American Economy is Dying

Jack’s experience with his own mortality is very similar to the crisis currently gripping the American economy. I’ve been messing around with day trading while I don’t have school to fill my hours, and noticed some interesting parallels between its Icarus esque fall from its previous highs and Jack’s experience in the book White Noise. People’s faith in not only the economy, but their employment, has been eroded by what for all intents and purposes can be described as a national disaster, and in an economy that operates on debt and faith, that is crippling. The American consumer has gone through an experience similar to Jack financially. They’ve been made aware that quarantine and job loss are not just potential eventualities, but instead a reality that could strike at any moment. Because of this, instead of say, taking on debt and buying a boat, and thereby keeping the money flowing and the capitalist machine churning, those people will instead save money in case of future hardship. This is bad for an economy that depends on flow, and is similar to Jack’s brush with mortality and the changes in lifestyle he brought about afterwards.