WTF happened in 1971?

submitted by magnora7 from wtfhappenedin1971.com

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[–]magnora7[S] 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

I agree with everything you said. Except there is one check on all this -- the worse people's quality of life gets, the more quickly people become able to see what's wrong with the system and begin to oppose it and that faith in the system erodes away. A lot of that faith only exists because of people's memories of their middle-class existence, and it seems like they can get back there. Once that hope is extinguished, then the faith in the status quo also begins to dry up.

This is why mass revolutions often happen during the worst parts of a financial/economic crisis.

This is the largest context and is the self-regulating social mechanism that created the middle class in the first place. History shows things can't just get worse and worse forever, there is a breaking point where the system is too weak, brittle, and unpopular to sustain itself anymore. This is when a new way of operating begins to take foot. History shows these kind of waves, we just happen to be in a low point right now in history. There will come a point when people will have had enough, and the once-strong system will begin to collapse under its own weight without the support of the citizenry it's abusing to maintain power.

This is "the social contract" that we all learned about in history class. If they don't support us, we don't support them. Simple as that. History shows no system can operate without the support of the citizenry. This is why they dedicate so much energy to propaganda.

It's ridiculous, but it also all makes perfect sense. There are just so many perspectives, and they're all right in a way. However humanity typically acts to minimize damage to itself, which is why history is basically a long progression of very gradual improvement, even if there are periods where a few steps are taken backwards along the way.

Anyway, I didn't mean to ramble, but there's hope even if things look a bit bleak at the moment. Things like saidit, and the fact we can have this conversation at all, is kind of a big deal, imo. The world is waking up to itself, and it's not pretty. But that means a greater probability of pinpointing the real problems, which means a greater probability of fixing them.

[–][deleted] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

This is the largest context and is the self-regulating social mechanism that created the middle class in the first place. History shows things can't just get worse and worse forever, there is a breaking point where the system is too weak, brittle, and unpopular to sustain itself anymore. This is when a new way of operating begins to take foot. History shows these kind of waves, we just happen to be in a low point right now in history. There will come a point when people will have had enough, and the once-strong system will begin to collapse under its own weight without the support of the citizenry it's abusing to maintain power.

You just nailed why I've been a "prepper" for the last 20 years. Not because I expect to wake up to "Fallout" conditions - but because I expect civil society to fail for a time while the world restructures itself out of the bullshit it's run on now and into a new cycle of bullshit. Many of the disasters we collectively survived in the 19th and 20th centuries (great depression, spanish flu, carrington event, etc) will be fatal to the current world order. We no longer possess the required levels of nationalism, self-sufficiency, or institutional trust to hold together through such a thing.

[–]magnora7[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes we should all be prepared batten down the hatches and weather out any storm, should one arise

[–]Jesus 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Which is why things could easily change if the whole world was aware of these schemes and decided one day not to participate. But because it is only a minority that see this, opposing these schemes can dramatically change your life usually for the worse.

[–]magnora7[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I agree, but it's not always worse. You just have to know how to swing it. Which is not an easy thing in today's world.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

It's ridiculous, but it also all makes perfect sense. There are just so many perspectives, and they're all right in a way. However humanity typically acts to minimize damage to itself, which is why history is basically a long progression of very gradual improvement, even if there are periods where a few steps are taken backwards along the way.

Too inefficient and slow though. There is an alternative method yet unexplored to get out of this rut but if too many steps are taken backwards, then many opportunities will cease to exist as well and the window shall close. Keeping favor to chances, developing algorithms based on proper heuristics through collaboration is meant to be constant! The system is an auxiliary in achieving proper protocols while the social has been nothing more than a liability in many respects. That same social liability may be rearing its ugly head to obfuscate the path due to mass hysteria and hatred.

[–]magnora7[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Too inefficient and slow though

I agree, but this isn't something we get to choose any more than we can pick how fast water flows. We can try to help it along, but at the end of the day it goes at the pace it goes.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Um... there are catalysts and inhibitors in nature, both of which can be utilized wisely to either retard or speed up reactions; but the problem now seems to be impatience and actions of sabotage from very many sides. It is a liability when you think about what is at stake though:

That taking a step back as a society into SHTF, may also mean the loss of specialized knowledge, skills and capabilities. It has happened before during the Bronze age, silver age, golden age and the collapse of empires etc. There was a purpose they had failed to achieve despite their sacrifices and a loss of potential to build toward. All their ambitions and capabilities thrown away into darkness due to a lack of self-control or awareness toward the sad end.

It just may be better instead, to play a "trump" card, not play a "trump" card or play an "anti-trump-joker" card or whatever else in the deck to get out of this debacle and not follow the same footsteps as before. I may be wrong but potential shouldn't be wasted or sabotaged; it ought to be encouraged, realized and exploited mercilessly for the better!

[–]magnora7[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I agree, but then once you've done that nonstop for 20 years and you're kind of exhausted, then what? Keep doing more of the same?

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

then what? Keep doing more of the same?

Well, depending on your level of dedication or situation; maybe. But stay on the lookout for the tiny cracks of differing possibilities throughout your conflict to exploit into something radically different. Chance and change are built upon the chisel of grind and stone, the thing that inevitably decides the future is proportion and efficiency. It doesn't have to be exhausting or nonstop though.. take plenty of breaks and relax! Productivity or brainstorming isn't meant to be routine or difficult, enjoy yourself! That is also the purpose of humor.

[–]magnora7[S] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

That's a reasonable perspective.