It would be very nice if the powerful/wealthy/accomplished/successful/talented/intelligent were honest/honorable. Does it matter? How?

Color me depressed Pepper! Not your fault. You simply laid it out "like it is". SIGH. Think there is any hope of things changing for the better or will it just get worser and worser and worser?  Are such humans as you describe redeemable? What will it take or is it hopeless? Thank you for your reply! :)              

I think it depends on what sort of person you are Rosie.  This generation is being brought up with mobile phones, internet, game consoles, electric cars, TV so they are very dependent on the system.  The system creates dependence so that the people are easier to control. However, if you are someone that knows they can live without those things, who are still very old school then I think you'll be ok. You need to be a person that doesn't care what others think, that doesn't hold their self esteem in another persons approval of them. Say what you say and then say no more.  A person like that creates fear because they cannot be controlled, a person like that exposes the system for what it is. 
See I don't think people are bad.  I think the government and banking system is.  Take for example your elections, you were given two really bad candidates Hilary and Trump.  Those candidates weren't people that were honest or honourable, they were deceitful and perverted. The reason they got in is because the game is rigged.  They were already chosen just like Bill Clinton was chosen ten years before he was voted in.  You're never going to get a legit president because the ones you are given to choose from have the most money to campaign, but are not the most honourable. Anyone with that kind of money is going to be corrupt.  Plus if you look at the presidents advisers they are always the same, this is because the board members are the ones who run the show not the president, the president is just a puppet. 

In my country, just like your's, it doesn't matter who wins the election, and like yours it is always one of two candidates Labour or Conservative which translates Rich or working class.  The good thing about here is that just by voting a rogue candidate they can get into the house of commons and stir up a hornets nest, and that's the best you can do if you want to see change.  However, if you just keep voting the two candidates they put forward then you just keep getting what your getting.  People don't realise that when they vote the power is given back to The People.  When you vote you give the Power back to THEM.  So don't vote, at least you can say I never chose to give the power back, especially not to the two deplorable candidates they offered us in the first place.
If people accept their lot then things will only get worse, because while everyone is distracted with the nonsense that is being put on the news, and consumerism, we are still being put into a position where we are working all our lives to fund goverments and banking systems that are corrupt.  It is this that causing frustration and division amongst people, not necessarily the people themselves.

Very thoughtful, informative and compelling analysis Pepper. I disagree with thee about a couple of your points. You say "don't vote". That is one of the few responsibilities of an American citizen. If we abdicate then our voices are never heard. Now whether those voices mean anything is a different issue. I think citizens are OBLIGATED to vote. Maybe because I am first generation American. My parents and grandparents came to the United States from "the old country" for a better life. They became naturalized citizens and I think naturalized citizens make the best ones! Why? Because they had to go out of their way to get here, learn about our history and take a test. They CHOSE us! The rest of us don't even value it. Or so it seems to me. If I didn't vote I would be letting them down. I ALWAYS VOTE. Also you say you don't  think the people are bad. You think the government and banking system is. I disagree. The people who voted for Trump did so willingly. Now I do agree that there could not possibly have been two lousier candidates from which to choose. We did have Bernie Sanders. He just didn't catch on enough to become a candidate.  Hillary certainly has a lot of warts. But  I think Trump is evil through and through and the people he surrounds himself with are evil too and they are all bobbleheads/sycophants/yes men/women. How any woman could support him is beyond me frankly!  He is a celebrity entertainer. Nothing more. He is clown,womanizer, court jester,  butt of many well-deserved jokes. If he were sane he would be less dangerous but he isn't so gawd only knows what other awful things Doofus Donny has up his sleeve. I think the system used to be better but I can't know that for sure. What I do know is that abrogating my responsibility as a United States Citizen will never happen. I think that is cowardly personally. Refusing to participate. You might say that it is foolish to play the game when you know the deck is stacked. But maybe one day it won't be. One can only hope. I am very old m'dear so I AM very old school. I don't care what people think of me.  Of course I prefer that they like what they see but if they don't it's no skin off my nose. Like Popeye "I yam what I  yam and that's all that I  yam"!  :)

It's nice to meet you Rosie :)

I didn't scare you off? That speaks very well of you! Thank you for your reply Pepper P and Happy Sunday to thee! :) This post was edited by RosieG at April 16, 2017 9:17 AM MDT

 I like someone who is strong and an individual, I enjoyed reading what you had to say. Happy Sunday to you also Rosie.

Thank you very much Pepper P. I appreciate that a lot. Happy Monday to thee! :)