[ExI] Old still true

[BillK]

On Sun, Aug 14, 2011 at 7:12 PM, Keith Henson  wrote:
<snip>
> To get back to Simon's concern for 2012, you should *expect* people
> under relatively worsening economic stress to favor xenophobic memes
> and leadership that ranges from irrational to downright insane
> (Hitler, Pol Pot, etc.)
>
> This will get worse until the economics hits an uptick after people
> get used to a lower level.  Of course irrational leadership usually
> gets into wars (the stone age function of such leadership) and that
> over time that makes the economy worse.
>
>


I am nervous about applying this analysis to present day US. There
seem to be too many other factors.

For example, 'economic stress' has been planned and organised by the
'leaders'. The plan is a staggeringly unbelievable transfer of wealth
to 0.1% of the population. The stress at the lower levels is
alleviated by food stamps and electronic entertainment, with
disruption controlled by policing and surveillance.

Permanent wars are encouraged by the leaders as war funding continues
the transfer of wealth from the state to the leaders.  Recruiting for
the defence forces also helps to mop up some of the unemployment
stress.

So we have economic stress and wars deliberately enabled by totally
rational (though psychopathic) leaders.
It seems a sort of reversal of your theory.


BillK