Upside of the Downside

By LORETTA REDD — Mar. 17, 2009

Short of putting Prozac in our water supply, I’m trying to think of some ‘upside’ to our ‘down’ economy. After all, no one thought California would survive the dot.com bubble burst years ago, but we proved to be resilient and innovative.

In the spirit of not only survival but positive reframing, I offer my top ten reasons for recessionary appreciation:

1. Customer service is back! Gone are the ‘take it or leave it’ attitudes of surly sixteen year-old Circuit City store clerks, or obtuse and obstructive airline ‘reps’ answering in Bangladesh and determined to foul your flight plans. “Thank you,” has re-entered the American dialect.

2. There are bargains galore! Today, you even threaten to cancel a gym membership, cable service, home delivery or day spa and they suddenly have more “unadvertised” specials than Ron Blagojevich had for his Senate seat.

3. There’s less mess in the landfills! People are re-using plastic water bottles and turning over copy paper! This week, I saw a homeless guy wrestling with a City recycle collector over the one or two aluminum cans not already cashed in by the homeowner.

4. Volunteerism is up! Seniors with time of their hands, recently out-of-work professionals, and forty year-old public safety ‘retirees’ with lifetime pensions are all willing to take on a cause.

5. Condoms are ‘2 for 1’ at Planned Parenthood! Actually they’ve always been free, but

an economic downturn is the best time not to have an unplanned pregnancy. Maybe Governor Palin’s precious daughter and Octo-mom didn’t get the memo, but the sex-ed programs for young adults are doing their part.

6. A slowdown on building projects in Santa Barbara! We find we may not need those urban dweller megaplex condos, stuffed onto tiny plots of downtown, after all. No longer can threats by housing ‘advocates’ blackmail the Planning Department and Council into approving anything with an affordable unit or two. As the market prices fall by a third, rentals become plentiful, Habitat for Humanity continues its good works, and more condos are being converted into apartment buildings.

7. No more vineyards as far as the eye can see! We can save the oaks, reduce the pesticides and maintain the landscape. Joining Alcoholics Anonymous is far cheaper than taking most Wine Tours anyway.  While you’re avoiding the cost of a DUI attorney, fewer acres of our golden hillsides will be plowed under for grapevines (or housing projects.)

8. We’re going on stay-cations, not vacations! What a great time to explore our own town, walk around and visit local merchants. Oops, I forgot…there aren’t any local merchants left. But with the economy in the tank, the era of “uni-shopping,” where every city in America has the same damn stores, may be over. Look at Ventura’s downtown to see what locally owned bars, bookstores, galleries, clothiers and restaurants can do to build community. Now, where’s our Chamber of ‘real’ Commerce in Santa Barbara?

9. Church attendance is up…either seeking salvation for their sins of excess or asking that ‘Higher’ power to help out with the Visa bill. Tithing may be down, but Madame Rosinka with her psychic powers and fortune telling is very much in demand.

10. Finally, there’s a renewed appreciation of what is lasting and genuine. The ‘worn’ look is now trendy in clothing, thrift stores are thriving, and the era of septuagenarians getting hair plugs, wax jobs, perky boobs or penile enhancement may finally be behind us. Comedy is back, and reality TV is hopefully on the wane.

One remaining reason for Prozac in our water supply would be the upcoming local election. But maybe there’s an ‘upside’ to the economic ‘downside’ if we ask the growing pack of local political hopefuls to reflect the current mentality of savings and conservation and put a limit on campaign expenditures.

A maximum of $20,000 a piece for Council seats would be about fifty cents on the dollar for every person who voted in our last City election. I’d go to $30,000 for the Mayoral race; but not a nickel higher, or we’re into elections ‘bought and paid for’ by special interests.

At worst, a cap on fundraising would cut down on the amount of political advertising we have to suffer through. At best, it might level the playing field; forcing candidates to make more personal appearances where they have to think for themselves and answer tough questions, rather than read prepared speeches and campaign manager scripts.

Their ‘downside’ might well be our ‘upside,’ while we sort through the ruins of our local economy without relying on anti-depressants.

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You had me until 6 & 7 : 3/17/2009

the people who mow your lawn, take your trash and nanny your kids still need an affordable place to live and hi-density in-fill is better for the environment (the Sierra Club likes it, too). And I like wine and I'm not an alcoholic!

nomdecrayola

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good riddance to the bubble : 3/21/2009

people got fatter and fatter, and the environment suffered. now we can lead the lives that a country with a median income of $50k can afford.

beltz

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