Biff. Baff. Uppercut.

[Soph0571]

One does not wish to exaggerate but evidence suggests we are in an existential battle for the survival of the post world war 2 Western liberal democratic settlement.

In the right corner… Vociferous, jarring, coarse, intolerant, fanatical and blinkered horde supporting a mendacious 1% (and the Russians) to cling to their minority rule, based on centuries of exploitation, with their last breath. This low information horde will quite literally advocate democracy dying cause MAGA, cause Brexit.

In the left corner… A rational fact based variety of citizens, from all upbringings, urgently searching for agreement about by what means we address the central disparities in our societies and the looming environmental catastrophe, that should be front and centre in everyone’s consciousness.

I have no wish to be hyperbolic, but the future of our civilisation may well be at stake. Time to get the boxing gloves on. Biff. Baff. Uppercut.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. I've thought this way for a while now...

WWII showed us WWI wasn't as bad as we were told. It was bad enough, but no Germany taking over Europe or Japan taking over Asia. And no nukes.

So, after the "real" war, everyone sat back and took stock. The world order was upset and Europe was in tatters. The US, physically untouched by the war, was by default the leader of whatever the new world order was going to be.

Japan realized it was stupid to try to invade Korea and China, and Europe thought that 2,000 years of warfare has no point and should really come to an end. Everybody's happier when we work together instead of blowing each other up.

But, Aristotle's teaching that democracy can't work in the long run because people are greedy and stupid is now being proven again. The European union is about to break up-- Merkel is retiring, Italy is in its usual confusion, Greece is broke, and France is trying for its latest revolution. Won't be long before there's nothing to Brexit from.

And Merrie Olde England-- this shining light has finally proven that it can't work without the East India Company pulling the appropriate strings. But, I can't complain about the tragedy of errors that brought the mop headed clown to Downing St. when we did far worse.

I feel somewhat guilty that I've only got about 10 years left on this moldy planet and billions of younger folk will have to pick up the pieces while they fend off starvation.

[Backseat Driver]

4. Yup, guilty as charged, and the stress of awareness is killing me for my grandkids' sake;

Yup, I'm still using plastics and I rationally realize that "SMOKE 'EM WHILE YOU GOT 'EM" is both contributory and suicidal; nevertheless...I'm certainly not okay with a single itchy-fingered person at the helm of a nation and its armies with nuclear bombs that is by policy only "more equal than others" by virtue of the office that individual is purporting to lead having taken, perhaps purposely and falsely, an oath to uphold.

[Wounded Bear]

2. We're living out the Forward to the real world 1984...

[WheelWalker]

3. Screw the gloves. It's a cage fight.