Another peeve

I'm really tired of reading the statement "we're not in a depression yet or any where near it." You see it all the time now, which alone is pretty good evidence that we are indeed in a depression, but people confidently assert otherwise.

To which I reply, oh yeah? The bottom of the Great Depression was 1933. But before you hit the bottom, you've got to fall. The Crash of 1929 was no where near the bottom, but who would say that 1929 did not begin the Great Depression? 1930 was a year like 2008 with layoffs, plant closures, declining profits, etc, but still a good way off from the bottom; yet who would say that 1930 was not part of the Great Depression? Back in the 1930s, people didn't know they were in the Great Depression until they were years into it with no hope of getting out. You'd think folks in the 21st century would take advantage of our better historical perspective, but most of what I read hasn't got a clue.

We are in the crash phase of the Great Depression of the 21st century; we're still falling. Yes, you can play Pollyanna and keep optimistic--right up to the moment you hit bottom and go splat. It would be better, however, to assess the current situation realistically and respond appropriately instead of insisting that you cannot arrive at the destination to which the bus you're riding is taking you.