What will this month be called?

[jducoeur]

A light question about a serious topic: when the historians write about the roller-coaster ride we're in the middle of, what will they call it?

I mean, every important historical event gets a catchy name, from "Watergate" to "9/11" to "Black Monday". It's clear to me that this September is one that they'll be talking about for decades to come, which means that they *will* settle on a common name for it eventually. How long it takes for such a name to arise ranges from days to years, but there's no time like the present.

So here's your chance to influence the history books. What would *you* call this mess?

Fine print: Winner will be selected by consensus of historians in 20 years. It is not guaranteed that any entrant will win. Chances of winning are directly proportional to relevance and pithiness of name, but it is entirely possible that these will not matter. Bad puns do not guarantee victory. Keep your hands inside the ride at all times.

Comments

[selkiechick]

The last straw

Course- I don't know if that's being optimistic or pessimistic.

[antoniseb.livejournal.com]

They will call it "The start of the world as we know it".

Or perhaps they'll call it "The End of Democracy".

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

National Fuck This Noise I am Hiding My Money In My Mattress (That I Bought With Cash So They Can't Repo It) Month.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

52-Pickup

[richenza.livejournal.com]

the '08 House-of-Cards collapse.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

All I know is, every weekend Paulson works late, scares the eff out of me. :-)

The problem with naming it, is we don't know the outcome yet. "The End of America", "The End Of Capitalist America", "The Socialism of America", or otherwise.

I'm prepared to call it "Bush's Collapse", to go with "Bush's War" and "Bush's Torture Program" and "Bush's Domestic Spying" and so forth.

[runolfr.livejournal.com]

How about "Bleak September"?

[dsrtao]

I hope we don't call it "The Second American Revolution"

[snarkyman.livejournal.com]

Wall Street Socialism

I mean, what else do you call the privatization of profits and the socialization of risk?

Scary thing is, I'm not sure we have any choice. If these investment banks and their insurers are allowed to collapse, would it create another great depression?

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

There was an article in the paper today about theh history of the word "meltdown", which is being bandied about a bit.

[etherial.livejournal.com]

Back in January, I proposed that the theme for the year was "Reap the Whirlwind".

[dervishspin.livejournal.com]

The Panic of 08.

It's not just September.

[ladymacgregor.livejournal.com]

But I think the previous posters are missing the point. There's been a lot of OTHER issues than just the market. Daniel Krakkenson, Duke Morguhn, other horrible happenings (with that list, I almost hesitate to include "the death of my cat Sable", as it seems much more trivial, but it happened as well, and affected me, at least).

It may be taken, and it's not that catchy, but I'm leaning toward Black September. (Something is niggling me that a label like that was involved years ago when the Olympic athletes were taken hostage and later killed, but I can't look it up right now).

Or maybe A Sable September?

[dryfoo.livejournal.com]

We won't really know what to call it until we see how it turns out. After all, if things had turned out differently, the book might have been called, "Mordor's Triumph, or the Rape of Gondor" instead of "The Return of the King".

Or how about, "Stories My Crazy Grandpa Ahab Told Me" instead of "Moby Dick"?

In 20 or 30 years, this month might be referred to as The Pre-Obama Era. If not, the most widespread name for it might be something in Chinese.