Willie Horton's Personal Development Ezine

I know that I may being acting against my own advice and better judgement. But I have been following the coverage of the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis over the last few days. As far as I can see, some journalists believe that they will make their name out of not just following the events at what is fast becoming an historical crossroads for Europe - they are relishing writing the most lurid commentaries, stirring the pot and adding to the general mayhem that, if you cast a cold eye on it, makes no sense at all.

Consider this. Those who fear that a borrower might default on their debt are increasing the price that the borrower has to pay for debt, thereby enhancing the possibility that the feared default will take place. Equity markets rise and fall based on sentiment and confidence, or the lack thereof - with no regard whatsoever for the underlying fundamentals. Investors who fear losing money, by their actions, confirm their worst fears. Indeed, it follows a pattern. People generally invest when investment values are high (in other words, they've already missed the upward trend) and sell when values are falling (in other words they deliberately act to crystallize their own losses).

None of this makes any sense. However, this should come as no surprise. For those of you who, from time to time, might search for some glimmer of common sense, don't bother, give it up as a wast of your precious time. There is no such thing as common sense - the two words don't even go together.

If normal people are mad (and there is abundant evidence which scientifically confirms that they are) there simply could be no such thing as common sense. If you're looking for sense, you're going to have to look within. But, again, you'll find nothing there until you learn how to clear your mind of its unrelenting noise and sweep away the habit of an adult lifetime whereby you simply follow the normal crazy herd.

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