Atrios links to this Bloomberg report that describes how the rest of the world basically made all of the exact same mistakes we did thus precipitating the global financial crisis.
You know, in every movie I've seen about the end of the world,
civilization collapses because of something wicked cool happening - an
asteroid hits, nuclear war, a supervirus, an ape revolution, whatever.
If civilization collapses over credit default swaps I an going to be
pissed.
(Nicked Omega Man pic from here.)
Civilization won't collapse, but the unspoken assumption that it could hinders the various 'important decision-makers' from productively responding to this nest of incestuous crises. It also doesn't help that they equate 'not making obscene amounts of money' with 'the end of civilization'.
Posted by: Oscar Zoalaster | March 07, 2009 at 01:36 AM
Posted by: jfxgillis | March 07, 2009 at 07:01 AM
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper
Posted by: jfxgillis | March 07, 2009 at 07:02 AM
Nothing ends, Adrian.
Nothing *ever* ends.
Posted by: Humpty Hump | March 07, 2009 at 08:06 AM
As long as there's enough electricity around for me to listen to the Zoobombs at 6:00 in the morning on a Saturday, I will NOT concede that darkness has fallen.
Posted by: bartkid | March 07, 2009 at 08:22 AM
Don't worry, it'll get weird.
I have a megachurch down the street. I am positive that if there isn't enough money to buy food the pastor will be able to convince himself and his flock that it is ok to kill and eat me "for the children" rather than get a little hungry.
Here in Florida, baby we'll get zombies!
They walk amongst us.
Posted by: bobby earl | March 07, 2009 at 08:50 AM
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice. . .
Posted by: Notorious P.A.T. | March 07, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Credit default swaps are people. They're made out of people. . . .
Posted by: Michael Bérubé | March 07, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Ha! I never thought of it that way.
Worst case scenario?
CDS = Soylent Green
Great post!
Posted by: Mike | March 07, 2009 at 11:07 AM
I AM CREDIT
see Will Smith battling his way through postapocalyptic, postfinancial New York, fighting Zombie bankers!
Posted by: Oskar Shapley | March 07, 2009 at 09:07 PM
"It's after the end of the world! Don't you know that yet?" - Sun Ra, October 1970.
Posted by: bartkid | March 09, 2009 at 02:49 PM
Yeah that would be a bit disappointing. Though if I had the choice of credit, vs meteor hitting....
Posted by: common Japanese words | March 30, 2009 at 07:48 AM
End of the world you say ! What ever happened to DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS!?!?!?!?!?
Posted by: Joe | December 04, 2009 at 06:44 PM
see Will Smith battling his way through postapocalyptic, postfinancial New York, fighting Zombie bankers!
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Great, I once took the time to post a point-by-point refutation of one of his posts as a comment. He simply truncated it down to one or two sentences and tried to disprove them (not even correctly!). I was unable to comment on that post again.
Not being part of academia I don't expect equal treatment, but it was still pretty low of him.
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