Rain on the Parade

Rain is a bad thing if you're having a picnic or a parade, but it's a good thing if you're a farmer.

Things that happen are just that, things. They are not bad things or good things, they are just things that happen. "Good" and "bad" ("better" and "worse") are not inherent in those things, they are just value judgements which we place on those things when we speak of them. And we place those value judgements based on how those things affect us.

So when President Obama said that he saw signs that the economy is beginning to get better he is making that value judgement from his point of view which, in all fairness, is the only avenue available to him.

The stock market is moving up, as are bank profits. Unemployment is moving up, as are home foreclosures.

So if you are a Wall Street banker or trader the economy is indeed improving. If you work for wages or are currently unemployed, if you're struggling to make house payments or if you are worried about the falling value of your home then the economy is continuing to get worse.

If you are in neither of those categories, then you can "choose your camp" in order to place the value judgement. Decide which group is important to you, to your nation, or which group ultimately will affect you and let that guide you in deciding whether or not the economy is improving.