TERRE HAUTE — This month, inside a church on Terre Haute’s south side, a minister reminded the congregation of the wealth we enjoy.
Few of us probably feel that way, especially after a nearly two-year recession has made the phrases “pay raise” and “job security” seem as out of date as a 45-rpm record. Us, wealthy? Now? Say what?
Yet, most people on Earth live on less than 2 bucks a day, he said.
In fact, according to a report by BBC Radio World Service, nearly half of the world population survives on less than $1 each day. A life under those circumstances likely means few opportunities to better themselves, and exposure to hunger and illnesses. Jobs, education and hope are hard to find, not to mention safe water, functioning showers and toilets, and reliable electricity, according to a United Nations summary.
Thanks to the American spirit and ingenuity, those problems aren’t the norm here. We’re not used to living in such conditions.
There is no doubt the Great Recession — which began in December 2007 and finally has begun to end — has been unforgiving. Its most wounding aspect, especially in Indiana, is unemployment. While a gradual recovery takes hold in the rest of the economy, the job market won’t bounce back for at least another six months, and by then, the recession will have claimed 8 million U.S. jobs, according to Bill Witte, an economist at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
And clearly, this recession’s grip is far stronger than any in recent memory. That grip is loosening very slowly, compared to other recessions.
“The strength of the recovery is usually proportional to the depth of the downturn,” Witte said at the annual IU Kelley School of Business Economic Forecast. “But we don’t think that’s going to be the case this time.”
He added, “We don’t think that consumption is going to be a driving force, as it has been in past recoveries,” Witte said.
When the dust settles on this Black Friday weekend, the status of American consumerism may be more clear. A Reuters-University of Michigan poll, cited in Wednesday’s Christian Science Monitor, showed a decline in consumer confidence this month. People remain worried about their jobs, and rightly so.
As a nation, though, the worst of this long, draining experience seems to be over. At some point, our economy will improve. We’ll start working again. We’ll build new houses in greater numbers again, and hopefully finance them more wisely. We’ll start new businesses again, with more responsible lending. America will recover, just as it always has.
It should strengthen us to remember that even in the roughest patches of this recession, our standard of living is only a dream to people in many places around the globe. Many of us have scaled back spending for the holidays, and have decided to focus on family instead of gifts at Christmastime. With more neighbors struggling to pay their bills and for medicine and groceries, more of us understand the need for contributing to food banks, shelters and charities. As entire industries get overhauled or — worse yet — disappear, lots of Americans are figuring out they’re capable of being re-trained for new lines of work.
The Great Recession is certainly not a desirable event. But it happened, its effect is still with us in many ways, and that fallout will be apparent for a year or two. Maybe the thing to remember this holiday season is not how bad this ordeal has been, but rather how fortunate we are.
One of the greatest feelings in life comes from things you can count on. A car that starts reliably, with a working heater and radio. A house that’s warm and safe. A job with a paycheck that arrives on time. Friends who hang in there. Loved ones who stick by you. Communities that offer help when things go wrong.
By many standards — before, during or after a recession — we live richly in America.
Mark Bennett can be reached at (812) 231-4377 or mark.bennett@tribstar.com
Mark Bennett Opinion
MARK BENNETT: Americans have been experiencing tough times of late, but this country has a lot going for it
- Mark Bennett Opinion
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Mark Bennett: High-profile mural connects historical dots from city to river
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College Class of '13 gets a little extra advice
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MARK BENNETT: Spirited response to a rising river
The power within the Wabash revealed itself last week.
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MARK BENNETT: Littered with irony: Why do people callously discard their trash, and who are they?
Though they aren’t acknowledged by the U.S. Census Bureau, there are basically two demographic groups of people … Those who would dump their old toilet on the banks of the Wabash River or a rural roadside. And those who wouldn’t.
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People who diligently work to make others shine are a rare breed.
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Season of Day 2s arrives
Calendars in Cincinnati contain one extra holiday — Opening Day, traditionally the first Monday in April.
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MARK BENNETT: Amid tragedy and chaos, the hopeful smiles of youth could not be repressed
The image jars the viewer. On its own, the old photograph appears ordinary. Three smiling kids.
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MARK BENNETT: A century later, ‘On the Banks of the Wabash’ still rises above Indiana politics
Music and politics share one commonality — people who like a style different from yours are nuts.
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MARK BENNETT: Digit dialing a thing of the past, but telephoning is still a numbers game
You’ve heard of child prodigies who can play Mozart on piano or perform calculus at the age of 5.
That wasn’t me. -
MARK BENNETT: After years of preparation, 60 immigrants will gather in Terre Haute on March 14 to pledge their allegiance to the United States of America
It will have been a long and difficult road, but it will be an emotional moment when they raise their right hands and begin the oath of citizenship
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MARK BENNETT: The fall and rise of a ‘Young Titan’
Broken. Humiliated. Discarded. Finished.
Few of us think of Winston Churchill in such bleak terms. -
MARK BENNETT: Trying to keep momentum of acceptance within the community a key part of Jeff Lorick’s job
Second-graders’ eyes and minds function differently.
They see the future unjaded. Their possibilities stand tall, not yet choked by the adult weeds of prejudice and bitterness. -
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Educator, not a politician.
Glenda Ritz emphasizes that distinction about herself. -
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Americans seldom use them. And when we do, humility is not our purpose. -
MARK BENNETT: Forgotten Message: Advice from ‘The Mick’ should be remembered in wake of Lance Armstrong’s troubles
The two comments were almost identical.
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MARK BENNETT: A sense of Americana constant passenger as iconic Corvette motors through milestone birthday
On my last ride at the wheel of a ’Vette, I was a wide-eyed teenager, guiding my brother’s almost-new, orange 1976 model.
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MARK BENNETT: Sculptor from North Carolina to capture image of Indiana’s first black state legislator
Well-meaning parents try to instill strong character in their kids.
“Don’t be afraid to stand up for your beliefs,” moms and dads will insist, “even if you stand alone.” -
MARK BENNETT: Heart ailments, avoidable health issues affect high numbers of Vigo residents
Many folks in Vigo County will analyze digits on their bathroom scales this month. After all, January and fitness resolutions are traditional partners.
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MARK BENNETT: For some people in the Wabash Valley, happy holidays require a little help
Picture yourself as a kid, not yet 5 years old, growing up in a small house in Terre Haute.
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MARK BENNETT: Beware Ignorance and Want and reap the benefits of early education
Pretend that Charles Dickens is about to become Indiana’s next governor.
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MARK BENNETT: In spirit of season, calculate your fiscal cliff impact, then argue
Envision “chestnuts roasting on an open fire.”
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MARK BENNETT: Members of Congress should be free to consider all sides of an issue
Attempting to trump the U.S. Constitution requires some nerve.
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MARK BENNETT: An unbudging Congress standing on opposing sides accomplishes little
Sausage patties, hugging a scoop of scrambled eggs and a couple slices of toast on a plate, and chased with nearby steaming black coffee.
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MARK BENNETT: Hoosier voters issue mandate on Bennett’s school reforms
Mike Pence, Mitch Daniels and Indiana legislators should respect the votes of 1,315,026 Hoosiers.
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MARK BENNETT: Elections, governing would look a lot different if everybody voted
A raffle ticket purchase usually comes with a disclaimer — “you must be present to win.”
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MARK BENNETT: On Election Day, as Vigo County goes, so goes the United States
Hempstead sounds like a fine place.
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MARK BENNETT: Upcoming PBS documentary focuses on nation’s voting irregularities, through Hoosier eyes
As America prepares to choose its governmental leaders, voters are being relentlessly asked how much they trust elected officials.
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MARK BENNETT: Quest for knowledge keeps going as Elliott Gould prepares to speak in Terre Haute
As our conversation began, Elliott Gould was in the midst of learning. He was reading a book.
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