Dystopia on the Horizon?

[MikeF]

The examples in the OP could have been stronger, no doubt.

That said, humanity is facing MASSIVE, potentially society ending problems, and for the most part we're bickering over far less catastrophic ills. Climate change, environmental destruction, depletion of drinkable water, THESE are first order problems.

One central, universal cause of all of these first order problems is the fact that we've allowed ourselves to slip into living in oligarchy / kleptocracies. Defanging the oligarchs is a first order problem that 99.9999999% of us should all be aligned on.

If 99.9999999% of us are not aligned on defanging oligarchs, is it the oligarchs fault or our own? What makes all those problems due to oligarchs?

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Which would make sense, the Liberal media doesn't cover news, it explains the events of the day in such a way as to further the agenda of the (D) party. The Leftist state media ignores as much as it can.

What state media are you referring to?

 

[icehorse]

If 99.9999999% of us are not aligned on defanging oligarchs, is it the oligarchs fault or our own? What makes all those problems due to oligarchs?

I'd say that oligachs and kleptocrats are morally and ethically reprehensible. With that said, the rest of us have to acknowledge that such people exist, and we have to fight them.

As for why all of these problems are created or exacerbated by oligarchs, the overarching reason is that they've been able to corrupt our economic systems to reward short term profit over longer term, sustainable solutions. The oligarch views the Earth and society as things that are infinitely f###-with-able.

If you want specifics, name an example or two and we can quickly tie them back to oligarchs.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

If 99.9999999% of us are not aligned on defanging oligarchs, is it the oligarchs fault or our own? What makes all those problems due to oligarchs?

The oligarchs have resources with which to convince the non-oligarchs to put away the defanging pliers.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

The examples in the OP could have been stronger, no doubt.

That said, humanity is facing MASSIVE, potentially society ending problems, and for the most part we're bickering over far less catastrophic ills. Climate change, environmental destruction, depletion of drinkable water, THESE are first order problems.

One central, universal cause of all of these first order problems is the fact that we've allowed ourselves to slip into living in oligarchy / kleptocracies. Defanging the oligarchs is a first order problem that 99.9999999% of us should all be aligned on.

"Dystopia" as a theme most often focuses on environmental disaster and loss of freedom from corporations/government, so I would agree.

 

[Colt]

You've just described Fox "News." You just need to replace the D with an R. Read their emails.

The Left gates Fox because so much of what the know isn’t so. So they really do think Fox is lying about everything.

 

[The Hammer]

The following, random sampling of issues may not tell it all but they tell a lot:

1. Zero students in 23 Baltimore schools passed math test
2. Supreme Court rules West Virginia transgender athletes can compete on female sports teams
3. NY teacher manipulates 9yo into changing gender..no parental knowledge
4. New Jersey the latest state to ban gas car sales.
5. Former President Trump Has Been Indicted

This is only a sampling. We are advocating schools that don't teach life skills, but concentrate on just about every irrelevant issue. We have local legislators trying to solve worldwide problems. We have New York prosecutors letting street crime go out of control while budgeting millions to take down an elderly, largely disgraced former President. We have out-of-control schools graduating no one that can do reading, writing, 'rithmetic.
Now I can understand the need to not "mass incarcerate" part of our citizenry but who is going to support all these people in an anarchic system. We no longer value education and intact families.

Something has to give!

Only 2 of these seem to be an issue. The rest are nothing.

 

[MikeF]

The oligarchs have resources with which to convince the non-oligarchs to put away the defanging pliers.

That still feels like our collective fault. It would be one thing if we were talking about Russia, but in the U.S., if thwarting oligarchs was the collective will, it would be done.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

That still feels like our collective fault. It would be one thing if we were talking about Russia, but in the U.S., if thwarting oligarchs was the collective will, it would be done.

I don't disagree. It's not dissimilar to 1984, where "If there [is] hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there, in those swarming disregarded masses, eighty-five percent of the population of Oceania, could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated."

 

[MikeF]

I don't disagree. It's not dissimilar to 1984, where "If there [is] hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there, in those swarming disregarded masses, eighty-five percent of the population of Oceania, could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated."

Nice reference!

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Only 2 of these seem to be an issue. The rest are nothing.

The math scores one is missing context as well. The dystopian aspect of it likely lies in classism:

It’s true that 23 Baltimore schools had no students proficient in math, but there’s more to the story. Here’s some context. | GUEST COMMENTARY

Imagine the flip of a coin. On one side you end up as a student attending Walt Whitman High in Bethesda, one of the best schools in the state. The other you become a student at Reach! Partnership S…

www.baltimoresun.com

 

[Subduction Zone]

The following, random sampling of issues may not tell it all but they tell a lot:

1. Zero students in 23 Baltimore schools passed math test
2. Supreme Court rules West Virginia transgender athletes can compete on female sports teams
3. NY teacher manipulates 9yo into changing gender..no parental knowledge
4. New Jersey the latest state to ban gas car sales.
5. Former President Trump Has Been Indicted

This is only a sampling. We are advocating schools that don't teach life skills, but concentrate on just about every irrelevant issue. We have local legislators trying to solve worldwide problems. We have New York prosecutors letting street crime go out of control while budgeting millions to take down an elderly, largely disgraced former President. We have out-of-control schools graduating no one that can do reading, writing, 'rithmetic.
Now I can understand the need to not "mass incarcerate" part of our citizenry but who is going to support all these people in an anarchic system. We no longer value education and intact families.

Something has to give!

That is pretty weak sauce, The only possible serious one appears to be the first claim. But since no reliable sources were given for any of them I have my doubts. Well the last one is true, but that is evidence against dystopia. It is good news when a criminal indicted for his crimes.

 

[Subduction Zone]

The math scores one is missing context as well. The dystopian aspect of it likely lies in classism:

It’s true that 23 Baltimore schools had no students proficient in math, but there’s more to the story. Here’s some context. | GUEST COMMENTARY

Imagine the flip of a coin. On one side you end up as a student attending Walt Whitman High in Bethesda, one of the best schools in the state. The other you become a student at Reach! Partnership S…

www.baltimoresun.com

Isn't it amazing how when one digs deeper into stories that far right objections are usually found to be groundless. I miss the days when the conservatives were not clowns.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Isn't it amazing how when one digs deeper into stories that far right objections are usually found to be groundless. I miss the days when the conservatives were not clowns.

It's an op-ed from a teacher, but it adds context instead of just "schools are failing because they are teaching [insert culture war issue here]."

 

[Sand Dancer]

The Left gates Fox because so much of what the know isn’t so. So they really do think Fox is lying about everything.

Even many conservatives know that Fox News is more opinion than fact. My conservative husband laughs at them.

 

[F1fan]

The following, random sampling of issues may not tell it all but they tell a lot:

1. Zero students in 23 Baltimore schools passed math test
2. Supreme Court rules West Virginia transgender athletes can compete on female sports teams
3. NY teacher manipulates 9yo into changing gender..no parental knowledge
4. New Jersey the latest state to ban gas car sales.
5. Former President Trump Has Been Indicted

This is only a sampling. We are advocating schools that don't teach life skills, but concentrate on just about every irrelevant issue. We have local legislators trying to solve worldwide problems. We have New York prosecutors letting street crime go out of control while budgeting millions to take down an elderly, largely disgraced former President. We have out-of-control schools graduating no one that can do reading, writing, 'rithmetic.
Now I can understand the need to not "mass incarcerate" part of our citizenry but who is going to support all these people in an anarchic system. We no longer value education and intact families.

Something has to give!

Whenever I see someone post greivances but doesn't bother to offer solutions, it suggests they don't want to see anything improve, they just want to complain.

And #5? You don't think there should be any laws or enforcement? That's very dystopian. Are you sure you're on the right side of solutions?

 

[F1fan]

The counterculture rebellion began in the age of Woodstock and has continued more or less ever since.

I know, isn't it terrible that a whole generation of people didn't have a giant stick up their ***, and actually had openminded attitudes and cared about others?

 

[Colt]

Even many conservatives know that Fox News is more opinion than fact. My conservative husband laughs at them.

Not the news part.

 

[F1fan]

Not the news part.

The "News" part of FOX News is what people laugh at. You know the producers and pundits deliberately con their viewers according to the emails that have been released in the Dominion lawsuit?

 

[Subduction Zone]

The "News" part of FOX News is what people laugh at. You know the producers and pundits deliberately con their viewers according to the emails that have been released in the Dominion lawsuit?

There is very little news on FOX News. I do not know what it is like now, but it used to be pretty decent. Shepard Smith was an excellent anchor. He would also regularly correct Shawn Hannity. I do not know what it was like after he and another decent anchor quit during the Trump years. Any name that you are familiar with from FOX is not almost surely not with their "News" part of their programming. Hannity, no. Ingraham no. Tucker Carlson, wait let me think about that . . . Hell No! None of them have news show. They are more on the commentary side.