Governments all over the world are finding it difficult to deliver on promises made to their electorate due to soaring oil prices and slowing global economic growth . Indeed, economic conditions have changed since last year and it is becoming harder to fulfil all the promises made to working families, entrepreneurs, corporations, local governments, meet the infrastructure needs of the future generations and save the planet.
We have had a great run of economic growth since the Asia credit crisis and the burst of the Internet bubble. We believed that this time we would be safe from recessions; Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, would see to it. Even now, voices rise to claim that we will be alright; the increasing consumerism of China and India is continuing to pull the train of the world economy. We have shifted our adoration toward new idols.
If this could only be true. But history shows that it is unlikely to be the case. In the last 100 years alone, a chain of economic crashes shine vividly in our mind as reminders of caution, to name just a few: 1929, 1939, 1973, 1979, 1989, 1990 in Japan , 1998, 2000. Booms regularly end in busts, happy times end in tears.
Many things can go wrong that have not yet been factored into our forecasts: the calamities that are afflicting China, for example, could end up igniting inflation and depressing output; the rising cost of food in the less developed inland areas of China and across the rest of Asia could trigger social unrest of a grand scale; the shortage of drinkable water could result in increased public spending and even border conflicts in the interest of gaining access to water.
Every nation needs to think outside the box. The degree of interconnectedness of our worldwide economic and financial systems, our reliance on overseas markets and overseas manufacturing capacity, our dependency on international capital markets, to which China is a major contributor, make it illusory to believe that we can be shielded from booms and busts. No intellectual model of reality can capture all relevant factors, including what Nassim Nicholas Taleb calls "Black Swans": high-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare events beyond the realm of normal expectations.
What should governments do in that case? There is not much they can do. It's up to us, simple citizens to guide these decisions. Are we going to fight for our individual share of a shrinking pie? Or are we going to act differently?
Not everything is bad about difficult times. These are times of personal growth, times of bonding in the face of adversity, time of self-restriction for the benefit of others. One feels naturally ashamed of splurging money and wasting scarce resources when it is clear that family, friends and neighbours will receive less for it. It is also a time where faith in the future becomes critical.
An enormous change is now required from all the nations of the world, and in particular from the developed nations. As it becomes apparent how interconnected the world is, we need to realise that humanity is one single, integrated nation, with multiple provinces. Each province has its own strengths, weaknesses, needs and aspirations. But all are part of one. Our solidarity and self restraint have to now be conducted for the benefit of all including those who do not speak the same language that we speak, do not share the same beliefs, have a different colour of skin or concepts of etiquette, who inhabit countries we have never visited.
Throughout history, there have been societies established on the principle that the good of the society is more important than the good of the individual. Inevitably, these societies have failed, with the greatest of all being the eventual demise of the Soviet Union , whose system was based on the abolition of private property and the imposition of institutionalised solidarity. The wisdom of Kabbalah explains to us why these utopian societies are doomed. Each of them has attempted to impose altruistic behaviour on its members, but Kabbalah tells us that our inherent nature is to operate based on self-interest. As a result, the individuals in these societies grow more and more dissatisfied as they operate against their nature . And inevitably, some in the society begin to take more than others, whether it is of physical goods or of power. The dichotomy between ideals and reality will eventually destroy the system.
According to Kabbalah, the only way to make a lasting change where the members of the society will all feel fulfilled and satisfied is to change our very nature. Kabbalah provides a methodology for us to experience the reality that we are one universal human soul. When people understand this simple truth, then it becomes obvious that taking care of others is really the same as taking care of yourself. There will be no need to force people into giving and sharing. This will be their inherent nature, and the society will flourish. The crises facing the world today will disappear as over-consumption and exploitation become ancient history. The world will be in harmony .
Bnei Baruch, http://www.kabbalah.info/is the largest group of Kabbalists in Israel, sharing the wisdom of Kabbalah with the entire world. Study materials in over 25 languages are based on authentic Kabbalah texts that were passed down from generation to generation.http://www.kabbalah.info/course/course.php
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