It's All Good! ... Right?

I hear that phrase, "It's All Good," from a lot of younger folks these days. I'm not sure where it comes from, but it occurs to me that its use -- and overuse -- might be a symptom of something unhealthy in our society and the way it admits and deals with problems. So, for a first real post on my newly-christened blog, I thought I would start to explore some of the reasons I cannot share in the confidence inherent in the phrase "It's All Good" when it comes to our economy, our freedoms, and our future.

I'm worried. Scared, even. From where I sit, knowing what I know and believing what I believe, I don't think things are "good" now, nor do I believe they are getting better.

Perhaps I've spent too much time read James Kunstler and his post-apocalyptic view of society in a decade or so if we don't face up to, address, and solve some really big basic problems (Peak Oil, poor city planning, etc). Perhaps I've read (and understand) too many posts by the folks at zero hedge railing on the lack of regulatory oversight and the incredible power Goldman Sachs (aka the vampire squids) have over our legislative and executive process. Perhaps I actually understand the role of incentives and moral hazard in causing people to act the way they do, and how continuing bailouts of firms who bet badly simply encourages them (and others) to make different, but equally bad, bets. (Heck, the folks involved get paid their bonuses based on the number and size of their bets without needing to wait to see how they work out! Good work if you can find it...) Whatever it is, I don't see it as All Good or Mostly Good or even Bad But Getting Better. I see it as Bad and Getting Worse.