Thanks for a good overview of the "optimistic" side. I hope you're right.

But help me out on some greater understanding of "GDP"...

When wages stay constant or go down, but a profitable financial industry instead is created that lends money to consumers at say 20% or more (for simple consumption and/or speculation with no potential to increase the productive economy at that rate)...

Isn't that financial industry profit part of the GDP? As are naked credit default swap trading profits? Etc...

Are these kinds of profits the same as profits from a physical export? Or development of natural resources?

Wouldn't higher wages and less lending have been a better use of national wealth and productivity?

Are all "profits" truly equal in terms of their real long-term effect on an economy