Ed,
I go along with most of what you've written. I, too, am generally
optimistic about the future -- the longer-term future, that is. It's
the short-term future that worries me. New eras, epochs or cultures
don't normally glide peacefully from one to the next like the passing
of clouds or the rising of the sun. More usually there are
catastrophic events in between -- or at least long periods of poverty
-- and it's this that I fear for my grandchildren.
I think the key to getting a faint glimpse of tomorrow's world is
that the nation-state as we know it today is no longer the 'natural'
entity when describing the economics of survival. The vast majority
are the accidental byproducts of artillery warfare and geography
(more strictly, the layout of rivers, roads and railways along which
regiments travelled during their wars and the putting down of
insurrections). Major nationalistic wars that change territorial
boundaries are now unthinkable, given modern nuclear weapons. As to
their economics, most, if not all, advanced nation-state governments
are now technically bankrupt. National budgets and balance sheets no
longer make any sort of sense, becoming increasingly and inextricably
bound up with those of the big commercial banks -- which are also
mostly bankrupt. Although average standards of living can be compared
between different nations, the figures don't really make much sense
because there are huge differences of wealth and poverty within them
all as between different regions, cities and even specific locales
within cities.
Although the above is only a glimpse I think it will prove to be
extremely relevant as to precisely how tomorrow's era will unfold.
Keith
At 22:35 28/12/2011, you wrote:
When I think about it, what I fear most is the waves of pessimism
sweeping over the global landscape -- wave after wave of darkness
blotting out any prospect of ever seeing the sun. It's as though,
everything is dark and gloomy and will stay that way forever.
What we forget is that we've been here before -- many
times. Empires have arisen and empires have collapsed. Great ideas
were put into practice and were then no longer great. Religions
arose out of our sense of beauty and duty but then became repressive
dogmas. Science and medicine made huge differences to public health
in the 18th and 19th centuries but then led to an exploding global
population. The innovative technology of the past couple of
centuries made things very much easier for the working man, but is
now taking away his job.
Throughout, however, we've survived and moved on to the next epochal
change, and that is what we may have to do again. Right now, the
European Union, originally a beautiful idea, is under a great deal
of stress and may not survive. The USSR, a brutal machine founded
on the humane thinking of Marx, is long gone. China has moved from
the same humane thoughts to a brutal but vulnerable system of state
capitalism. America, once the hope of the world, is deadlocked in
its own ideological battles.
But let's not worry, the dark clouds will pass -- maybe. By the end
of this century, or perhaps even earlier, there will have been major
shifts of power and organization. Things like the Arab Spring, the
Occupy movement, and the rise against the Putinization of Russia
certainly suggest that the dark clouds will move on and the sun will
shine again. But only for a time, until the next wave of dark clouds roll in.
OK. I'm an old guy, and the older you are right now, the more
optimistic you can feel. Whatever happens next won't be my problem,
it'll be the problem of the guys who are jumping up and down
shouting they're the 99 percent. It's their inheritance and I'm
glad to be able to pass it on to them.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray Harrell" <<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]>
To: "'RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION,EDUCATION'"
<<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 3:08 PM
Subject: Re:
[Futurework]china-insolvency-wave-begins-nations-biggest-provincal-borrowers-defer-loan-payments
> "before the skull and bones takes over the world."
>
>
> You missed that?
>
> REH
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of D and N
> Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 1:15 PM
> To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION
> Subject: Re: [Futurework]
>
china-insolvency-wave-begins-nations-biggest-provincal-borrowers-defer-loan-
> payments
>
> Yep. With all this richness around us; with all the wealth of artistry
> going to waste, the world is somehow broke or is that only broken -
> meaning we could fix it ... if the banks were shut down. I know - too
> difficult. But a big change has to occur before the skull and bones
> takes over the world.
>
> D.
>
>
>
> On 12/27/2011 7:47 PM, Ray Harrell wrote:
>> So now the whole world is broke. Humm!
>>
>> REH
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From:
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]
>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of michael
> gurstein
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 10:05 PM
>> To: Futurework
>> Subject: [Futurework]
>>
>
china-insolvency-wave-begins-nations-biggest-provincal-borrowers-defer-loan-
>> payments
>>
>>
>
<http://www.zerohedge.com/news/china-insolvency-wave-begins-nations-biggest-p>http://www.zerohedge.com/news/china-insolvency-wave-begins-nations-biggest-p
>> rovincal-borrowers-defer-loan-payments
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> _______________________________________________
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> _______________________________________________
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Keith Hudson, Saltford, England http://allisstatus.wordpress.com
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