History May Repeat Itsself (Great Topic)

Choose one of the interviews from this list of conversations with Great Depression survivors, listen to it, then write a small review detailing your impressions concerning this person(s) oral history.

After listening to a few of the interviews conducted by Studs Terkel (R.I.P), I was quite struck by the interview with Elsa Ponselle. Elsa Ponselle poignantly articulated what life was like for average Americans during The Great Depression. The Great Depression was economic upheaval in twenty century America. Due to greedy Wall Street bankers and investors who purchased stock ten percent on the margin. Eventually, the market crashed spurring massive job loss, runs on the banks and the deconstruction of the American standard of living.

Elsa began her narrative on the issue of race. She remarked that minority children and parents easily adapted to the austere times of The Great Depression. Unlike their white, European counterparts, Elsa mentioned the Greeks and Italians, were dismayed and found themselves in the same position as the minorities they derided as lazy and second class. She continued by recalling a conversation she had with her nephew who believed the stereotype that blacks were inherently lazy. She retorted with a threat of physical violence (perfectly justified IMHO) and equated her nephew's father inability to find a job during the Great Depression with joblessness experienced by blacks.

Next, Elsa described the fear the Great Depression instilled in her that remained as she participated in the interview. The fear of long lasting joblessness and the insecurity of maintaining a job plagued the minds of all Depression survivors years after the crisis.

Elsa also remarked how The Great Depression humbled the American public. Everyone felt a sense of connected through these rough times. There were no superficial, counter and sub cultural barriers that separated people. The tragedy brought families together mainly out of necessity and survival.

Elsa also commented on the generational gap and value of a dollar. Depression era survivors were more prone to cling to every penny out of fear another crash while the young people of the 70s, today's baby boomers, spent carefree.

As I sat and listened to Elsa's interview continuously, not only to write this blog, but also as a beacon of reference. Her words vividly parallels what we see, read and hear what's happened and happening in contemporary America. This past Friday it was revealed that the nation's jobless rate is at a fourteen year high. Every week it seems thousands are laid off as businesses close or move to lax, greener pastures. Like survivors of The Great Depression, working men and women today are fearful of job loss especially with a scarce job market. Gone are the days of quitting a job and obtaining another two weeks later. It takes months and sometimes a year. No worker is immune from this phenomenon. From the blue collar worker toiling in the factory to the wall street broker scheming the elderly to invest in some shitty stocks, we all face the same risk.

I was also struck by Elsa's mention of a revolution by victims of the Depression. It reminds me of an article I read in my American History class last semester. From what I remember, it appears in a 1930s edition of the Nation magazine. This reporter went around the country observing the effects of the Depression on the public. Towards the end of the article, it mentioned a comment from an out of work farmer (unsure) who made rumors of a populist revolution should the government not act to ease the pain the Depression caused.

One aspect in which today's economic peril does not parallel the Great Depression is the behavior of the rich. Elsa described the rich during the Depression as subdued. They diligently concealed their affluence. Today, the rich arrogantly flaunts its wealth through a corrupted mainstream media. Torture yourself by looking at the programming channels such as BET, MTV and VH1. Shows were parents shell out thousands upon thousands of dollars for elaborate birthday parties and "reality television" serials showcasing a bunch of whiny, rich assholes.

Listening to Elsa's words impressed me tremendously. She recounted her experience during a such harsh time with pride and strength. She is(was) a woman of immense courage. I shudder to think about what would happen if I lost my job. My hope is that new shift in government will uplift the economy. Hopefully this can be done without another World War.