IGNORE THIS PILLAR OF SOCIETY AT YOUR OWN PERIL!

 

IGNORE THIS PILLAR OF SOCIETY AT YOUR OWN PERIL!

 

Fear public displeasure because at our worst, we do the worst!

 

Less than two centuries ago there were only two main pillars in society that were dominant: Church and State.  Both featured heavily in the lives of ordinary people, many of whom were nothing more than indentured servants to one or the other.  Only a small percentage—today we refer to them as the one percenters—were entitled to pursue life and pleasure as they saw fit.  If you were born into a certain strata of society you were expected to stay there.  Know your place.

Pillars do however change and World War I for instance led to the demise of many ruling monarchies that insisted on maintaining absolute power in the face of rising social unrest and rebellion.  Resentment.  Public opinion was turning against both Church and State and demanded changes.  The entitled refused to acknowledge that a storm of discontent was brewing.  New political ideas were stirring the pot while the old guard continued to strut in their uniforms and danced the night away in fancy castles and grand palaces.  Blind to their own excesses and the plight of ordinary people who often worked hard and for pitiful wages.  Packed in like sardines in dirty urban slums and lacking proper services.

The one thing all governments fear, no matter of what political stripe or color, is the court of public opinion that can turn against them if provoked to such an extent that an outright confrontation is inevitable.  Ignore economic, financial and social stability, the basics the masses crave, and public opinion can turn into a steamroller and demolish everything in its path. 

In prosperous times we crave normalcy and we’re an affable and compliant species.

Happy people don’t make waves and in a happy environment governments can handle the odd ripple.  Tip the balance in the wrong direction and all bets are off.  In most of my articles I stick with what I know best.  I am a product of the western world and therefore it becomes the template for most of my work.  I am not familiar enough with other parts of the world and the intricacies of how they evolved and developed.  But I am pretty sure that all face similar scenarios. 

World War II was a bit of an anomaly; unfinished business of the previous war leading to widespread political unrest and revolt and some pretty bad political actors emerged who would lead the world into one of the blackest chapters of human history.  It shook the world to its core and when we emerged from the ashes and massive destruction, there was a resolve amongst world leaders, and especially in the West, that we could never allow this to happen again.  The yoke of the old industrial revolution was shed by workers and owners alike.  New societal pillars emerged.  A new era of interactive cooperation.  Not that the old ways didn’t work, they simply weren’t tolerated anymore.

When we do get it right, it works!

From the 1950s onward it appeared as if the western world finally got it right.  A new era of widespread prosperity was ushered in with the West leading in modern advances and democratically elected governments.  A victory for ordinary people shedding the shackles of oppression and abuse.  Peace, prosperity and plenty of opportunity.  Trade unions were instrumental in how workers and employers interacted with each other.  A celebration of the individual, their worth finally recognized and appreciated.  Our part of the world at least was maturing in what many attributed to a growing intelligentsia.  Our evolving societies demanded an educated and skilled labor force.  A rapidly expanding human population not only created an industrial boom, it necessitated the erection of new societal pillars to support a society brimming with confidence, spreading its wings and . . . with a whole new set of demands.

However, no matter how large we grow in numbers, there are still tribal characteristics that are the pillars of any nation, whether new or old.  In no particular order: Shared territory and living within a defined geographic area or region and sharing a social network.  In order for modern societies to work effectively social interaction and cooperation is essential as members engage in ongoing relationships like work, play and education.  Societies also develop cultural norms with shared values and traditions, languages, religious beliefs and with expectations that guide acceptable behaviors.

Governments had to evolve as well to meet evolving expectations and many turned into social institutions, not only to maintain law and order, but to guide the economy to help maintain and meet basic human needs and demands.  An interdependence developed and on a scale never witnessed before.  One could even say that too many people are now too reliant on government for their existence and livelihoods!  Governments are drowning in a sea of red ink.  Borrowed money to stave off societal collapse.  Borrowed money to stay afloat.  Never before in human history have so many people become reliant on government services for jobs and their livelihoods. 

A reliable continuum has never existed.

Not only do people rely on each other for support, it becomes increasingly difficult for governments to ignore the plight of its people, especially when uncomfortable truths come knocking on our doors.  The stability we crave to guide our lives along in an orderly fashion rarely lasts for any length of time.  Never long enough to truly change the ways in how we behave and act.  A celebration of intelligence that includes the ability to overcome hurdles and hardship in a truly humanitarian fashion.  A pipedream that has never materialized.

When rifts turn into an abyss.

The human applecart is easily upended by setbacks, unrealistic expectations and unaffordable demands.  Combined with our fragile nature and existence and blessed with near primordial emotions when challenged, it poses a serious threat when it comes to harness the court of public opinion.  When it comes to expressing tribal displeasure we’re pretty darn consistent in exposing the worst humanity can bring to bear on itself.  Once more we have arrived at such a crossroad and the human pendulum is dangerously veering in all the wrong directions.

The dangerous games we play.

At this juncture in time the American mid-term elections are approaching and my neighbor to the south is struggling, and they are not the only ones.  Governments around the world are grappling with huge debt levels.  Politicians are jumping through hoops to keep everything afloat . . . and . . . it’s not just jobs or the economy.  Governments are now the white elephant in the room, costly, overburdened and massive in size, trying to appease the court of public opinion, that oddly enough in America, through the efforts of Trump, and supporters cut from the same cloth, have actually fanned the flames of discontent, of anger, fear and frustration.  Rather than being part of the solution, the Trump circus is accelerating the process of societal disintegration.  Even if the mid-term results favor a Democratic majority, there is no guarantee that the Trump camp will be restrained or put in neutral.  They have become experts at manipulating the masses.  The fires of dissatisfaction were lit a long time ago and even if neutered, the nation itself is fractured and the pillars of society are no longer firmly supported.

We are a species in turmoil and election results are no guarantee that a sense of normalcy will return.

Our numbers are now dragging us down.  The cost of housing and supporting our numbers with an affordable lifestyle have mired us in bad debts.  We’re not an investment and have turned into a liability instead.  No amount of technology can stave off what we have turned into.  We are no longer self-supporting.  Self-reliant.  Our impact has been devastating and if public opinion turns us into loose cannons, the anger unleased by the likes of Trump and likeminded political actors, will only add fuel to the fires of discontent.

Desperation measures create awkward situations.  We are faced with a global affordability crisis and a loss of confidence in government period.  The good ship stability is leaking like a sieve and nobody knows how to stop the bleeding.  All Trump and Company have achieved is hastening the slide of America into mediocrity.  Trump and Company are not the disease, they are merely symptomatic of what is killing our societies.

It always comes down to numbers.

Our numbers are killing us.  What used to be within reach—and we did create an enormous amount of wealth in a very short period of time—is no longer available to the majority of the masses.  In a sad way, we’re really done in by success and we’re about to pay the price.  Too many people and we’re running out of opportunity and options.  Too many people vying for rapidly diminishing resources.  Too many people negatively impacting on the planet and what is left of it.  Bottom line: we’re not sustainable.

The human ledger is turning into a sea of red ink and the toolbox is nearly empty and what’s left inside is not nearly enough to turn things around.

The 21^st century ushered in hope and a huge increase in overall prosperity and with a genuine desire by the many to move forward in a positive direction.  In a technological sense we leapt forward with giant steps, determined to improve lives.  We did.  In terms of achievement we succeeded beyond anyone’s belief and imagination, but the however lies in the cost in how it was achieved.        

We inhabit a planet that is finite and which has a finite potential.  Our huge debt levels mirror the reality of a planet that can longer sustain our numbers and extravagant demands and needs.

I observe and interpret and I prefer to phrase it in such a manner that most people will understand what I’m writing about.  As a human being I take no delight in describing the current human journey and the predicaments we face. 

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