When Uncertainty and Anxiety Rocks a Person’s Life, Everything is a Threat
When things go very wrong or very bad for a large number of people, it can have a significant effect upon the way they and others close to them think, feel and behave. 911 changed the way New Yorkers and frequent flyer’s experienced their world. The people in the Twin Towers experienced extreme direct trauma, the first responders experienced direct trauma, the friends and family of the victims and the heroes experienced the trauma of their fears and losses.
The rest of us experienced 911 through the ubiquitous lens of the media, with repeated viewings of the tragedy of the Twin Towers collapsing, people running in grimy panic, and the walls of pictures of the dead and missing. The rest of us were buffeted by vicarious stresses and trauma, but very few if any of us experienced 911 directly. There is no doubt that 911 invaded and pervaded our national psyche and introduced a level of uncertainty never before part of our way of being.
This vicarious trauma, fed by persistent media revivification and a political war footing expanded the scope of the direct effects and soon there were American combatants leaving their families and jobs for battle. More trauma from more places and more often. Loved ones were dying in foreign wars. 911 leads to Afghanistan and to Iraq and to “The War Against Terrorism”. From vicarious stress to direct trauma. Like concentric waves from a stone dropped in a still pond, the shock, uncertainty and pain spread throughout the populace. Still, while touching nearly all, this pain has not affected all.
The current shock wave reverberating through the populace has been called, “The Worst Financial Crisis Since the Great Depression”. The comparison to 911 requires us to recognize that this mega-event is tantamount to a tsunami of devastation that has affected the wealth, hopes, dreams, economic stability, jobs and day to day reality of the entire population. This economic trauma far surpasses 911 in its affect on the day to day thinking, feeling and behavior of our citizens and jurors. The uncertainty of another “terrorist attack” within the continental United States pales in comparison with the certainty of unemployment, loss of health coverage, mortgage stresses, gutted 401k’s, losing your home and being “upside down” in a mortgage that eclipses the worth of your home. 911 rocked us back on our heels; the Economic Collapse threw us to the floor. It is a protracted time of growing uncertainty and anxiety. There is plenty of evidence in national polling that shows despair and distrust in our national government, big industry, big finance, big business, and almost any other previous edifice of trust and reliance for a better, safer and predictable world. It is easily the worst of times, at least compared to the prior 50 years.
World changing events create experiences that shape the world view and spirit of the times. These pivotal events shake previously held beliefs and values and facilitate fundamental changes in the way we think, feel and act. Those of us fired in the kiln of earlier epochs will tend to hold to those traits and beliefs brought forward. Those of us forged in the immediacy of this uncertain world will bear the defining marks of this world as it is as they have known no other. The events of today are shaping the new jurors of 10 years from now and creating a state of uncertainty that affects our jurors of today.
The question I’ve been hearing most often from trial attorney’s is, “What effect is the general economic downturn having on verdicts and damages?” It’s still unclear. Every fact pattern, every jury trial is a unique set of characters, issues and evidence. I think it may be too early to tell exactly what the impact of the Economic Crisis is and will be. Yet, this is a question that must be explored and studied systematically rather than anecdotally.
Attorney lore opines that hard economic times are good times for plaintiffs. The high levels of stress, anxiety and depression in the populace leaven a potential for strong emotional reactions to issues of fault and harm. Affect drives action. This could be good for plaintiffs. On the other hand, the “bowling alone” effect and decrease in actual community membership may induce individual jurors to simply take the position that, “I’ve got it bad, too. Nobody is reaching out to help me and I have done everything right!”. Generosity and empathy do not necessarily expand in times of general economic hardship. In fact, a la Maslow, under times of stress, we regress. It could be a time of the great selfishness.
Trust in institutions is in the crapper. Polling shows that the anger and dismay created by fundamental violations of trust by core social institutions has eroded the good will directed toward Business and Industry. It may not be a good time to be a Corporate Defendent… but it’s too early to tell. The debacle of our credit, lending and financial institutions has created a credit and mortgage crisis. Even folks who did the right thing are “up side down” on their mortgages and folks who have never made a late payment on their credit cards are being notified a interest increases in the mid to high 20%. Doing the right thing doesn’t make you safe.
What is known is this: There is a predominant direct and personal experience of financial hardship and economic uncertainty extending to all socio-economic levels. The working poor, working class and lower to middle class are hit hard and likely most dispirited. The upper middle have seen their investments and pensions evaporate before their eyes, creating distrust and anger. Even Donald Trump has been forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in his Vegas gambling hotels. GM and Chrysler are on the chopping block and nobody, not even the Japanese are making any money selling cars.
Expression of angst, anxiety, uncertainty and anger are replete in national polls, op/ed pages, and talk around the water cooler. Anxiety and depression levels are rising and are associated with the financial stresses currently increasing. Daily national media reports ra-ta-tat like hail on a tin roof and are inescapable. The political rancor and debate seems effete and ineffective as our political leaders and political parties fail to lead or have any vision. Huge “bailout” numbers are bandied about making the reference points of Bob and Mary Sixpack’s pay check seem like nickles and dimes. People feel small, ineffective, overwhelmed, helpless and stuck. Uncertainty pervades and the opportunities for the individual to effect any change or improvements, even in their own lot, seemingly pales to the immensity of the economic situation.
In a time where there are no clear answers, it is critical that the wise create good questions. Talking to your neighbors (especially those you aren’t professionals) about their views and experiences is a very good way to take the pulse of the community. Read the paper focusing upon Op/Ed materials written by local citizens. Go on line and search for blogs and discussion threads on the economy, especially about the personal impact. With no doubt, pre trial or ADR research on how real people of the real world evaluate, describe and react to your case is indispensable. Use focus group research and national polls to compose voir dire and supplemental juror questionnaires. Voir dire extensively on the direct impact of the economic toll with your venirepersons. Remember that this is new ground and we are trekking through a dynamic and changing environment.
When exploring new ground, do not hold too tightly to what you think you know. Assume that the meaning of what you see and hear is still developing. Ask questions. Lots of them.
