# Year of the Rabbit



## pla725

2011 Year of the Rabbit 

Posted at 12:00 AM on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010
By David Mas Masumoto 

The end of one year and the beginning of a new one makes me take notice, assess the year past and project into the year coming. According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, we are ending the year of the tiger and 2011 will be the year of the rabbit.

A year ago, the public faced 2010 with a unique bravery and courage reflective of a tiger. Despite hard times, most of us have not given up. In light of the deep economic recession, our resilience was an act of courage.

Tigers are noted for living dangerously. Little did we realize just getting through this recession was an act of living dangerously. Strategic action was rewarded. Some made hard choices with their jobs, often making the most of a bad situation, accepting pay cuts or delayed promotions. In other cases, facing the reality of having to give up on things -- like letting go of a home they could not afford or keeping a car much, much longer than before -- these actions were rewarded. 

The year of the tiger was a year of transitions and adjustments. For the first time, many families had to accept that the next generation may not be better off.

Tigers were willing to protest, as evidenced by the midterm elections and the rise of new political movements such as the tea party. However, leaders were burdened with the lagging economy that created a new hesitation: Incumbency was no longer viewed as a positive.

The year 2010 was a year of change and yet also a reminder of challenge. A tiger remained a great guardian -- for many of us, 2010 remains a year we won't soon forget.

The year 2011 is the year of the rabbit, the symbol of endurance. We will have to learn to live with less. This will be a year of sacrifice.

The coming year should be placid, which is desired after the fierce year of the tiger. It will be a peaceful year. We should seek tranquility to soothe our wounds. Certainly with the midterm elections of 2010 over, we can all use some calm after the political storm.

Moderation may be the theme of 2011 -- economically, socially and politically. While officially over, the impact of the recession will remain. We will not recover quickly. Job hiring remains very slow. Unemployment lingers at record levels. The long-term impact of this great recession is still unfolding and the painful shifts of 2010 still linger.

The coming year will be a year of constraint and restraint, despite the clear messages sent over the past few years of "Yes we can" and "The Party of No." Don't expect major changes. Remember, this is the year of sacrifice.

Yet, the year of the rabbit is also a time when we want to have fun. Rabbits are skilled at ignoring distasteful realities. Because the outlook is serene, we will tend to procrastinate and enjoy ourselves more. We may put off disagreeable tasks. We may allow for some luxuries, a pent-up demand from the years of fear and cutting back. We may act carefree without too many annoyances -- at least temporarily.

But do not confuse the serene landscape as necessarily joyous. We're entering the third year of a great recession -- many of us have simply grown accustomed to the slow economy and limited opportunities. We're over the shock of hard times and are hunkering down to the basics. Those with jobs are satisfied with the status quo, those without work may have given up and adjusted as best they can.

Selfishness is the new norm but not necessarily out of spite or malicious behavior. We desperately want to hang on to what we have and defend against those who threaten us. We're no longer tigers but determined creatures simply trying to survive. We focus on private successes at the expense of the common good. Any change must be framed with an understanding of this new self interest.

In the year of the rabbit, we seek calm to forge through the continued tough times. Many will avoid confrontation and dislike hostile action because we can't afford the price of a conflict. Rabbits rely on keen survival abilities.

Our strong minds and wills translate into a slow and deliberate pace in 2011. Persuasion is better than force so long as our self-interests are protected. A new strategy of sacrifices requires we accept concessions, but we do so -- so long as they are reasonable concessions. The devil will be in the details.

Ordinarily a rabbit is a lucky sign and I hope that remains true for the coming year. Despite all the challenges, rabbits have an uncanny gift of choosing the right things.

So enjoy the new year, one that is predicted to be calmer. We will take comfort in a few moments of pleasure and treat ourselves with some self-indulgence. We will have some bright moments in this coming year and will celebrate them. We have to because of what is looming in the following year. 2012 is the year of the dragon.

Were you born during a year of the rabbit? You were if you were born in one of these years: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, and of course, those who will be born in 2011. 



http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_617602.html

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20101223-254288.html


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