Is Civilization Going Down for the Count?
Regarding one of my more cynical posts, a commenter writes: Craig, things seem to cycle in and cycle out thru societies over history. It looks like we are seeing a recycling of Oliver Cromwell and his idiot round-heads are in power in the US. Nothingness is out of fashion, but the tides will turn! Keep on the right path don’t be distracted; the morons and minions will run out of hot air and their current overreach in time.
I’d like to believe that, and, in fact, part of me does. One needs to believe a) that this current trend of corporatocracy and kleptocracy, ushered in by elections based on fear and ignorance, will turn itself around, and that b) our civilization can get a grasp on the downward spiral associated with climate change and other unfolding environmental catastrophes. I’m not saying that this is impossible, but there are certainly no guarantees.
Some will ridicule this idea, saying that such an extinction has never happened in modern times. That’s precisely what the turkey thinks, right up until a few days before Thanksgiving. All the data he has suggests that nothing bad will ever happen to him in the future, because nothing bad has ever happened to him in the past: the farmer feeds him every day and takes care of him nicely. The fact that he’s in for a rude surprise isn’t available to him until it happens.
Are we in that situation? To those who ridicule the idea, I suggest this book by a Pulitzer prize winning author, and say this: I don’t know. And neither do you.
Although there are no guarantees that things will improve, those of us who have studied history will be aware of times when things were actually much worse than now. In earlier times, people were less well educated and the average person had considerably less influence.
Obviously there is considerable reason for concern, but consider this. A person who has hope is much more likely to take effective action than someone who believes that there is no hope. Although we may be in for a rough ride which may cause much suffering, I see the problems as likely to be temporary.
Frank I see what you are saying and though the Ride will get Rough or rougher ,
There are too many informed and educated folks out there. And even the Corporatists have their limits on how out of touch w reality they will tolerate.
they want stability for a stable business climate they also want Innovation as it stimulates productivity. /so they will join forces with the more logical and sane and collaborate to right the ship,…in time …lets Hope.
So I think our country got complacent especially certain Branches of the political machine. Much work needs to be done and it has started in certain quarters.
I wrote that the round-heads have taken over and their daring act today of firing FBI Director Comey is another example of Extreme Reach – that will lead to over Reach adn some of the decent GOP types are going to pull back in supporting the Regime and its crazies.
I meant to say that Nothingness is now in Fashion and our society is too advanced for that to be tolerated for long periods of time. there may be strife and a clash but after the smoke clears the right way of doing things will return.
let s see how it plays out…We dont need lots of Pain but that may be what it takes to wake people up.
Trump may think he is dealing from a Power base but the Trumpet may be trying and probably is trying to obstruct justice as its closing in on his Cabal! so Comey had to go..
will History record this as Over Reach ? or desperate obstruction moves ?
Silent,
Even though trying to predict history often fails, I really do think that there is reason to hope.
The recent firing of the FBI director is shocking but understandable since his actions would have been likely to expose Strumpet’s and his associates’ relationships with Russia. On the PBS News Hour last night they seemed to miss the real reason although by now they have almost certainly figured it out, i.e., the Strumpet – Russian involvement. And, the way the FBI director handled the Clinton – email situation was clumsy, ham-handed, and inappropriate which provided Strumpet and excuse to fire him. It’d guess that this will be the final straw that ends his presidency, but whether the VP will be an improvement is unclear. The VP is more stable than Strumpet, but that may give him more power and influence to do damage.
I agree that considerable pain may be required to awaken sleeping people who do not see the danger in Strumpet’s actions. Progress is usually two steps forward and one step back. Once the one step back has been completed, we may be ready for the next two steps forward, at least I hope so.