Human Factors (cont.)

Yesterday afternoon I wrote a quick diary at MyFDL on Human Factors. It was basically a rant about how so many of the pundits, politicians, economists, etc see everything about the world except for the actual living breathing humans who inhabit it.

The reality is, I started this blog as an attempt to draw attention to the millions of us who are un/underemployed. It seems that the only thing that often penetrates the consciousness of folks in the media who report is the personalization of the story. Of course with all the millions of people in the same situation of being un/underemployed it is difficult to penetrate the noise. An example of this is an article from Gretchen Morgenson of the NY Times from Sunday (12/26). While the article is talking about a couple, their bankruptcy and the problems they had getting a mortgage modification, it is related as:

After months of no progress, in the spring of 2009, a reporter called Litton to ask why the Ahlemans’ loan modification was stalled. Litton responded quickly and later made the couple a compelling offer: It said it would cut the interest rate on their first mortgage from a variable rate of 9.3 percent to a fixed rate of 4.59 percent. Litton also offered to waive $38,332 in arrears on their loan, which included late fees and legal costs that had accumulated while the loan was in default.

My bold. "A reporter called and asked... "

The couple in the article were able to get their story out to the world and because of that, they were able to receive a very favorable modification of their mortgage. Of course, not everyone has been able to get good deals or get their problems resolved even after they've gotten the glare of publicity on their problems.

Bob Herbert in today's (12/28) column manages to point out some of the realities facing the un/underemployed:

There is a fundamental disconnect between economic indicators pointing in a positive direction and the experience of millions of American families fighting desperately to fend off destitution. Some three out of every four Americans have been personally touched by the recession — either they’ve lost a job or a relative or close friend has. And the outlook, despite the spin being put on the latest data, is not promising.

I have stated many times that I am among the underemployed yet as bad as things are for me, I recognize there are many in far worse shape economically. I have attempted to highlight that I (and millions of others) are not statistics but are living, breathing humans. It is not easy to tell my life story to the world through blog posts but know that it is the only way and just hope that if I don't receive employment help, that I can at least let others in the same or similar situations know they are not alone.

Now if we could just let the media know that articles quoting anonymous banksters on how nobody loves them do not help the credibility of the reporter nor the cause of the banksters. It seems the better part of valor for the banksters would be to STFU and quit whining. But I guess destroying the global economy isn't as personally satisfying as they once thought it would be,

And because I can: