Predict Social & Cultrual Trends Using Stocks & the Economy
‘Us & Me’ Here to Stay?
This series of articles should have clued you in to how the stock market, the economy and social and cultural trends are entwined.
Historically the ‘Us & Me’ mentality appears to kick in as stock markets decline and economies under perform. This mentality, depending on the extent of decline, will stick around for a few months to a few years after. Eventually it gradually dissipates to the ‘You & We’ mentality as stocks go back up and the economy improves.
Hopefully from the various examples you have begun to see a link between fluctuations in the stock market and the mood of the people. The larger the corresponding fluctuations in the stock market and economy are, the bigger the change in mentality of the social crowd.
The direction of the stock market and the health of the economy should now help clue you into how people’s behavior, mood and outlook are changing.
What’s the Dow Jones Industrial Average telling you?
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- The Time of “Us & Me”, Not “You & We”?
- The Roaring Twenties, 1929 Stock Market Crash & Great Depression
- The Rise & Fall of the Klu Klux Klan
- The 60s Peace Movement & the Slump
- “You’re Either With Us or Against Us”
- EU Break Up & Racist Political Parties
- Predict Social & Cultrual Trends Using Stocks & the Economy
3 Comments
While generalizing about “history shows…” is always tempting and, in this case, sometimes reassuring, other social trends must also be taken into account. Today we cannot ignore the social consequences of income disparity (the top 10% enjoying an increasing share of income and wealth) and apparent collusion between government and big business.
In the last 50 years this appears to have increased regardless of economic swings and public mood. With the return of Good Times concerns over these trends will fade while the process continues.
In our win/lose culture we seem to identify with the winners: We all believe we have a shot at joining that top 10%. Even as the data challenge that possibility. A peculiar–and sad–take on the American Dream.
I think this election showed however that the American people are tired of big biz, pharma, oil… running the country and I pray that our President will push the House to get something done and change this.
I do believe the disparity between the haves and have nots is out of control and it’s time the legislation that promotes this is removed. Will that ever happen? Who knows but if “we the people” vote in legislators that actually do their job and represent us, maybe!
By the way GREAT articles Chris!