Chicken Little never had it so good.

Is it over? Is Armageddon finally upon us? Is the ‘free ride’ that so many of the media pundits describe as the last ten to fifteen years screeching to halt, and from here on we’re all going to have to pay for our indulgences, and pay big time? Jim Cramer, that great prognosticator of financial wisdom and wannabe business TV-star, has been all over the financial media this last week touting his doom and gloom “sell” scenario…and of course, his own shaman-like power of warning of the market downturn. And Cramer unfortunately, is not alone. Chicken Little himself would be crushed as road kill as all of those that were first to lead the charge into the irresponsible behavior now turn backward in their clarion call of retreat.

Where Mr. Cramer and his new doom and gloom buddies and I disagree is…”what free ride?” Maybe the pendulum will swing dramatically for those that were actually sitting very high in stock ownership, compensation and lifestyle over the last fifteen years, manipulating their finances like a game of cards. But for the vast majority of Americans, the rest of us that were working and not hedge betting for a living, there has been no ‘free ride.’ (No, I’m not referring to the mythical “Main Street” versus “Wall Street” misnomers of the political campaigns.) We’ve been paying our bills, paying our taxes, letting our 401-K’s ride, and not buying a second or third home as a quick rollover investment. Yes, we’ve taken some equity out of our homes to handle an emergency or tuition increase, or even some improvements…. and, we’ve probably bought a thing or two foolishly now and then.

None of which I call a free ride. More importantly, we’re used to sucking it in and tightening up periodically…even over the last fifteen years. As an independent PR firm we’ve seen budgets dwindle and client losses more than once. But we continued to serve our existing clients because more than anything they needed it then more than ever, even while we were laying off employees, and skipping paychecks. But we didn’t panic. We didn’t cash in 401-K’s, sell stocks, or switch banks. We managed. We worked. We survived. We grew.

Some might call it the “glad game” (from those of you that remember “Pollyanna.”) Some like Mr. Cramer might even call it foolish. But I’ve never understood how negativity and panic produced anything other than more negativity and panic. Here’s a drastic suggestion from someone in the PR business…maybe it’s time to turn off the news and count the things we have to be ‘glad about.’