Mike Meyer
Jul 10, 2017 · 2 min read

Yes, we are all, at least a bit, hysterical. That is a necessity in an age of fundamental change. It’s a survival trait as massive social restructuring requires destruction to allow new growth. The path that was there for years may not lead to where you expect it to go today. In fact that is another way to look at the sudden, seemingly insane, explosion of authoritarianism. Human social relationships are based on language and shared metaphors. Shared ideals tell us where we think we should be going. When words change meaning and metaphors become confusing, trust disappears. How can I talk to you when I can’t trust the meaning of the words you use? The economic implications of this are massive imbalances as those focused only on the old meanings of wealth manipulate the rising confusion to loot and exploit an ever growing portion of the population who find themselves with no legal protections. Where did the legal protections go? Why am I struggling with shrinking wealth when I see massive wealth that does nothing? Why am I being told I should be happy to lose the only health insurance I have? In the US there is almost nothing else left.

The paths to power have changed so the lawless and brutal suddenly find the gates open and the doors unlocked. The authoritarian mindset, inherently crippled in most ways, understand only threats to gain wealth and power. With vast quantities of money in the hands of a few y0u only have to fool a few to harvest billions. The normal losses are so great that no one notices. Corruption can grow because no one is sure how to define corruption. The only laws that survive are used to repress the powerless because the powerless enforce them. The authoritarians demand the repressed to attack the repressed. They are the enemy. Confusion grows.

This can be blocked in states where the imbalances have been kept under, at least, some control. The barriers to authoritarianism are strong social services, unquestioned rights to life, health, education and opportunity. In this age every state is at risk but those with firm socialist underpinnings can hold off a new Putin, Trump, and Erdogan. As the power of change builds those that can’t be trusted to support the people’s rights will fall. In desperation the people will begin to turn to authoritarians because there is no where else to go even if they know it is all a lie. But everything is then a lie.

Those that have already fallen to authoritarianism are very dangerous. They lose all grasp of truth and will do what people have always done. Attack those better off to make sure everyone is forced to share their suffering. And that is the powerful tool of hate that authoritarians use to drive their societies to destruction. There is no hope so only revenge. Because of that I don’t think you can repair the damage. To me the only hope is triage to free the regions that are not yet lost. I think that realization is slowly dawning on many as we become strangely numb to the hysteria around us.

TheOtherLeft

Exploring change past, present, and future . . .

Mike Meyer

Written by

Educator, CIO, retired entrepreneur, grandfather with occasional fits of humor in the midst of disaster. . .

TheOtherLeft

Exploring change past, present, and future . . .

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