|
Post by dixinormus on Oct 30, 2020 23:05:18 GMT
...and are we witnessing an irrevocable change in Life As We Know It in our lifetime?
Whether you are for or against issues like Brexit, can the social division ever be healed? Likewise the unravelling of the US; can the “winner” of next month’s election actually fix the state of the US? And then we have the Pandemic: the believers and the non-believers who will become increasingly fractious over winter. Doesn’t matter which sides turn out to be right or wrong, the factions aren’t going to patch up their differences in a hurry.
Borders closed, retail and social life curtailed, a gradual unending deterioration in the economy. Irrespective of who or what we blame, or any notions of how we might “fix” the state of the world, consensus is probably unachievable. I’m starting to think we’re all witnessing a very slow motion train crash..?!
Odd to think that it isn’t nuclear war, religion, or even climate change doing for us, each of which was probably diagnosed as humankind’s biggest threat over the past 40 years?!
|
|
|
Post by Humph on Oct 31, 2020 0:02:59 GMT
Your collision analogy is probably about right. Or a perfect storm to overuse another. Sets of circumstances coinciding, and while almost certainly not conspiring, but definitely happening, to cause chaos. The main challenge will be to control the inevitable desire of some of those affected to want to blame and punish some other group or faction for their misfortune, rather than channelling their energies into more positive and constructive activities.
|
|
|
Post by dixinormus on Oct 31, 2020 7:20:21 GMT
It just seems weird to me that after seeing enough horror/Armegeddon films at the box office over the past 40 years we may actually be watching events play out in real life.
Everything is cyclical I guess; are we witnessing the end of a cycle?
|
|
|
Post by Humph on Oct 31, 2020 9:07:58 GMT
Well, yes, maybe, but whatever comes next will be different again, the past few centuries of human development have been predicated on various, but similar in the end, economic models. What happens when they can't work in any currently recognisable form is tough to predict.
Having said that, and to get a bit Confucian about it all, things tend to find their equilibrium as soon as storms subside.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2020 17:41:07 GMT
...and are we witnessing an irrevocable change in Life As We Know It in our lifetime? Whether you are for or against issues like Brexit, can the social division ever be healed? Likewise the unravelling of the US; can the “winner” of next month’s election actually fix the state of the US? And then we have the Pandemic: the believers and the non-believers who will become increasingly fractious over winter. Doesn’t matter which sides turn out to be right or wrong, the factions aren’t going to patch up their differences in a hurry. I'm not sure what you are going to 'fix' with the US. They do not think the same way as Europeans, it is very much every man, woman and child for themselves. A nation with which the Vietnam war is still a raw nerve but four times as many people have died from Covid and many still deny it exists. You can't fix that. The UK has always been tribal. Politics, religion, management v workers, sports teams there is always a difference. People look for the difference and exploit it in whichever way they see fit. To effect change you have to want change. If you want to give up smoking, my personal belief is, you have to want to give up smoking. If that desire to change is not there then it is not going to happen. I think nothing will change, the desire from Governments is not there. People want change if they are going upwards, if there is a risk they will slide down the pecking order then let's just leave well alone.
|
|
Rob
Full Member
Posts: 2,723
|
Post by Rob on Oct 31, 2020 22:42:48 GMT
>> A nation with which the Vietnam war is still a raw nerve but four times as many people have died from Covid and many still deny it exists. You can't fix that.
No I don't think the USA is easily fixed. The fact enough disliked Hilary Clinton enough to vote for Trump says a lot.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2020 3:47:19 GMT
I wrote earlier Americans don't think like Europeans. On reflection, that may not be true. It could be that the US clings on to the founding peoples beliefs more strongly than European counterparts.
One word makes me think this: change.
People don't like change. How many times do you hear if it ain't broke don't fix it or, people saying why can't we do it like we did before/when I was a child... Possibly the politicians judged peoples appetite for change wrong, people got fed up of change being thrust upon them and not seeing the benefit which possibly, I'm no psychologist, led to Brexit thinking. In a group of 500+ million people change is going to be accepted or palatable at different rates, if you want change to happen you have to make sure you carry people with you and not leave a sizeable group behind.
Just some random thoughts, in a forum, by one person. Carry on.
|
|
|
Post by EspadaIII on Nov 1, 2020 13:15:39 GMT
In the NHS I understand that there is constant change at the behest of professional managers or ministers.
The clinical staff hate it and costs of change are enormous.
A period of stability is required. Business only changes when it needs to. Government must realise that and only permit change if logically it will improve services at no net additional cost or retain quality if service at reduced cost.
Anything else is futile.
|
|
|
Post by dixinormus on Nov 1, 2020 20:27:42 GMT
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,356
|
Post by WDB on Nov 4, 2020 17:52:54 GMT
Tempting fate, maybe, but I sense that the Trump side are starting to act as if they know they’ve lost. I really, really hope they have. It’s a long way back but it needs to start here.
|
|
Rob
Full Member
Posts: 2,723
|
Post by Rob on Nov 4, 2020 21:16:33 GMT
I still can't believe the best the democrats could field against Trump is Biden and Hilary 4 years ago. There must be someone else surely. Even if you only look at the house of representatives and the senate. How about Michelle Obama although she probably wouldn't want to do it.
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,356
|
Post by WDB on Nov 4, 2020 22:36:17 GMT
Biden has managed to grow in stature over the course of the campaign — albeit mainly by not following Trump into the gutter. He’s too old to be a two-term president but I think he’ll do a decent job for one, with the chance to groom a more progressive candidate for 2024.
What was funny this morning was seeing Dominic Raaaaaab squirm his way through an interview without saying, “We bet our entire foreign policy on Trump and we’re desperate for him to win,”
|
|
|
Post by EspadaIII on Nov 5, 2020 18:39:18 GMT
Trump for me is a curate's egg. I suspect no one will be surprised about that but his real downfall is his idiotic statements on Covid. The problem is he thinks he knows it all. In many cases he has a different view which can be very succesful; e.g. the Middle East, but you can't fight science with talk.
Kamala Harris would/could be an interesting President if Biden has a successul term and does not stand again. But the American system does not seem to permit people to work their way up to the possibility of standing. When was the last Secretary of State who went on to become President?
|
|
Rob
Full Member
Posts: 2,723
|
Post by Rob on Nov 5, 2020 19:22:29 GMT
>> When was the last Secretary of State who went on to become President?
What does that have to do with Kamala Harris running for president in the future?
And you might say his opinion on Covid is part of his downfall (should it happen) but nearly 70 million have voted for him. That says a lot about the American population and probably why I don't like the USA.
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,356
|
Post by WDB on Nov 5, 2020 20:23:10 GMT
Trump for me is a curate's egg. I suspect no one will be surprised about that ... I am. In which parts do you think he was good?
|
|