There are two recessions going on.

One is gradually ending. This is the cyclical recession, we have them all the time, they come and they go. Not fun, but not permanent.

The other one, I fear, is here forever. This is the recession of the industrial age, the receding wave of bounty that workers and businesses got as a result of rising productivity but imperfect market communication.

Great post by Seth Godin... be sure to read the rest. Ironic that he uses the words "I fear" in the third paragraph... I assume that's just a figure of speech because Seth wouldn't have much to talk about without all of this upheaval.