Back in the 80's the conspiracy theorists were all about the new world order and tri-lateral commission. At the time I didn't believe a word of it… Who'd thunk that elitists could stay banded together for decades and decades pulling the strings?
Is there a better time in all of modern history to be alive and watch this develop and unfold?
Chris has elegantly explained how we are reaching the limits of exponentials. I figure the cascading failures will be ugly and difficult, potentially throwing survivors back easily a couple of centuries in living standards.
I've just gone back and reread the comments in this thread. There seems to be big thumbs up around the concept of 'the elites hitting the financial reset button and staying in control'. This confuses me as I can't see the tactic producing anything more than a short period of breathing space at best.
We know this is a multi-dimensional predicament. And we know our society is structured and patterned on growth - the end of which is likely to precipitate tsunamis of problems. I suspect some sort of financial reset will occur out of desperation - but I can't see how that's going to give anyone a 'Get out of jail free' card.
In a technological future I agree it would be completely different. The thrust of the elites is on increasing globalization, more technology (e-money for example was mentioned). But it's hard to argue with the 2nd Law, and I think most here agree that we're in for less societal complexity and a much more local focus to life in the not too distant future.
Is there a better time in all of modern history to be alive and watch this develop and unfold?
Great point Phecksel, Across the vast sweep of history for the last 10,000 years or more civilization has been seen to 'progress'. There have been knock-backs here and there but overall the direction has been 'forward' and societal complexity has grown along with the population. Most people are so mesmerized by this long straight road they can't imagine anything different.
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to your front row seats on the Roller Coaster from Hell as it hurtles over the crest of Peak Civilization.
If you assume that, to the "Elites", humanity is little different then a herd of dairy cattle, except that rather then being milked twice a day we make a loan payment once a month, then much of what they are doing makes sense. I think for the most part they are indifferent to us as we go about our daily activity of eating, burping, farting and comingling our secretions, etc. as long as they get a check each month for some portion of our blood, sweat and tears. That said, I don't think they will have any compunction at all about leaving us to die of thirst, starvation, violence and disease when we are no longer economically productive.
What I am having a great deal of trouble imagining is what their end game might be. Clearly at some point there won't be enough energy to keep all the wheels going around. Without transportation fuel globalism and the New World Order stop dead in their tracks. The bunker and hunker idea is all very romantic, but sooner or later you're going to have to come out. Then what? Take some slaves and resurrect the antebellum American south? Were? Russia seems to have the combination of energy and agriculture that might let it stand alone. Were else? Puget Sound/Willamette Valley, Imperial Valley, east Texas, western Pennsylvania, New Zealand? If you had a billion dollars and knew that entropy could not be reversed, what would you do? Were? How would you keep it secret?
People are preparing for the collapse all over the place. Some of them have a lot of money. I wonder what they're doing.