Richard Lambert, CBI director-general, says: 'There is a dark mood sweeping the land. O you fools, beware! The crunch will get you! Surging inflation, continuing stress in financial markets, and the owl that hoots, that screeches in the middle of the night! These are the things that weigh heavy on my mind. I have seen into the darkness. I have looked into the dark heart of man. O you employers, ye shall employ no more! In an ideal world, the government would now be in a position to cut taxes or increase spending to help offset the economic slowdown. This is not a sensible option today. Today we must cry. Today we may die. We will most definitely be wailing and gnashing our teeth. Adverse shocks! I've seen adverse shocks in my visions! I am a prophet of doom! There shall be no profit!'
Well, let me say straight off, I don't buy any of this. All this darkness and woe doesn't appeal to me at all. I am a very optimistic person, and I know everything will come good in the end. Mr Lambert is one of those professional doom merchants. I've let him have his say on my blog because I believe in hearing everyone's point of view. I certainly don't agree with him though.
By the way, talking of doom, a reader emailed me the other day and asked me why I have that skeleton on my blog with the words Abandon hope all ye …, etc. He said it doesn't fit in with my optimistic outlook. It's a joke, for Christ's sake! Can't I let my hair down every now and then?
