Anti-depression thinking: what do we do?

September 29, 2008 By

I’m watching the economic news this morning flow through FriendFeed and I can feel the fear. The depression. Apple is down 14%. Startups won’t get funded. Etc. Etc. It’s all there, if you want to follow along. Lately I’ve been clicking “Like” on a lot of unlikeable news (that’s how I share interesting stuff with you on FriendFeed).

I’ve been through all the emotions too. Depression. Fear. But now I’m working through all these and I’m wondering what we can do? After all, we don’t have the ability to ask Congress for a bailout. I’d love to see ideas for everyone thrown around here and we’ll sift through the best ones. If you were a big-company executive, what would you do? What if you were a startup CEO? A VC? A geek churning out code?

I know a financial trader in Europe and he told me about losing a lot of money in one morning. I asked him what he did. He said he kept working the problem and by the end of the day he had made it mostly back.

So, let’s work the problem together. Here’s my challenge to Techcrunch, GigaOm, ReadWriteWeb, Center Networks, Mashable, and all my other thought leader friends.

Work the problem. Give us some things we can do right now. Feel free to link your URLs in the comments here. Make sure your blog is on FriendFeed, I’ll also share the best ideas there.

UPDATE: we are discussing this over on FriendFeed too.

Filed Under: technology industry Tagged With: , ,
← Older Comments
  • http://www.solidsmack.com/ Josh

    I’m a start-up. a blogger. trying as hard as any company to succeed. I don’t complain about someone not giving me money so I can ‘get out of a rut’.

    Instead, I keep working my ass off. This ‘downturn’ is all speculations. It’s all ‘fail, fail, fail’ – the market needed a correction. Yeah, businesses tank, but businesses making better decisions take them over. That’s how it goes.

    oh, hey, guess what, there’s some cheap(er) stocks out there right now… Can’t get VC? try your hand at a solid company stock. It couldn’t be any riskier than the mess Carter, Clinton and Frank got us into.

  • http://www.solidsmack.com Josh

    I’m a start-up. a blogger. trying as hard as any company to succeed. I don’t complain about someone not giving me money so I can ‘get out of a rut’.

    Instead, I keep working my ass off. This ‘downturn’ is all speculations. It’s all ‘fail, fail, fail’ – the market needed a correction. Yeah, businesses tank, but businesses making better decisions take them over. That’s how it goes.

    oh, hey, guess what, there’s some cheap(er) stocks out there right now… Can’t get VC? try your hand at a solid company stock. It couldn’t be any riskier than the mess Carter, Clinton and Frank got us into.

  • Pingback: Don’t Panic About The Stock Market

  • http://www.richappsconsulting.com/ Mudassir

    Well, I believe start ups always take sometime but once the ground is set then the curve would be really smooth and upwards.

    Mudassir
    http://www.socialmediaplex.com

  • http://www.richappsconsulting.com Mudassir

    Well, I believe start ups always take sometime but once the ground is set then the curve would be really smooth and upwards.

    Mudassir
    http://www.socialmediaplex.com

  • http://thebankwatch.com/ Colin

    At a more basic level, I suggest we return to basic investment approach that has been lost by many, too young to know the difference – no disrespect intended. In the 50′s and 60′s rule #1 was to maintain balance bewteen equities and safer investments if you are concerned about risk. Consider cash and government bonds (widows and orphans was the category).

    Stock market investment is not safe. Repeat after me … not safe. its also a long haul investment, not a short term one.

  • http://thebankwatch.com/ Colin

    At a more basic level, I suggest we return to basic investment approach that has been lost by many, too young to know the difference – no disrespect intended. In the 50′s and 60′s rule #1 was to maintain balance bewteen equities and safer investments if you are concerned about risk. Consider cash and government bonds (widows and orphans was the category).

    Stock market investment is not safe. Repeat after me … not safe. its also a long haul investment, not a short term one.

  • Pingback: Experts and the Economy - Mashable

  • Pingback: Breadlines and Battlecries | The Cosmic Tap

  • Pingback: Experts and the Economy  »TechAddress

  • Pingback: Once More Musicians and Fans Will Get The Shaft  »TechAddress

  • http://www.dominicson.com/ Dominic Son

    Focus on yourself. Don’t let the world tell you are in a ‘depression’, that’s your own call.

  • http://www.dominicson.com Dominic Son

    Focus on yourself. Don’t let the world tell you are in a ‘depression’, that’s your own call.

  • http://www.johnpadams.com/ JP Adams

    “Work The Problem” is a cool phrase Scoble. Its actually a neat mantra for entrepreneurs.

    Its important to remember the micro side of the problem. Reach out to your friends and offer help. Pick up the phone, ask your friends how their doing, and offer recommendations on how you can lend a hand.

    I wrote twice about this on my blog.

    1. “Don’t Be A Dick”
    http://tinyurl.com/3gm2ag

    2. “Crisis And Friendship”
    http://tinyurl.com/4rj9bv

  • http://www.johnpadams.com JP Adams

    “Work The Problem” is a cool phrase Scoble. Its actually a neat mantra for entrepreneurs.

    Its important to remember the micro side of the problem. Reach out to your friends and offer help. Pick up the phone, ask your friends how their doing, and offer recommendations on how you can lend a hand.

    I wrote twice about this on my blog.

    1. “Don’t Be A Dick”
    http://tinyurl.com/3gm2ag

    2. “Crisis And Friendship”
    http://tinyurl.com/4rj9bv

  • http://www.ifyouwas.com/ Bunster

    Depression can be finding a religious leader or guidance to speak to.

    I think depression is due to neglect by the surrounding, the person should go to the nature e.g the beach and feel the wonders of nature.

  • http://www.ifyouwas.com Bunster

    Depression can be finding a religious leader or guidance to speak to.

    I think depression is due to neglect by the surrounding, the person should go to the nature e.g the beach and feel the wonders of nature.

  • http://www.animesz.com/ Bunster B

    The working poors, in contrast, have no choice. They are location-dependent, have a below-average education, don’t know how to make money with money, have to move out of their houses or flats. And they depend on a good economy for their jobs.

  • http://www.animesz.com Bunster B

    The working poors, in contrast, have no choice. They are location-dependent, have a below-average education, don’t know how to make money with money, have to move out of their houses or flats. And they depend on a good economy for their jobs.

  • Pingback: CalacanisWatch » Blog Archive » [Jason] The Startup Death Spiral + Feedback from (The) Startup Depression

  • http://www.depressionfighters.com/ anti depression

    the trick is to prepare ourselves mentally for the worst that could come. naice blog.

  • http://www.depressionfighters.com/ anti depression

    the trick is to prepare ourselves mentally for the worst that could come. naice blog.

← Older Comments