is, the machines took over, for various reasons, but the prime reason is that machinations by the best-and-brightest to, essentially, milk off the top back-fired, upon them and us.
And, Big Ben, and his crew, have not been able to unwind the situation. In fact, Big Ben, you have put the US taxpayer on the hook for trillions. And, in that wonderful environment of Jackson Hole, you just promised to put us further in hock, just to please the gamers.
Ah, the gamers rallied for a day, did they not? Granted Adam talked the 'spirits' as being of importance. But, the current spirit is so far removed from any reality that no one knows how to get the top spinning again.
Well, Megan provides a pretty good overview of what not to expect in this article: The Great Stock Myth. Actually, she makes the issue pretty clear.
From whence, new royalty, did you get the notion that you could make 30% per year? Divine right of kings?
The key is to save and to protect, not just milk the system. And, funding of future payouts has to get some attention. That is, the mode of only getting to within 60% of some goal and then expecting returns to make up the difference was idiotic, has always been idiotic, and could never hold up, in the longer run. We have to fund further than that.
However, once there is the accumulation, where, then, is there safety (that is, absence of malfeasance) so that the funds are available when needed? The equity markets, as currently played so boisterously every day, are not the place.
We can easily note that people have chased after unsustainable returns for some time now. Did they always? Well, in the past 20, or so, years, the illusion was fostered by machinations founded upon computer systems (this we can get control of, truth engineering, essentially).
What is sustainable? That number is something that we can discuss, and define. The concept of near-zero would apply. That is, no excessive return comes about without deprivation of another's position. All the talk about non-zero sum rests upon what one might consider a suspect world view (it is a simple matter similar to that of there not being perpetual motion - or, in other words, continuing the surrealism of economics and its dismal domain).
Actually, what is a return? Making money on other people's bellying up for some stock is not a return even though we let that sort of thing happen now. Yes, on the tele the other day, a trader was bragging about how they are making money: buying low and selling high (part of the milking process that ought not be allowed). Too, we have seen the few with multiples of take beyond imagination.
Yet, the types of returns that we see with the games (or current markets) are a strong equivalent of those associated with the Ponzi notions. Or, ought I say Made-off? As, his computational system put out sufficient reports (actually, trash, as we know in hind-sight) to make a whole bunch of people think that they were just raking it in.
In many cases, we have exported colonialistic entrapment, and exploitation of workers, to elsewhere. Of course, the goal was to obtain cheap products to sell; however, huge returns were another goal. That whole thing, definitely, is not sustainable in the long run.
How can the US have jobs when the main thrust of those in charge is to push exploitation overseas? But, the US worker wizened up,over time. Hence, the offshore focus. So, it's time to consider a Magna Carta for business. For people to spend, they need much more than access to unending debt. And, the new kings need to be put under some type of oversight beyond the 'yes' man scheme that is now in vogue.
By the way, the US economy, as a whole, needs to wake up to debt issues, to boot.
Remarks:
12/15/2012 -- Coase, on the subject.
10/05/2012 -- Yes, yes, chimera it is.
08/04/2012 -- I can hear it: with the DOW over 13K, what are you talking about using 'chimera'? Well, look at the dire warnings, for one. Are you looking at FB as a poster boy? We'll get technical and explain the problem. Do we have a solution, at this time? Yes, essentially.
02/24/2011 -- People matter.
01/27/2011 -- The chimera shines.
01/19/2011 -- For the most, things are dire, not by necessity.
11/02/2010 -- Over a year later, the message is the same, except some changes have occurred. But Big Ben continues in his ways. Of real note is that the jobless rate is high; out-housing really set up for that. Also, we need to re-look at that learned from the 'vons' guys, Ludwig and Friedrich. See Near Zero.
09/02/2010-- The FED just had their hoe-down.
Modified: 12/15/2012
