Thursday, March 19, 2009

Friday Flux: The Benefits of Recession

photo via visual candy


"Okay. But back to the recession. Amazingly, it turns out that less money equals more sex. I am not totally sure why this is, because the research comes from what is now one of my most favorite resources, Durex condoms, a site that does provide a lot of qualitative analysis for their statistics. Still, Durex reports that drugstore sales of their condoms were up 6% during the time Lehman went under. And sales in the New York City sex toy emporium Babeland increased 25% in that same time period. So the deeper the recession, the more sex people are having."
-penelopetrunk.com





"But rough times sometimes get people to focus on what matters. And, under Mr. Dutoit the Philadelphia musicians played this Dvorak staple as if nothing mattered more. This was not the most incisive or tautly structured performance. But Mr. Dutoit’s restrained tempos allowed him to draw out the Wagnerian resonances of the music. The strings played with a richness that has long been a Philadelphia trademark. Yet there was uncanny clarity, despite the warmth and body of the string sound."
-new york times, regarding the Philadelphia Orchestra



images via New York Architecture

"According to University of Manchester historian Dr Charlie Wildman, recession can prompt unusual levels of creativity. Having studied Liverpool and Manchester archives from the 1920s and 1930s, Wildman has concluded that the Great Depression spurred a period of unparalleled creativity leading to, among other innovations, the development of the modern high street. Ironically, the same high street to which the current recession is laying waste. Wildman found that during the Great Depression, councils invested heavily in public transport, civic and commercial architecture, civic exhibitions and official celebrations, with municipal rulers, civic leaders and businessmen acting as spurs for what she calls "amazing levels of confidence, innovation and civic pride." She believes that this civic investment acted as "a form of opium for the masses", with its innovations representing a pragmatic response to the threat of extremist politics, as people struggled to cope with the reality of poverty and unemployment."
-The Work Clinic blog
michellewoo said...

Totally agree with the third quote. I know a number of people who have been laid off and decided, eff it, this is the perfect time to create the life I've always wanted. People who never believed they were entrepreneurs are rolling up their sleeves and starting their own ventures. The things people can do with creativity, passion and a desperation to survive — it's inspiring.

shrink on the couch said...

so people also have more sex after losing a significant loved one ... sex as a healing aid? sex to soothe the pain? sex as distraction?

sex is free (except for cost of condoms, etc, if this applies). can't afford the theatre, so let's have sex instead (?)

difficult economy can also mean fewer hours on-the-clock, which spells more time for sex. afternoon delight, anyone?

sorry, rambling here.

Sharon said...

Very inspirational...the whole country should see this so they would stop feeling sorry for themselves.

Jeanne Estridge said...

Satiation is the death of creativity -- most authors do their best work when they're young and struggling. Once they become successful, a kind of indolence, an intellectual lassitude, creeps into their works.

Beth said...

This is like seeing the glass half full – a nice change from reading and hearing about all the negativity these days.

Badass Geek said...

Two of my favorite things:

Music, and sex.

Erin said...

Thank you thank you thank you. I needed this.

Unknown said...

Wonder if it is because people are looking for the cheapest possible way to have fun? Interesting, perhaps why baby booms always seem to follow years of financial depression???

PalagiGirl said...

WOW! Maggie May! Leave it to you to point out the silver lining. That's just what I needed!

Anonymous said...

But then extreme circumstaces have always provoked extreme actions haven't they!

I wanted to add, regarding the sudden death of Natasha Richardson that we feel so deeply for her husband and family. A sudden loss like this must be unbearable and when that person is in the public eye, everybody feels the grief.

Bonbon Oiseau said...

what an absolutely enlightening post.
i'm feeling more sexy, less restrained and creative to boot!

Maggie May said...

i recommend you guys click on that first NY pic of Harlem- it's Amazing in it's large size, to look at life at that time on that street, in such detail...

Bee said...

One of the major tenets of my belief system is that there is always a silver lining . . . and you've given us three good ones!

The rant level has been very high this week, and I've done my part to contribute to it. Thanks for this lovely antidote, MM.

Ms. Moon said...

I think part of it is that when we lose big chunks of our safety and stability and see that yes, we can survive, it makes us more adventuresome, more apt to color outside those dark, black lines.

Captain Dumbass said...

I'm unemployed and had fantastic sex last night. They may be onto something.

crystal said...

Great post and pictures!

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right about the sex part.
After all, having little money to spend on dates, we find cheaper alternatives...

:)

Lola said...

I'll do my best to up the sex stats!

this wheel's on fire said...

....so the recession isn't too bad!

Sara Kempff said...

great post!

Victoria Thorne said...

these are magnificent photos, and great text. good finds, superb editing!

red.door.read said...

i love this post.

the apocalpyse tone in the media etc is starting to grate.

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