Keep in mind that politically. our nation rides on a pendulum that swings left and right -- but overall in my lifetime (1946-2022) has ended up in positions slightly left or right of center at various times. The oddity -- a dangerous oddity -- for now is that the pendulum has veered much further to the right. I am pessimistic about the possibility of a near-term correction, as the electorate has become less informed by fact than by ignorance and prejudice. Our educational system seems to have short-changed instruction in civics and history, which leaves me wondering whether today's younger generations are adequately equipped to make the necessary corrections. Despite those problems, there are few other nations on the planet where I would choose to live. (New Zealand, alas, is too damn far away.)
Thanks, David. I see a deeper and more intractable problem, namely, grotesque wealth inequality and power-hoarding of a kind we've not seen since the age of empires, and that will not be solved before climate change makes a mockery of all politics. The pendulum swinging is a surface-level event at best. On a structural level, you can't have actual democracy when 400 families own more wealth than the bottom ~200 million citizens. This, too, was foreseen and preventable. The far-right did a much better job marshaling resources and building a propaganda machine. To a depressing extent, we can now say John-Birchers-R-Us.
Keep in mind that politically. our nation rides on a pendulum that swings left and right -- but overall in my lifetime (1946-2022) has ended up in positions slightly left or right of center at various times. The oddity -- a dangerous oddity -- for now is that the pendulum has veered much further to the right. I am pessimistic about the possibility of a near-term correction, as the electorate has become less informed by fact than by ignorance and prejudice. Our educational system seems to have short-changed instruction in civics and history, which leaves me wondering whether today's younger generations are adequately equipped to make the necessary corrections. Despite those problems, there are few other nations on the planet where I would choose to live. (New Zealand, alas, is too damn far away.)
Thanks, David. I see a deeper and more intractable problem, namely, grotesque wealth inequality and power-hoarding of a kind we've not seen since the age of empires, and that will not be solved before climate change makes a mockery of all politics. The pendulum swinging is a surface-level event at best. On a structural level, you can't have actual democracy when 400 families own more wealth than the bottom ~200 million citizens. This, too, was foreseen and preventable. The far-right did a much better job marshaling resources and building a propaganda machine. To a depressing extent, we can now say John-Birchers-R-Us.