Robert is living in the frozen economy, where paralysis reigns at every level. Psychologists have long observed a curvilinear relationship between anxiety and performance. Without anxiety, there is apathy. A good dose of anxiety motivates peak performance. But more anxiety and the whole thing morphs into paralysis. The way I see it, we've blown right past anxiety into brand-new territory, where people can't make choices because there aren't any good choices to make. They are paralyzed—frozen in place.
CREDIT SEIZURE
Our public and private institutions are facing their own version of this new Big Chill. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, speaking in London earlier this month, told his audience that the financial markets had not yet adapted to new circumstances. "Working through the turmoil will take additional time, as markets and financial institutions continue to reassess risk…." They, too, are uncertain where to turn, having seen the Dow's dismal June performance, when it lost the greatest percentage of its value since June 1930.
