Discussion»Questions»Life and Society» When you are forced to live in the extremes what happens to the middle? Does it disappear forever or just for now?
I like the way Micheal K. Williams ("The Wire") put it: When the system fails you, you create your own system. If you're on the extremes the middle is still there, you just don't experience it, it no longer matters. You do what you must to survive. I suppose one could say that it is still there and perhaps some day you could make it back to that point. So it is not gone forever. Though if you want to discuss political ramifications then yes, the middle is disappearing. Forever? Not such a fantasy. From my perspective (not quite on the extreme but quite a way from the middle) it seems that the country, the world, is boiling down to the haves and have-nots. The middle is disappearing.
Nothing lasts forever. The middle is always relative. There are realms of discomfort, struggle, and pain - constantly wearing down - where extremes occur more commonly. Creativity and working together often arises best in these situations. It is immensely difficult to overcome poverty traps, but not impossible.
The current rise of obscene wealth and power among the few privileged cannot last forever, but I think that how it will end (in this round of history) will be via global warming and global catastrophic extinction. I think our species is on track for destroying this world as we know it.
To an extent I agree. The only way I see obscene wealth, power and privilege being halted and/or reversed is through class warfare, literally. The rich lock themselves (gated, closed, private communities) away from...us...and hire armed guards to keep the poor, hungry and disheveled masses at bay. They never have to see or deal with us, we are not seen by those people. Until we have armed revolt against the upper class will this end. Unless global warming takes them down first. However I beg to differ in your prediction that mankind will cause a global catastrophic extinction. We humans are a rather hardy bunch of people. Sure, most of the people on the planet may pass away but I feel that somewhere, in some part of the world, there are still people who live a Third World life (or less) yet still manage to eke out a living. Testimony to the human spirit.
I think history demonstrates that, excepting rare individuals, aristocrats do not willingly give up their wealth. So far, I have not seen a successful communist revolution, irrespective of all the variants so far invented.
But I don't believe there is time for any kind of utopia to be invented, to evolve or to be forced.
I am convinced that the data from science is inevitably correct: view the major essay on Guy MacPherson's site, "Nature Bats Last."
I'm not joking when I repeat MacPherson's term, "imminent catastrophic global extinction." Not one person will survive, not even in bunkers and shelters. The vast majority of animals and plants will not survive. The means to support earth's planetary life forms, to grow food, will die. The atmosphere will be too hot - too hot for algae to live on the surface of the sea, the starting point of the entire planet's food chain. Already they are dying on a massive scale. And this is only the beginning of what will accelerate exponentially due to the feedback loops of the global atmosphere. It will be equivalent to what happened when the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs. And the end will happen suddenly, within a 2 year period. It will take millions of years to re-evolve. Everything humans now do is futile. Not my personal evaluation - the result of independent environmental science specialists collating all the available data. It became too late to change the outcome a bit over 40 years ago. We have only one option left to us - to make the best of what life we have left to us within the next 18 years.
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at October 20, 2016 7:29 PM MDT
I dunno Jenny. The rich stay that way unless they do something really stupid (Bernie Maddoff?) to lose it all. And there will always be the poor. Though controversial and somewhat difficult to describe, the middle class in America is said to be shrinking. Thank you for your reply, it gives me something to consider.
Just for now. Although that's not a set period of time, so it could be a while. Somehow I doubt it though. Patience is thin on the ground, as it always is when people see themselves getting poorer and less secure.
It's worth remembering that we are where we are due to decisions taken by politicians. The banks aren't really the devils they've been painted as, just as big businesses aren't the bad guy for obeying tax law and paying next to nothing as a result. The ability to do these things is given by politicians, and I think the general consensus is that the motivation for this generosity is mostly self or party interest.
But if the most pressing question politicians face isn't 'where is the next large donation coming from?' but, 'do I get to keep my job?' their focus is likely to change. Expect to see plenty of merciless sociopaths experience a Damascene conversion and suddenly realise the benefits of more 'friendly' social policies. It may seem to happen gradually, but it will happen. I've already seen the first tentative steps being taken here.
Of course there's always the possibility that innate foolishness will cause some politico or other to set fire to the house. That's unavoidable at present I'm afraid, but if the political focus changes then there is the possibility the pendulum will return to 'normal', if such a thing exists. :)
I looked up "Damascene" in the dictionary MrWitch and apologies but I don't understand what a Damascene conversion is. The dictionary says "Of or pertaining to the city of Damascus" and "Of or pertaining too the art of damascening". Now there is something also there about a pattern of wavy lines but honestly I don't have a clue what you mean. Could you cross the t's and dot the i's for me please? Thank you for your reply Mrwitch! :
This post was edited by RosieG at October 21, 2016 7:07 AM MDT
'Damanscene Conversion' refers to the change of heart Saul of Tarsus experienced on the road to Damascus, where he was heading in order to persecute Christians. It is to be found in Acts Of The Apostles, Chapter 9. Saul became Paul - a complete turn around and it is this volte-face that is described as a 'Damascene Conversion'.
Hope that helps. :)
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at October 24, 2016 7:17 AM MDT
Benedict Arnold 