1. June 2010
Why You Need To Care About
Greece
Why You Need To Care About Greece To Rope Or Not To Rope
The Climb One of areas of often heated debate and
difference in the climbing world revolves around
The three climbers steadily made their way up the the discussion of whether climbers should rope
rock face. The day was bright and clear and the together while climbing. One side of the argument
climb had been great so far. This was the first states that it is crazy not to rope together. The
time that Annie had taken the lead on a climb. theory is that if one climber slips and begins to fall
Roped behind her were her brother Peter and her the other climbers who are roped to him can
father Royce, a world famous climber. They arrest his fall, thus saving his life. The other
stopped to rest before a particularly difficult and argument is, however, also compelling. This
technical part of the climb when it happened. asserts, as the opening paragraph illustrates, that
the fall of a climber is often sudden and violent
One of Royce's pitons (a small metal spike driven and can put the whole team at risk. Better to lose
into the rock to hold the rope) pulled out sending one climber than the whole team.
him hurtling off the wall in a freefall. As the rope
stopped his fall it jerked violently on Peter and The key point here is that the decision to rope
Annie pulling out yet another piton and loosening together (or not) occurs before the climb begins.
two more. Since they were all currently on a near You either head up the mountain roped together
vertical face, and Royce was only semiconscious or not. This forces the decision, in the event of a
it was impossible to pull him back up. His hanging catastrophe, that you might actually have to cut
dead weight was putting a huge strain on both of someone's rope to save the rest of the team. You
his children clinging to the wall as well as the can guess the psychological and relationship
remaining pitons holding them all. All climbers ramifications on the team of that decision.
know and fear what is called the "zipper". The
"zipper" is when a climber falls and his The Fear Of The Global Zipper
momentum begins stressing both the other
climbers and the remaining pitons until one by As we all know there has been endless
one they all "zipper" off the wall. As Annie discussion and writing about the creation of a
screamed Peter did what was both unthinkable global economy for decades now. This new global
and necessary for the survival of his sister and economy was going to make commerce seamless
him. He cut Royce's rope. between nations and allow all everyone to
participate in the new era of prosperity. Well as
The paragraph above describes the opening the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. I
scene of a movie called "Vertical Limit" made in believe we truly are operating in a global
2000. Although overly dramatic (as movies economy today. The economic and political
usually are) it accurately illustrates the interdependencies between nations today are
ramifications of a critical debate in the climbing unparalleled. In essence, at the start of the climb
world that has important parallels to today's we made a decision to "rope together" for the
financial environment. benefit of all. As we all know the economic events
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2. June 2010
Why You Need To Care About
Greece
of the last 20 plus months have forced our Copyright 2006 - 2010 The Rockland Group, Inc.
"climbing team" to traverse some very All rights reserved. Reproduction without
treacherous and dangerous terrain. We are both permission prohibited.
tired and weakened (think debt) by this arduous
portion of the climb. What would happen if
someone fell?
In essence, Greece already has. The closest
climbers to Greece, roped together by the Euro,
have had to withstand the stress of her falling off
the wall. There has already been debate among
the Euro climbers about whether to cut Greece
loose or not. The decision, for now, has been to
try and pull her back onto the wall. Spain,
Portugal, Ireland, and others are also losing their
grip on the wall. What if one, or more, of them
also fall?
More importantly remember in a truly global
economy we are all now roped together. If the
Euro climbers start to zipper off the wall the
momentum of their fall will be felt throughout the
remainder of the world including the major
economies of the US, China, and India. Like the
climbers in the opening paragraph, we are now in
a situation where we both need each other and
are a danger to each other. This will force each
climber to make a very difficult decision. Stay
roped to try and stabilize everyone or cut loose to
save yourself.
The ramifications of these decisions, both
economically and politically, will be felt for
decades.
At The Rockland Group we help businesses
navigate through this challenging terrain.
You wouldn't climb without a guide, why manage
without one?
Bill Gately - Principal
Tel: (781)-710-4064
E-mail: bill.gately@rockland-group.com