“The collapse of urban cultures is an event much more frequent than most observers realize. Often, collapse is well underway before societal elites become aware of it, leading to scenes of leaders responding retroactively and ineffectively as their society collapses around them.” – Sander Vander Leeuw, Archaeologist, 1997
Dr. Sally J. Goerner
The media has made a cottage industry out of analyzing the relationship between America’s crumbling infrastructure, outsourced jobs, stagnant wages, and evaporating middle class and the rise of anti-establishment presidential candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Commentators are also tripping all over one another to expound daily on the ineffectual response of America’s political elite – characterized by either bewilderment or a dismissal of these anti-establishment candidates as minor hiccups in the otherwise smooth sailing of status-quo power arrangements. But the pundits are all missing the point: the Trump-Sanders phenomenon signals an American oligarchy on the brink of a civilization-threatening collapse.
The tragedy is that, despite what you hear on TV or read in the paper or online, this collapse was completely predictable. Scientifically speaking, oligarchies […]
Stephan, this is my favorite article in a while. Thanks for directing me to it.
Best regards…
Pete MacDonald
There is nothing anti-establishment about the Trumpeting Chump, his stolen billions attest to that. His greatest desire is to become the wealthiest most powerful 1%’er Capitalist/Politician of all time. Anyone who believes a word that comes out of his Gish-Galloping spin-meister mouth is a completely brain-dead ignoramus.— (Definition of Gish-Gallop: a Gish Gallop involves spewing so much bullshit in such a short time span that your opponent can’t address let alone counter all of it. It was named after Duane Gish, a creationist nut-job who specialized in the technique)—(Definition of Spin-Meister: A shifty chameleon eyed, smooth-talking manipulator, so untrustworthy they are utterly repugnant and repulsive)
Somehow I think civilization may (just) survive a political upheaval in American politics. She makes some good points, but in all seriousness, the vast majority of people in the US live the lives of a lottery winner. Is there room for improvement and awakening? Absolutely. Would the improvements and awakening be good for the globe? Yes (assuming they move int he direction of increased sustainability and equality).
So…a civilizational threat? No. A threat to entrenched interests? Yes. And a much needed one.