Everyone is missing the forest for the trees. Nationalism, populism, American socialism, coronavirus, all of these are leading to the same place: the Great Contraction of our globalist system. The one that embraces national strength first will become the most anti-fragile in this period of historic instability and they will, therefore, thrive in these revolutionary times.
FTA:
Today, the very elements that propelled the United States to greatness back then–its open borders, “free” trade commitments, and even historically low taxes and its loose monetary policies–may be the very things weakening the United States.
This is especially true in what Barry Pavel of The Atlantic Council once referred to as “Dynamic Stability.” It’s more like historic instability. And, judging from the rise of populism, socialism, nationalism, and the coronavirus, the world has entered into a period of historic instability.
There can be little doubt that the 2020s will be a decade of chaos and fundamental change. If we listen to the usual suspects for solutions, we’ll lose the country.
JUST LIKE THE Poseidon Adventure...
Like the S.S. Poseidon in Irwin Allen’s classic 1970s disaster film (a film in which a young Gene Hackman and an aging Ernest Borgnine simply bark at each other for two hours while other actors try to keep up), the world is upside-down. We must now claw our way out of the broken mess-heap and cut our way through the hull to safety. Except, to get to the surface before the ship sinks, we must, in fact, go deeper down into the ship–because the vessel has capsized.
When I hear Donald Trump speak, I am reminded of the rebellious and cantankerous priest that Gene Hackman plays in the 1970s disaster flick, who leads his flock through the burning and damaged hulls of the doomed Poseidon–as his own followers question and berate his judgement. Hackman is a scoundrel, but he’s right. And, unlike so many of our purported betters, Hackman doesn’t quit or much care about his appearance. He just keeps pushing until he gets what he wants–sound familiar?
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Human agency; specifically those of tough and able leaders–men of action rather than theory–save people during disasters. Rather than trusting the experts, such as the purser or the doctor, men of action take a chance and lead us to destiny (whether that destiny be great or destructive is an entirely different matter). But, whether talking about the American republican system or an authoritarian system, those leaders who possess the greatest agency and will tend to be remembered while measly technocrats obsessed with process tend to halt and hinder real progress.
ON THE BOOMER BLOCKADE:
Paul has called what Gen-X’ers and Millennials (and now, I’m sure, the rising “Zoomers”) have experienced with “burnout” and endless lateral career moves; the fact that harder work no longer ensures young workers the definite path to prosperity that it did for the Baby Boomers back in the day, as nothing more than a “Boomer Blockade.” The Boomers, benefiting from advances in science and medicine have been able to capitalize on their position atop the socio-economic pile far longer than previous generations that reached maturity had been able to. The average Boomer today can live today is 79 years of age.
What is occurring in the United States, whether it be Trump’s nationalist-populist phenomenon or Bernie Sanders’ socialist-populist movement, is a great correction to the excesses of that generation.
THE SOLUTION
To survive and thrive in the Great Global Contraction, then, America must embrace self-reliance and self-sufficiency more than ever. And, as the domestic political battle of our lives: between socialism and liberty rages on throughout the 2020s, we must remember that centrally-planned solutions will not save us.
What’s needed to make the country more survivable is to embrace its federal framework of government; to embrace the loaded concept of decentralized networks. Americans everywhere must “go local” even if that raises prices in the short-term on most Americans. Greater power should be diffused away from Washington power elites and into the waiting (and more responsive) hands of local and regional leaders.
Thanks.
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