Hope, Revisited - May 16, 2022

Why using a daily moisturiser is the best defence in times of market duress.

In hindsight perhaps the point where people were spending millions of dollars on pictures of monkeys was the top. Be that as it may, things sure look grim out there. The pandemic still isn’t over, inflation is high, markets are lower, and it is doubtful that Liverpool will win the quadruple with Man City as strong as they are. It is in times like these, that we must give in to hope, so let us try and put some perspective on things.

Technology isn’t dead. We may have bashed Netflix down 75% and Amazon to levels not seen since before the virus, but guess what? I am still watching my favourite shows on a streaming service, Apple is still selling more products than we probably need, and thanks to Prime, I am still ordering almost anything with next day delivery guaranteed. Valuations may have had to adjust, but wouldn’t you still rather own the Nasdaq on a twenty-year view than the IBEX? 

Alternative energy will save the day. They said it couldn’t be done in less than ten years and yet the vaccines to fight COVID-19 were developed in a fraction of that time. We did it, because we had to and so it shall be when it comes to the destruction of our planet. Particularly when we have a gun to our head. Whether solar, fusion, hydro or geothermal, we will find a way, and it will change everything. 

Labour has won in a big way. Not the political party that thought Jeremy Corbyn could be a mainstream candidate, but rather the workers and anyone who does anything for a living. Clearly some people are paid more than others, and certain jobs are less difficult than one would think, but gone are the days when people used to put quotation marks around the words working from home. Thanks to Zoom and Teams, we may have finally achieved the ultimate work and life balance. 

Cryptos aren’t over. If you still think the game is about whether Bitcoin is a currency, then you probably also expect Tottenham to win the Premier League ever again. The digital world is much bigger than that and it is developing at an exponential rate. Clearly, there is irrational exuberance at work, but that’s also what we thought about the internet and blockchain is here to stay. 

Local is the new global. Unequivocally, we reached our limits when billions of people were stuck at home, got paid to do nothing and started buying anything on-line. What made matters worse, many of the trucks, planes, and ships we used to send things all over the world were incapacitated, because you know, everyone was isolating. What happens when excess demand meets insufficient supply? It makes having things closer to home so much more important, and we may even save the planet. 

Finally, as the sun is shining, the birds are tweeting, and a gentle breeze enwraps us warmly in the enchanting scents of Spring, remember to enjoy the little things. Nivea Soft is unquestionably the best value for money when it comes to facial cream.