Concurrent prognostication

For a while, I've had a distaste for the media's micromeddling in the state of the economy. They do influence the economy by trying to buoy confidence, but that prevents cause and effect from providing true consequence for policies and activities. (The same goes for the so-called bailouts.)

I finally figured out what troubles me about this. It's the practice of "concurrent prognostication." Journalists, pop economists, and politicians are all trying to foretell the future so they can manipulate something today so that the future will fit their vision so they can be heroes. Okay, maybe that last part is a little too dramatic. But they are afraid to let the world/economy/history/culture breathe. They put everything into understanding in the present what normally takes years or decades to discover. And when they intervene based on that hasty knowledge, I think it compounds the negative effects they were trying to avoid.

I'm not sure what the best fix is. In such an integrated world, it is probably smart to take steps to prevent collapses. Unfortunately, it seems we waited til we stepped just over the edge to start considering ideas to keep us away from the precipice.