THE ‘BIG LENS’. . .

As individuals and collectives/communities we humans have, for thousands of years, viewed the ‘world’ (think: ‘Reality’) through a variety of lenses.

For we in the West – specifically we in the United States – for the past 50+ years or so look through a primary lens, a ‘Big Lens.’  We seek to view the ‘Real World’ through our ‘Big Lens’ – more importantly as a culture/nation we believe that what we see through our ‘Big Lens’ is in fact REALITY (we then tend to dismiss the ‘reality’ that other cultures/nations see through their ‘Big Lenses’ as illusory, as not-being-reality).

In the United States, our primary cultural lens, our ‘Big Lens,’ is the ‘Economic Lens.’  In addition, our primary Cultural Metaphor is the ‘Banking Metaphor’ (common banking metaphorical terms we have integrated include, but are not limited to, to the following: people are not fully human beings, they are: assets, commodities, liabilities and resources).

The ‘Economic Big Lens’ and the ‘Banking Metaphor’ are OUR primary modes of explanation for human behavior.  All other explanations are at best suspect and at worst wrong.

The process, among other things, includes the application of mathematical and statistical models to the ‘real-world’ problems, challenges, and dilemmas we believe exist.  Because they are complex by nature they have become an intellectually privileged form of analysis (I understand the Metaphor yet, I am not capable of understanding the mathematical and statistical models or the processes and I am considered to be ‘well-educated.’ By the by, even the ‘professionals’ disagree – so where does that leave the rest of us?).

Keeping with the ‘Big Lens’ and the ‘Banking Metaphor’: Let’s count, let’s rank, let’s chart, let’s determine the cost-benefit ratios.  If we do it well we will truly learn ‘what’s what’ and, in all likelihood we will clearly discern what we must do; the future will play out that is more predictable.

Here’s the simple version (as far as I can determine – which might not be too far): We can and should quantify and rank – AND we can trust the results of that quantification and the resulting ranking.

We believe the ‘crowd’ (think: experts, elected officials, academics, etc.) is wise and so we can rely on its determination of what is true.  Equally, the ‘market’ is unerring.  Consequently – perhaps via the miraculous – society ends up better off because each of us pursues our self-interest in a lawful way (the lawful way = the ethical way for us; the moral way is, at best, ignored).

Sadly, even before the financial meltdown of September 2008, a number of observant-knowledgeable folks attempted to point out the flaws in this view of people and markets.  Their observations and warnings were dismissed and…

We have had more than enough confirmation that markets do not automatically adjust; that people do not know what is in their self-interest; indeed, that both individuals and markets are frequently irrational and not to be trusted; and that their combination is too often toxic as often as they are tonic.

Our economic meltdown did not impact the ‘Big Lens’ or the ‘Banking Metaphor.’  In spite of the devastation both remain integrated in our Cultural Psyche.  Even with the known flaws and limitations of these siblings, it appears as if enough of those who chose to vote in our recent presidential election believe in the ‘Big Lens’ and in the ‘Banking Metaphor’ such that we elected a president and congress that deeply believe in both.  The mantra of a ‘trickle-down effect’ is alive and well (and like all of the previous ‘trickle-down effects’ this one too will fail – what is unknown is the amount of damage that will result).

The ‘Big Lens’ and the ‘Banking Metaphor’ will remain strong.  There appears to be no viable alternatives and little desire from ‘we the people’ to emerge alternatives.

To what extent do we truly believe that we human beings will actually make decisions rationally, particularly when applied to economic decisions – too often we neglect the exceptions, those situations where personality or context or ideological factors induce non-rational reactions are at play (need a reminder: see September 2008).

Human agency matters enormously – it allows us to transcend the determination rooted in and alleged by the ‘Big Lens,’ the ‘Banking Metaphor’ and by the political and market theorists.  There are ‘human agency’ voices speaking out.  Let he who has ears listen and pay attention.