“In retrospect, the spark might seem as ominous as a financial crash, as ordinary as a national election, or as trivial as a Tea Party. The catalyst will unfold according to a basic Crisis dynamic that underlies all of these scenarios: An initial spark will trigger a chain reaction of unyielding responses and further emergencies. The core elements of these scenarios (debt, civic decay, global disorder) will matter more than the details, which the catalyst will juxtapose and connect in some unknowable way. If foreign societies are also entering a Fourth Turning, this could accelerate the chain reaction. At home and abroad, these events will reflect the tearing of the civic fabric at points of extreme vulnerability –problem areas where America will have neglected, denied, or delayed needed action.” – The Fourth Turning – Strauss & Howe – 1997
This past week saw an event revealing the cluelessness and ignorance of the linear thinking establishment. They are oblivious to the cyclicality of history and unaware of their precarious situation, as the mood of the country and the world portends their demise. Eric Cantor, the ultimate establishment neo-con Republican House Majority Leader, was crushed in a primary by a completely unknown economics professor, outspent by Cantor $4.9 million to $123,000. Cantor spent more at steakhouses than David Brat spent on his entire campaign. Cantor, a lackey for Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, Israel, and dozens of other mega-corporations, was the first House Majority leader defeated in a primary since the position was created in the 1890s. He won his last primary by 60%.
This was as big a shock to the Republican establishment as it was to the Democratic establishment, the mainstream corporate media establishment, and the Tea Party establishment that didn’t provide David Brat one red cent of their vast horde of contributions. They are now scrambling to generate a storyline explaining this unexplainable development as if it was entirely predictable. These wealthy, myopic, propaganda peddling, purveyors of the status quo just felt the foundation of their world shudder beneath them. Like a volcano, with pressure building within, the world as we know it is about to blow. Who gets devastated by the massive explosion and flow of molten lava is yet to be determined, but there is nothing the establishment can do to stop the eruption. This entire Deep State hierarchy has been developed over decades, as they have flawlessly implemented Edward Bernays teachings from the Propaganda playbook.
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. …We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. …In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.” – Edward Bernays – Propaganda – 1928
The linear thinkers, who constitute the invisible government and unelected true ruling power, are flabbergasted their game plan, which has worked for the last seven decades, is failing to have the usual sway over the normally compliant masses. Lies, misinformation, deception, propaganda, easy debt, cheap oil, endless commercial expansion, relentless marketing, never ending war, politicians selected by bankers and mega-corporations, tax code created to benefit the .01%, and laws written by the lobbyists for the oligarchs designed to control the plebs and enrich the modern aristocracy, made the world go round until 2008. Linear thinkers in government, business, banking and media have been perpetuating the falsehood of a return to normalcy, recovery, and linear progress. They are willfully ignorant of history because acknowledging its cyclicality would be admitting how precarious their positions of power, wealth, and control truly are.
History does not proceed in a straight line of forward advancement. It has a seasonal nature geared to the 80 year life cycle of human beings. The most basic lesson of history is we never seem to learn the lessons of history. A period of Crisis arrives like Winter, approximately 60 years after the resolution of the prior Crisis, with a climax occurring approximately 80 years after the prior Crisis climax. The generational dynamics based upon human life cycles have lined up once again into Crisis mode. Anyone who hasn’t sensed the mood change in the country since 2008, hasn’t been paying attention. The linear thinking establishment refuses to accept the inevitability of their existing paradigm collapsing in a chaotic whirlwind of violence, death on a grand scale and decisive war. The existing social order is always swept away during a Fourth Turning.
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The Global Financial Crisis, which began in September 2008, marked the beginning of a likely two decade long episode of fierce winter-like blizzard conditions that will get progressively worse as this Fourth Turning churns toward its bloody climax. The evil wealthy men and their paid off pawns in politics and the media who constitute the invisible government, governing behind the scenes, molding minds, forming tastes and suggesting ideas to the gullible masses, will not relinquish their wealth and power without a fight. They have been utilizing all emergency monetary and fiscal levers, while conducting a data disinformation campaign and utilizing their control of the dying legacy media to keep the masses distracted, entertained and confused.
The establishment has convinced a vast swath of the public to actually believe 0% interest rates for the last 5 years, adding $1 trillion per year to the already Himalayan national debt, allowing the Federal Reserve buy $3 trillion of toxic debt from their Wall Street banking cabal owners, while creating a high rate of inflation in energy, food, healthcare and tuition costs, and negative growth in real wages, is somehow beneficial to them and reflects a return to normalcy. The current state of our economic, financial, political and judicial systems, along with the fraying social fabric of society reflects EXTREME dysfunction and in no way exhibits anything resembling a normal state of affairs. The government apparatchiks, corporate media talking heads, Wall Street captured economists, and lackeys for billionaire oligarchs are highly paid liars using every Bernaysian trick to manipulate the beliefs, desires, and prejudices of the willfully ignorant masses. They capitalize on the cognitive dissonance and normalcy bias being practiced by the majority of people in the country. Like a dog chasing its tail, they have the public up in arms about meaningless social issues and ignoring the looting of the country by sociopathic bankers.
Those in power need to sell their storyline of advancement, despite the overwhelming evidence of a societal implosion and economic regression for the 99.99%. They need to distract the masses with inconsequential emotional issues like gay marriage, mass murderers, climate change, party politics, racism, and phantom terror threats, so the masses don’t focus on how badly they are being screwed by the One Party invisible government. For those who have been too dumbed down by our government public education system to even comprehend anything beyond a third grade level, we have The Kardashians, Bridezilla, Duck Dynasty, I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant, iGadgets, Twitter, Facebook, professional sports, Hollywood blockbusters, and toxic fast food paid for with your EBT card. Our world is besieged by triviality, plagued by idiocy, inundated with propaganda, and consumed with consumption.
In a country of 318 million people, the few believe they must mold the minds of the masses in order for society to function smoothly. Of course this is a huge lie. They need to mold those minds in order to retain their power, wealth, control. They are focused on the daily dose of lies, mistruths, disinformation, and distractions required to keep the masses anesthetized. They have ignored the lessons of history and the big picture driving the Crisis events which will change the world over the next fifteen years. Fourth Turnings don’t calm down, fizzle out, or revert to what happened in the prior twenty years, just as the unyielding harsh Winter cannot revert to the glorious days of Fall or the sweltering days of Summer. There is no escaping the dire, deadly and dangerous times directly ahead of us.
“Reflect on what happens when a terrible winter blizzard strikes. You hear the weather warning but probably fail to act on it. The sky darkens. Then the storm hits with full fury, and the air is a howling whiteness. One by one, your links to the machine age break down. Electricity flickers out, cutting off the TV. Batteries fade, cutting off the radio. Phones go dead. Roads become impossible, and cars get stuck. Food supplies dwindle. Day to day vestiges of modern civilization – bank machines, mutual funds, mass retailers, computers, satellites, airplanes, governments – all recede into irrelevance. Picture yourself and your loved ones in the midst of a howling blizzard that lasts several years. Think about what you would need, who could help you, and why your fate might matter to anybody other than yourself. That is how to plan for a saecular winter. Don’t think you can escape the Fourth Turning. History warns that a Crisis will reshape the basic social and economic environment that you now take for granted.” – Strauss & Howe – The Fourth Turning
Strauss and Howe wrote their epic historical treatise in 1997 and their predictions, based upon centuries of generational analysis, have been uncannily accurate. The predictions are not event based, but based upon generational mood and core elements of Crisis, which were predictable over a decade before the 2008 start to this Crisis. The core elements of Debt, Civic Decay, and Global Disorder were evident to anyone with a functioning critical thinking brain, not in the employ of the establishment. These core elements are front and center today, as the Fourth Turning gains momentum like a gathering winter storm. The captured mainstream media does their utmost to obscure, downplay, and ignore these issues, but alternative truth telling websites like Zero Hedge, Mike Krieger’s Liberty Blitzkrieg, Mike Shedlock, John Rubino’s Dollar Collapse, Jim Kunstler, John Hussman, Jesse’s Cafe Americain, Charles Hugh Smith, Karl Denninger, and number of other freedom minded websites keep the spark of truth alive for those seeking it. A perusal of headlines from these sites over the last week or so provides the true nature of this worsening Fourth Turning Crisis:
Debt
Mindblowing Fact Of The Day: China Has Over 52 Million Vacant Homes
The Subprime Auto-Lending Credit Bubble Is Bursting
China HSBC PMI Misses; Economy Contracts For 5th Month In A Row
Will Spain Default?
Fed Prepares to Maintain Record Balance Sheet for Years
Steve Forbes Warns Of Economic “Catastrophe” Due To Fed’s Dollar Debasement
Obama Unveils Student Loan Debt Bubble Bailout
America’s Insatiable Demand For More Expensive Cars, Larger Homes And Bigger Debts
China Scrambling After “Discovering” Thousands Of Tons Of Rehypothecated Copper, Aluminum Missing
Western Banks Scramble As China’s “Rehypothecation Evaporation” Goes Global
Consumer Credit Has Fifth Biggest Monthly Jump In History; Revolving Credit Soars By Most Since November 2007
Abenomics’ Legacy: Japan’s Greatest “Misery” In 33 Years
NIRP Has Arrived: Europe Officially Enters The “Monetary Twilight Zone”
EU Warns Greece Is “A Cause Of Serious Concern” As Top Tax-Collector Resigns
Why Central Bank Stimulus Cannot Bring Economic Recovery
Summer Gas Prices Highest Since 2011 As Oil Hits 9-Month Highs
It Was A Reeeeeally Bad Winter: JPM Cuts Q1 GDP From -1.1% To -1.6%
How The Fed Feeds The Sharks, While Shafting Wage Earners And Savers
Fed’s Bubble Finance Is Primary Cause of Massive Wealth Gains At The Top
Former ECB Chief Economist Says Central Bank Run Monetary System Is “Pure Fiction”
More On The China Property Bubble: April New Housing Starts Down 25%; Beijing/Shanghai Sales Down 50%
What Happens After The Bubble Bursts: 85% Of Pension Funds Could Fail Due To An Era Of Niggardly Returns
Civic Decay
Across America, Police Departments Are Quietly Preparing For War
Meet The “Minerva Research Initiative” – The Pentagon’s Preparation For “Mass Civil Breakdown”
The Obama Administration Is Forcing Local Cops To Stay Silent On Surveillance
In 33 U.S. Cities, Feeding The Homeless Has Been Criminalized
Obama Popularity Plunges To New Low: “No Longer Likeable Enough”
Historic Loss: House Majority Leader Cantor Loses Virginia Primary To Tea Party’s Brat
Suspect Yells “Tell The Police, The Revolution Has Started” Before Shooting Spree In Las Vegas WalMart
Two Thirds Of Gen X Households Have Less Wealth Than Their Parents Did At The Same Age
7 In 10 Americans Believe The Crisis Is Not Over Or Worst Is Yet To Come: 52% Can’t Afford Their Homes
1 In 4 Obamacare Signups Are Faulty – But, We Are Sure Obama Never Knew Anything About It Until Now
Fed Warns The Plunge In “Routine” Jobs Won’t Slow Down Anytime Soon
US Finally Recovers All Jobs Lost Since 2007 While People Not In Labor Force Increase By 12.8 Million
Two-Thirds Of Americans Do Not Back Obama’s Decision On Bergdahl
Hiring In The US Remains Far Below Pre-Recession Levels
Half The Country Makes Less Than $27,520 A Year And 15 Other Signs The Middle Class Is Dying
The Rich Get Richest: Household Net Worth Rises To All Time High Courtesy Of $67 Trillion In Financial Assets
Challenger Job Cuts Soar 45%; Most Layoffs Since Feb 2013
It’s Not Just Europe; As Many As 16 California Counties May Seek Secession From The State
America’s Insanely Complex And Endemically Corrupt Tax Code: Mother Lode Of Crony Capitalist Plunder
Global Disorder
Al-Qaeda Jihadis Loot Over $400 Million From Mosul Central Bank, Seize Saddam’s Hometown
Al Qaeda Militants Capture US Black Hawk Helicopters In Iraq
Iraq Update: Kurds Take Kirkuk, Al Qaeda Surges Toward Baghdad
“Well-Armed” Taliban Tried To Hijack Airplane Leading To Pakistan Airport Shootout
Gruesome Footage Of ISIS Atrocities Reveals Al Qaeda Jihadists “Will Stop At Nothing”
Ukraine Military Transport Plane Shot Down, 49 Killed
Marc Faber Blasts “American Military Presence In Asia Is Completely Unacceptable”
B-1 Stealth Bomber “Friendly Fire” Strike Kills 5 US Soldiers In Afghanistan
World Needs Record Saudi Oil Supply as OPEC Convenes
Déjà vu: echoes of pre-crisis world mount
Chinese military spending exceeds $145 billion, drones advanced: U.S.
Ukraine Closes 8 Border Crossings On Reports Of Russian Troop Movement
Firefight Underway As Russian “Rebels” Cross Border Into Ukraine
US Begins Delivering F-16s To Iraq This Week, A Decade After It Wiped Out Iraq’s Air Force
Two Ukraine Helicopters Shot Down: Watch As Gunship Engages Eastern Militia In Intense Fighting
Saudi Arabia Reveals Surge In MERS Deaths: One Third Of Infected Patients Die
Japan Base Wages Decline 23 Months In A Row
Obama Calls for $1 Billion Europe Security Fund; Will Increase U.S. Military Presence in Eastern Europe
China Sends 4 More Fighter Jets To Oil Rig Area As Vietnam Threatens Legal Action
“Political Earthquake” – Nigel Farage “Big Winner” In Local Elections
Do these headlines indicate a lessening or deepening of the ongoing Crisis? You won’t see these truthful headlines in the mainstream captured media. You will see feel good headlines touting non-existent economic recoveries, decreasing unemployment rates with record levels of non-working Americans, and storylines of government, corporate and consumer austerity as debt levels reach all-time highs. You will see stories scorning Edward Snowden as a traitor for exposing the highest levels of the United States government as criminals for shredding the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. You will see articles hyping one hundred years of shale oil and gas as energy prices approach record highs and the point of peak cheap oil has been passed. You will see publications owned by billionaires peddling hogwash about fantastic Wall Street profits entirely dependent upon mark to fantasy accounting and accounting journal entries relieving loan loss reserves as loan losses rise. You will see hyperbolic fear mongering dreck about foiled terrorist plots concocted by the FBI and DHS. You will see stories about the evil Russians and evil Chinese as our CIA promotes the overthrow of democratically elected officials in countries around the globe. You will see stories about the dangers of foreign countries conducting cyber-warfare against the U.S. as our government intercepts every electronic communication of our allies and citizens. It’s as if we are lost in a blizzard of lies.
Debt, Civic Decay, Global Disorder
Propaganda and the molding of minds cannot change the course of history. Those in power can ignore the facts, but they can’t change the facts. During the “austere” period from 2009 through until today, total credit market debt in the U.S. has expanded from $53.4 trillion to $59.4 trillion. It now stands at 350% of GDP, even after the government added $500 billion out of thin air to GDP to further their deception of recovery. The U.S. national debt is at a record $17.5 trillion and goes up by $2.0 billion per day. This doesn’t include the $200 trillion of unfunded liabilities politicians have committed taxpayers to pay over the next few decades. Corporate debt is at record highs as CEO’s borrow to buy back their stock at record highs in order to boost EPS and drive their compensation higher.
Consumer debt has surged to new highs reaching $3.2 trillion, as government pushed subprime student loan debt and government peddled subprime auto loan lure more math challenged dupes into the banker web of debt. Even credit card debt surged in May as people can no longer make monthly payments for energy, food, rent, and healthcare. Retailers continue to report horrific profits as disposable income has been disposed of by the Federal Reserve’s QE and ZIRP “solutions”. The immense levels of debt plague the entire world as total global debt now surpasses $230 trillion, 313% of world GDP. The 40% surge in global debt since the 2008 debt created collapse is unprecedented in its scope and lunacy. Trying to resolve a debt problem created by criminal Wall Street bankers by allowing Wall Street controlled central bankers, politicians, and government bureaucrats to issue more debt, reduce interest rates to zero, and enrich the oligarchs, will end in catastrophe. The house of cards is teetering as trust dissipates, rehypothecated assets evaporate, the suppression of price discovery fails and the rigged stock market crashes for the third time in fourteen years.
The 2008 global financial crash was the catalyst for this Fourth Turning and the next leg down will unleash the fury of the masses as their remaining wealth, along with their hopes and dreams are obliterated. The civic decay is unmistakably visible, like a fissure in the road after an earthquake, and has left the masses angry, confused, dependent, ignorant, distracted, and suspicious. The extreme and growing wealth inequality driven by Federal Reserve policies, corporate lobbyist written government regulations and tax laws, and bankers controlling the political, economic, financial, and media levers has reached levels previously associated with collapse and revolution. The greed, hubris and arrogance of the .01% will lead to their downfall.
A country with 102 million of its 247 million working age population not working is a powder-keg and the politicians are acting like slow witted monkeys lighting matches. With 20% of the 145 million jobs part-time, more than half low paying service industry jobs, real wages lower than they were in 1998, and a median salary of $25,000, it’s understandable why 20% of the population relies on food stamps to survive. The discontent is growing. We got a preview of how the establishment will deal with disgruntlement during the 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests. Liberal Democrat mayors aligned with Fox News neo-cons, Wall Street bankers, and police state thugs to eradicate, beat, tear gas, and pepper spray young people exercising their right to free speech protesting the wolves of Wall Street, who had pulled of the largest heist in human history with absolutely no consequences for their criminality. Both OWS and the Tea Party were co-opted by the establishment in short order and have been used by the One Party of oligarchs as a means to divide and conquer, by keeping the masses blaming liberal or conservative phantoms for the state of disunion.
The seemingly never ending revelations from the hero of this Fourth Turning – Edward Snowden – of government surveillance regarding every electronic communication of every American by the NSA is proof of a complete disregard for Constitutionally guaranteed protections by the powers that be. The current administration in conjunction with the hacks from the two headed party ignore, flaunt and show disdain for the Bill of Rights and legal precedent as they run roughshod over the citizens. The transformation of our republic into an authoritarian surveillance police state is almost complete.
The militarization of local police forces by the DHS, military training exercises in major cities, and plans being drawn up by the authorities to confront civil unrest all point towards the coming breakdown of civil society. The complete lockdown of Boston to apprehend two teenage cooking utensil terrorists was a dry run and probably gave the oligarchs confidence in their plan, as Bostonians cowered in their homes as heavily armed police thugs pissed on the Fourth Amendment by conducting door to door searches. If you listen closely, you can hear the fabric of our civilization being torn asunder.
The past few weeks have seen global disorder reach new heights, as Iraq has become Mission Un-Accomplished, the Ukraine explodes into civil war as Russia cuts off their natural gas, violent protests continue to rock Brazil, Egypt, Spain, Greece, France, Turkey and a myriad of other hotspots around the world. The very same forces Obama, McCain and the military industrial complex have been arming in Syria to fight a dictator who was our ally, are now ransacking Iraq, murdering the people we put into power when we deposed another dictator who had been our ally when he was fighting our sworn enemy – Iran. It seems Iran is now helping Iraq fight these jihadists, as they slowly but surely gain control over Iraq. The EU has papered over their national insolvency problems with more debt, while imposing austerity measures on the peasants. See French Revolution for the ultimate resolution of this banker-centric solution. The endemic fraud in China, along with an imploding real estate market, and corruption on an epic scale are creating a perfect storm which will derail the China miracle meme.
Meanwhile, the new dictator in Egypt who overthrew the democratically elected government, after our former dictator ally was deposed when Obama refused to support him, has clamped down on the citizens with his military force. The Ukraine is being torn apart after the CIA and their counterparts in the EU undermined the democratically elected government and started a civil war to undermine Russian influence in that country. To an impartial observer, you might think the American Empire is purposely sowing seeds of discontent, war, and disorder around the globe. Never ending war benefits the military industrial complex, as tremendous profits are generated from the sale of arms to all parties involved. Iraq and Syria are good for the bottom line of the U.S. Defense Industry. War and global disorder also benefit the worldwide banking cabal, as the only way to fund these misadventures is through debt. As we all know, debt is what makes this world go round – until it doesn’t.
There has been a virtual mainstream media blackout regarding the Ukraine as government forces bomb and murder civilians. The billionaires running America need to support the billionaire president of the Ukraine because he is one of them. Truth has no place in modern governmental affairs. The mainstream media ignores the fact the United States has armed Sunni terrorists in Syria who are now on the verge of overrunning Baghdad, as they slaughter Iraqi Shiites by the thousands. They ignore the fact that Iraq was a modern, stable, non-religious, oil producing nation under Hussein, with no Al Qaeda or sectarian violence. The United States invaded a sovereign country under false pretenses, wasted over $1 trillion of precious national wealth, killed over 100,000 Iraqis, sustained over 37,000 physical casualties, untold numbers of mental casualties, and now Iraq is dissolving into a quagmire of religious violence threatening oil supplies and driving prices higher. After 13 years and 21,000 casualties in Afghanistan, the Taliban are stronger than ever as we declare victory and slink away. Libya has been another feather in the cap of American foreign policy as we deposed another former ally dictator and have left the country in disarray and civil war. Just because the American corporate media doesn’t report these facts, doesn’t make them not so.
It should be clear to anyone willing to open their eyes and not be influenced by the establishment propaganda that this Fourth Turning is entering a new ominous phase, as the 2008 Global Financial Crisis catalyst has ignited a volcanic eruption which has put tremendous strain on the areas of extreme vulnerability – debt, civic decay, global disorder. The few aware Americans who frequent truth telling websites are frustrated and impatient, waiting for the tsunami of change to sweep over the world. History operates at its own cyclical pace. An accelerated Fourth Turning would likely not be a positive development. The Civil War Crisis was accelerated, resulting in 700,000 deaths in four years. With the worldwide proliferation of nuclear missiles, this Fourth Turning could be over with the push of a button. I don’t think anyone is rooting for that outcome.
You can easily be distracted by the day to day machinations of evil men, relentless propaganda, meaningless distractions, and various forms of bread and circuses. But history is unforgiving. The details and events will be different, but the path of this Crisis will follow past Crisis periods. The worldwide debt bubble will burst. The resulting loss of wealth, jobs, entitlements and trust will ignite mass civil disorder as years of civic decay lead to a swift societal collapse. With China also entering a Fourth Turning, a global debt implosion, resource wars breaking out, religious extremism, and nationalistic drums beating, the likelihood of global war is high.
For some perspective, six years into the last Fourth Turning in 1935, GDP had risen by 30% from its 1933 low and FDR’s New Deal was supposedly lifting the country from its depths. In reality, the population was experiencing a worsening depression and a few years later a world war killed 65 million people. After six years the Civil War Crisis was resolved with 5% of the nation’s male population killed, a president assassinated, and the South left in ruins. This Fourth Turning will proceed along its destined path at its own pace. The molten ingredients of debt, civic decay and global disorder are conjoining in an explosive concoction leading to a conflagration which will flow across the globe on a scale not seen since the Second World War. There is no escaping the trials and tribulations awaiting us. The outcome is uncertain. It could end in glory or destruction. Individual sacrifice, shared burdens, courageous stands and inspired leadership will be required to survive the perilous trials ahead.
I see the bad moon arising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightnin’
I see bad times today
“Imagine some national (and probably global) volcanic eruption, initially flowing along channels of distress that were created during the Unraveling era and further widened by the catalyst. Trying to foresee where the eruption will go once it bursts free of the channels is like trying to predict the exact fault line of an earthquake. All you know in advance is something about the molten ingredients of the climax, which could include the following:
- Economic distress, with public debt in default, entitlement trust funds in bankruptcy, mounting poverty and unemployment, trade wars, collapsing financial markets, and hyperinflation (or deflation)
- Social distress, with violence fueled by class, race, nativism, or religion and abetted by armed gangs, underground militias, and mercenaries hired by walled communities
- Political distress, with institutional collapse, open tax revolts, one-party hegemony, major constitutional change, secessionism, authoritarianism, and altered national borders
- Military distress, with war against terrorists or foreign regimes equipped with weapons of mass destruction” – The Fourth Turning – Strauss & Howe – 1997
Have faith. The federal system is top-heavy It will implode, perhaps as early as mid-2016.
Although the implosion may be cause for celebration in the long term, getting from here to there will be no walk in the park. Consider what the transition may be from a personal viewpoint and try to take suitable measures, Staying in a metro area will not be a viable choice.
T4C says:
I am preparing for “battle”.
___________________________
My sword is yours!
You can put a flag condom on your dick, or wipe your ass with flag toilet paper. (These products exist.)
But, fly a flag upside down, and one risks trouble??
United States of Fuckin BizarroLand
You know what’s worse than hanging the American flag upside down?
Seeing a black lady with an ass the size of Nebraska jammed into a pair of American Flag spandex pants. She was walking in front of me when I was going outside for lunch today. I thought I was going to see the stars bursting in air, they were straining so hard to keep that cellulite confined.
Now that should be against the law.
TUMBLEWEED~~ditto, agree with most of what you wrote. I am now 63, a widow alone preparing for the coming societal/economic/moral collapse of America. The wait, I have been preparing ten or more years in varying capacities and degrees, is a slow form of death of its own. Over the past five years I have read/heard a very few others say the same. Truth is, though probably 2-10% of Americans are/have somewhat prepared, my gut absolutely knows no one is fully prepared mentally, socially, physically to meet what this way comes. I do know from knowledge-based observation we are NOW beyond the threshold of entering that long-awaited abyss~~soon America/the world will swim in its terror; most, almost all will drown as few grasp the depth of destruction “they, the powers behind it all” have planned for us as they claim the earth and its resources for themselves and the chosen few. Our only hope is family, those of like mind who understand the hour we’re in, and looking to God. God be with us.
At least use the new, improved flag….
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I’m new to the concept of 4th Turning – so working backwards from the American Revolution, 80 years prior to that, app 1700, what was the cataclysmic event? or in 1620? 1540 I can see though
Asta
Checkout Neil Howe’s website to get the background on Turnings:
http://www.lifecourse.com/about/method/timelines/turnings.html
Did-I-Anus,
Ugh… your post is so loaded with saccharine, I puked and got diabetes at the same time…
“It’s okay me bashing rural hill folk… I grew up in the South and lived in Kentucky, so I’m allowed! I love those hard-working people, even though I’m more than willing to trashtalk and belittle them for some cheap laughs.”
Meh… Difference between you and me is that I don’t claim to love anyone I trash-talk when I get called on it… Didn’t say your little story wasn’t true or inaccurate – you just did and then pretended that’s what I think. I don’t care if it’s true or not. You used it for cheap laughs and then spent 5 paragraphs trying to justify it. I would have just said “Yeah? So?”…
“People are very easy to take offense, probably a sign of the times”
Nope. It’s just me. I can be an arrogant, cranky, opinionated, foul-mouthed, swaggering racist asshole… and I claim it. Words of Power do not work on me. I don’t try to pretend I’m anything but what I am.
As far as the coal industry, fucking Obongo is doing his level best to destroy it. It started back during the Clintoon Admin. They started leveraging coal plants under some obscure rule that says if the plant makes one improvement in one place, then they have to make improvements to everything in the plant. Makes improvements impossible and cost prohibitive. Like back end add-ons for emissions. Put one on and you have to upgrade the entire coal plant. They’re actually buying coal from Wyoming and having it shipped across the country by the trainload because it’s lower in sulpher than the anthracite coal coming out of Pikeville… it’s actually cheaper to buy from Wyoming and have it shipped than to put an add-on for emissions…
The latest ruse is the EPA bitching about mercury. Each metric ton of coal has some mercury in it – an amount about the size of a sugar cube. It’s just trace amounts. But the EPA hath decreed that Thou Shalt Control Emissions To Our Standards, then beats the power plants over the head with that stupid improvement rule when they try to control the mercury. (Oddly, the same elemental mercury in those faggoty corkscrew lightbulbs they’re forcing us to use – that are actually less efficient than the old incandescent bulbs – they’re okay with the same mercury in billions of those stupid corkscrew lightbulbs… that’s okay. But the same mercury in coal is somehow “bad”…. hypocritical self righteous nazi fucktards).
From what I know, Kentucky gets 90% of it’s power from coal. That golf-playing chimp in long pants sitting in the White House promised to destroy the coal industry. And he’s doing it. We’ve probably lost 5,000 jobs in the coal industry alone (and all the downrange blowback that goes with it… all the peripheral industries supported by the coal industry are suffering as well), several coal mines have been shuttered and I’ve seen my power bill go up because of the coal burning power plants being taken offline. The owners throw the older power stations under the bus – too expensive to retrofit – in an effort to placate the EPA enforcers, hoping they will leave the Cadillac stations alone. But it’s also cost prohibitive to build new stations, so there are no stations being built to replace the ones tossed under the bus…
And all this in combination with an effort by Obongo to get as many folks in Appalachia to go on the dole as possible. First, kill coal and take away their means to support themselves. Then dangle a nice tasty carrot in front of them – welfare – so they become members of the Free Shit Army…
I got a special brand of hate for the evil fucks doing this…
Asta Suvi, it was the New World Saeculum. The one before that was the Tudor Saeculum.
You can find out more here:
http://www.lifecourse.com/assets/files/turnings_in_history(1).pdf
And if you want a synopsis of the Turnings, go here: http://www.lifecourse.com/about/method/turnings-introduction.html
Admin beat me to it. Again.
mr quinn, i have a different take on your insightful article. i believe there is one country who will prosper from coming turmoil, assuming WWIII is not in the cards. putin is in the cat bird seat, the pipe explosion just today only plays into the chess masters hands. we are taking about a country that is solvent, energy rich, gold rich, educated and a devoted populace and most importantly patient. the west is in a huge hurry to self impale itself on its own arrogance. the russians will enjoy the the next calipahate self destruct., china is doomed as well, since they are in need of petro. the ruble will be king, the tuetonic race will bow to the slavs, with pleasure. western europe will welcome the return of their cultures. the jews will fend for themselves, good luck. the socialist states of north america will become colonies for their resources and very cheap labor as we devolve to third world status. all debts are paid, this is the consequence of greed on a scale that is truly beyond our ability to grasp. russia is the only country that has a prayer of escaping what is coming down the pike.
“After nearly 6 years of blocking the normal development of systemic transition, a blocking caused by a flood of dollars leading to a renewed artificial global addiction to the US dollar, history is now taking its course. It isn’t as if during these six years nothing has happened.
On the one hand, the US has failed to relaunch its economy and the actual situation for Americans has only got worse, and on the other, the emerging nations have used – and contributed to creating – this ‘pause’ to prepare themselves for the ultimate and inevitably painful stages of completing the crisis which we are now approaching.
The Ukrainian crisis and the characteristic aggression against the legitimate interests of one of the major players in the emerging multipolar world, Russia, as well as the US’ attempted annexation of Europe, have blown the whistle for the end of the game. The whole world has thus realized that the US was on its last legs, henceforth dangerous and that it had become urgent to move on.”
GEAB N°86: The Major Global Geopolitical Reconfiguration
Displaying the flag upside down is not illegal. I only recall one story of a guy getting arrested but it was on a different charge.
I’ve been thinking about doing it myself but I’d want to put up a double sided sign explaining why so the sheep have a clue. I’d bet that the majority have no idea what it means to fly a flag upside down.
I figure I’d end up with broken windows or eggs splattered on everything. I used to work on a golf course and a great many of the golfers were assholes so I’m all for messing up their game. I look forward to hearing their reaction, if any.
Hi Billy,
Thanks for the response re the coal. Your other point is taken.
Cheers.
Hi Billy,
One final thought:
I can be an arrogant, cranky, opinionated, foul-mouthed, swaggering racist asshole
and
Loving people (pick your groups or everyone),
Those two views do not seem mutually exclusive to me!
Diddley..
My opinion of most “people” is that they are low-IQ useless eaters and mouth-breathers… people suck. They walk around like zombies, perpetually plugged into their iCrap and as long as “da Game” is on, the booze flows and they can get laid, they don’t give a shit… try to take away their freedoms and they’ll crab a little bit, but so long as it’s “the other guy”, they don’t care.
I have little use for the vast bulk of humanity.
DJ/billy – I gave both positions thumbs up! I admire DJ for his ability to see good in folks. That said, Billy more reflects my view of the world.
DJ sees what humans can be. Billy sees them as they generally are.
I just hope the author is right about all of this. The one thing not mentioned, however, is the physical evisceration (or some equivalent) of every one in high positions of authority, especially the “elites.” That is the main thing I would like to see. My only other wish would be that the previous generation who seems to have escaped justice also suffer mightily for their stupidity and selfishness.
Llpoh.
Thing is old buddy, I think DJ believes mankind is generally good with evil tendencies. I believe that mankind is generally evil with good tendencies. Plus, they suffer from normalcy bias. Bad shit won’t happen to me because bad shit has never happened to me… thus, when the 4th Turning gets here and the other shoe drops, the chances of a massive population adjustment will approach 1.
V’S UPDATE AT 8:25 AM MOUNTAIN– The largest NatGas Pipeline in Europe which supplies Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Chek Republic and Hungary just exploded. This explosion was done by US assets fomenting war.
I just got off the phone with my City Of London(COL) Sources. As I was speaking to him this morning the largest NatGas Pipeline in Europe which supplies Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Chek Republic and Hungary just exploded. This explosion was done by US assets fomenting war.
As reported on my site and in prior interviews C.O.L is expecting a Russian response within the middle of July which the outcome will be takeover of Ukraine, the end of NATO, and the defeat on the global stage of the United States.
This also ties in to what My sources, Agent W’s sources and Steve’s sources have been saying. The market set to blow, see the bond troubles in Japan and now bond exit controls that are being implemented by the FED.
We are nearing the end.
“V”The Guerrilla Economist
http://www.RogueMoney.net
Billy/LLpoh,
Thanks for the comments.
Not sure I know what to believe anymore except that evil is currently ascendent and gaining strength. The current 4th turning or whatever you want to call it will probably decide the outcome of this trend for a long time to come. Definitely agree that evil and good potential is in everyone and none of us are perfect. I try to be optimistic yet realistic (and I know those can be incompatible views). Heck, my wife thinks I can be cynical and, well, I sure can be.
I reckon (now that is a “southern” word to use IMHO, it is also used like that A LOT in New Zealand)
I am a realist that tries to look on the bright side but also believes, as Reagan once said, “Trust but verify”.
Agree Billy full on (a New Zealand phrasing) about the normalcy bias. Drives me up the wall, not just with my step daughter and her family but my own parents as well, bless their hearts (as my Dad’s Mom used to say). Hmm it is really my mom… so wanting to live in peace and hold onto to what she has she won’t do anything to prepare for the probable coming events. She is 75 and in good health so a good chance she will be here to see it. They live in central Florida, not the best place when the SHTF but probably not the worst.
Cheers,
Didius – whose namesake sold his soul for the top job in Rome and found out the true price afterwards. I wonder how many of the current politicians understand the true price once they have been compromised?
PS – You should here Kiwis trying to figure out where I am from. 90% do determine the states but I guess because of my travels they can not pinpoint the region. I have had enough that it makes me wonder say they think I am Irish!
So true and so sad:
“They walk around like zombies, perpetually plugged into their iCrap and as long as “da Game” is on, the booze flows and they can get laid, they don’t give a shit… try to take away their freedoms and they’ll crab a little bit, but so long as it’s “the other guy”, they don’t care.”
The conditioning that got “most people” that way in the U.S. has been a long time in the making. Happening in NZ too. Depending on what you are looking at, NZ seems to be between 10 and 40 years behind the U.S. trends (that is good) but the divergence is narrowing and only because NZ is “catching up” to the U.S. There is still a much more self reliant, tolerant (as in libertarian tolerance) and anti-freeloader sentiments over here but things like the internet and all the i-devices are rapidly closing the gap, especially among young people. That said, your people are, for the most part, refreshing over here (more civilized as my wife would say) – polite, get along well with each other and their elders, MUCH more outdoors oriented, lots of girls riding skateboards and motorcycles, well adjusted, walk/ride their bike to school by themselves even as young as year 2 or 3 (1st or 2nd grade), etc. All of that is in a relative sense of course. Will be interesting to see how NZ populations reacts when the SHTF.
Typo alert:
That said, your people are,
Should be:
That said, YOUNG people are,
I’ve never commented on your website before, but I just have to tell you what a great article this is. When you put it all together like this, I’m surprised we’re still standing. I just want to say also how much I love your website. I have read everything in the Fourth Turning library and all of it has been so educational and I have a deeper understanding of how the world really works. Thank you so much for all of this excellent content that you put out there. Sincerely, Carla Angelo
Good read admin…I see even LR locked and loaded on this one.
You speak of “the fury of the masses” and suggest that this fury will be turned against the invisible elite that Bernays describes.
I’m not so sure. People need scapegoats and simple explanations for their troubles. Nor are “the masses” inclined to challenge those who wield power. More likely, we’ll turn on one another by race, gender, sexual orientation, region of the country and other easily identifiable criteria. My own Baby Boomer generation, the last of the middle class, has preferred to be divided and ruled by these distinctions rather than to cooperate for our mutual benefit.
I regard 911 as the event that initiated the Fourth Turning which takes roughly a generation to complete, meaning a new cycle will begin around 2025. Though the personnel that comprises the ruling elite may change, I doubt the so-called 1%, whoever they may be, will be any the less influential. Le plus ça change, le plus en meme.
Ah Jim, another brilliant post outlining the continuing collapse.
Meanwhile, a large (and seemingly, shockingly, growing) segment of the teetering middle decides now is the time to double down.
All of a sudden I am being forced to listen to Network Nightly News(like). Hours of commentary, fair and balanced of course, cause he flips between CNN, MsNBC and Fox.
My three brothers are taking on more debt, deciding to drive kids to schools 2 hours away (as gas here tops $4 a gallon), taking fabulous Disney vacations on plastic.
Other friends are buying new homes, dropping $50k into remodels, having plastic surgery.
The vast majority do not want to entertain that tomorrow could possibly be worse than today. Meanwhile, murder/suicides seem to be increasing at a pace I’ve never known.
In short, all is well for the vast majority, even as they struggle and go under.
This time the blowback is going to be spectacular.
Thanks again for doing what you can to stop it. Your words are sheer poetry of doom.
These types of articles always deeply affect me for several days. They make me somber, and quiet. Frequently the people at work think I’m suffering from depression, or that things are wrong at home.
Au contraire my friends, I love my wife, our lives are going well. By every standard measure we are a success and are living The American Dream.
But we both play the long game. We both see whats coming. And its downright fucking terrifying from the viewpoint of someone planning on starting a family right as all this shit is slated to hit the fan.
>>”made the world go round until 2008.”<<
What makes you think it stopped in 2008? In 2008 and AGAIN in 2012, the American dopes elected the most radical, socialist president ever.; and even many of the Tea Party elected candidates, like Rand Paul and Scott Brown are not genuine; and I see more young people today espousing socialism than I ever have before. The collapse of this system will not be because people suddenly started desiring freedom, and consciously dismantled it; rather, it will be a slow descent, brought about by fragmentation; hostility; and it's own unsustainability.
“The danger is that as dysfunction increases and the people subject to that dysfunction are a very, very large proportion of the population, you start to either experience social disruption or you experience what you might call authoritarian crackdown on that social disruption.
And at one level or another, it would be nice to see a political reform, what you might call a civilized tacking in a new direction, rather than a physical confrontation. But sometimes you have to have a crisis to make change. And it’s not clear that the elite stewardship, whether it be corporate or individual, is sufficiently constructive right now and able to bring this, how would I say, onto a new, more healthy path without some crisis as a precipitating factor. It might be environmental, it might be social.
Often, as Bismarck used to say, when you can’t solve your own problems, you go to war. I wouldn’t rule that out, given the strength and the vitality of the military-industrial complex in this country. But the last two or three wars we’ve been involved in haven’t really shown the American people much that they, how would you say, took solace from. I think warfare’s changed quite a lot.
And we’re at a juncture now where I think what we really need is a healthy revitalization of politics, first and foremost getting money out of politics.”
Robert Johnson
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y’all
War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
Ohhh, war, I despise
Because it means destruction
Of innocent lives
War means tears
To thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
And lose their lives
I said, war, huh
Good God, y’all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, it ain’t nothing
But a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Ooooh, war
It’s an enemy to all mankind
The point of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die
Aaaaah, war-huh
Good God y’all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it, say it, say it
War, huh
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y’all
War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, it ain’t nothing but a heartbreaker
War, it’s got one friend
That’s the undertaker
Ooooh, war, has shattered
Many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much to short and precious
To spend fighting wars these days
War can’t give life
It can only take it away
Ooooh, war, huh
Good God y’all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, it ain’t nothing but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace, love and understanding
Tell me, is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there’s got to be a better way
Ooooooh, war, huh
Good God y’all
What is it good for
You tell me
Say it, say it, say it, say it
War, huh
Good God y’all
What is it good for
Stand up and shout it
Nothing
Anyone read that new york times article on how the economy is weak due to a lack of MAJOR wars?
Watch the MSM close… they will be sending out signals.
The NYT article Rob mentions above:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/14/upshot/the-lack-of-major-wars-may-be-hurting-economic-growth.html
Anybody else notice that the articles basis was built upon the non factual statement that human beings have always lived 80 years. Really? Other than that, I did enjoy the reflections of chronological debacles of our failing establishment. Also, I think the article would have held more weight, (and my attention) if the adjitive per word count ratio in a single sentence was a bit more in line with conversational English.
Great stuff as always.
Is it possible to link your headlines to the material your source?
52 million abandoned homes.
Where did you get this?
mikef
Almost all of those headlines were directly from Zero Hedge. If you goggle the title you’ll get to the actual story in seconds.
Jnaiser60
Here’s some conversational English for ya.
Blow me.
S&H reference a long human life, not an average human life. There have ALWAYS been plenty of human beings in the developed world living to 80 and beyond.
The life expectancy of the average American is 79 today.
I just went with out food for 32 hours. I didn’t like the feeling much. I had a hard time focusing on my tasks. I can understand how society, without food, will crumble and fall into the abyss of rampant inhumanity. Fiat money is the harbinger of War, societal breakdown, and other great evils.
Those who advocate fiat money know fully well the evil it brings, but see for themselves a benefit and so willingly engage in it. It is Americanus Boobus that is the victim and ignorant of it’s nature and of it’s ultimate outcome. Learn your history, or repeat it.
I would like to see what a chart of the Fourth Turnings juxtaposition with the culmination of fiat money looks like.
One is left wondering whether there is hope for mankind.
Didius Julianus—says no one is perfect. Au Contraire! As I am constantly reminded. My wife’s first husband was perfect.
Administrator
So what your saying is: Your article is based on this: “It has a seasonal nature geared to the 80 year life cycle of human beings.”
1. Something S&H never said.
2. Something that isn’t true even today, although human beings are living longer than they ever have.
3. Your response is “Blow Me”
Wow…. Aren’t you intellectual…..
jnaiser60
You appear to have a comprehension problem. I guess I should require an IQ test before allowing the dimwitted to make comments.
I love when assholes drop onto the site for the first time and make snarky comments and then are surprised when I kick them in the balls. They then act like whiny bitches. If you want intellectual, go read Krugman’s NYT Op ed. If you want to learn something, read TBP.
Your tripping on your own two feet, while trying to kick me in the balls. I simply quoted back what you said. You resorted to name calling as a defense.
I do believe its a reasonable question.
I will ask it again in a more direct way:
If life expectancy has never been 80 years, and in 1900, it was only 47 years, 1920 it was 54, and in 1950 it was 67; How could any reasonable person factor 80 years old as the number to draw any logical conclusion from, about anything? I do understand that you Are not a representative of S&H, but you did quote them as the primary source to draw conclusions as the basis of your opinion piece. I’m just questioning why you would do that, when theres such a large “turd in the toilet” that would keep most people from drinking the water you are serving up?
Heres a link to help you understand what most people already know: http://www.elderweb.com/book/appendix/1900-2000-changes-life-expectancy-united-states
Looks like I’ve gotten under the thin skin of a liberal greenie. Ignorance is a choice. And you’ve made it.
You’re another example of someone with a little knowledge jumping to conclusions and misinterpreting a book you haven’t even read. You clearly are clueless regarding the entire generational theory. I love when idiots who haven’t read the book attempt to discredit it. It never gets old.
Do some homework and learn something.
http://www.lifecourse.com/about/method/phases.html
Let me say it a little simpler for the simple.
As you go back in time, the manmade crises were further apart, probebly because populations were fewer. As you move forward in time, major manmade crisis become more frequent because the populations are greater, and therefore you have a higher percentage of antagonist in any given area, as a percentage of the total population. This is my quick opinion, not quoted or read from anywhere. It just seems logical.
Eighty years doesn’t represent an average age or even a likely obtainable age in the year 1781 which is where the mathematical foundation of this supposed 80 year cycle started.
I quote from you: “History does not proceed in a straight line of forward advancement. It has a seasonal nature geared to the 80 year life cycle of human beings. ”
Saeculum (climax year) Crisis (Full Era) Time from one Crisis climax to next Crisis climax
Revolutionary (1781) American Revolution(1773–1794)
Civil War (1863) Civil War(1860–1865) 82 years
Great Power (1944) Great Depressionand World War II(1929-1946) 81 years
Millennial (2025?) Global Financial Crisis(2008–2029?) 81 years?
Administrator
Once again, you make the wrong assumption and furthermore quoted a website that does not support your 60+20 =80 year cycle.
You really don’t have to get all aggressive here. If you ment to say it follows generational years and a percentage thereof, just do that… It’s really not so hard.
Personally I don’t believe in the liberal/concervitive or democrat/republican pigeon hole system. I think it’s outdated and useful only to control the weaker, who still fall prey to the tribal way of protectionism. You know those people… The ones who can’t form there own thoughts and resort to quoting ( and misquoting) others. The followers in our society….
If your a believer in the two party system, then more power to you. Personally I think that small minds following and complying with this is our biggest problem. I thought by your original words we were of like mind. But for some reason drew your wrath. Which pissed you off?
That I pointed out that the whole cycle thing doesn’t work, because it’s based on wrong assumptions of the human life span as well as world events chosen to match said cycle; or was it my comment of the over use of adjatives making it a harder than necessary read?
I’m bored trying to learn a slow witted real greenie about a theory that is too complicated for him to understand. Did I use too many adjectives?
I am embarrassed for you.
Jnaiser60,
The point is not that approximately 80 years represented the average life sapn and thus 4th turning cycle (although that is close enough) but that it represents (IMHO) living memory. Most events older than approximately 80 years are in the living memory of so few as to be irrelevant. An average life span of 30 or 40 over 100 years ago only means that,because of the high infant and childhood mortality, the average age was pulled way down. Once you survived to young adult hood, you were way more likely to live a long time. While there were proportionately fewer 85-90 year olds around 200 years ago (who would have arguably a decent living memory of about 80 years prior), there were still a decent amount in absolute numbers. Back when age was more respected, their voices carried weight enough to offset their relatively fewer numbers.
When accountants try on the hat of naturalists, you get this kind of thinking.
An average lifespan that factors in every living body from birth onward and takes into account every form of mortality does not give you the expected lifespan of the human species. That’s actuarial data.
Human beings that survive birthing complications, infant mortality, childhood diseases, adolescent risk taking behaviors, young adult violence, mid life lifestyle illnesses, and live until their organs begin to fail from use average somewhere around 80 years. If you want to suggest that humanity has fundamentally altered as a species during the past 200 years rather than advances in medicine mitigating otherwise fatal circumstances during a lifespan, you’re going to have a difficult time with that.
The 4th turning premise is pretty interesting stuff and seems- at least to me at first glance- to have more to do with the human tendency to “forget” mistakes on a societal level (because of the death of those who remember what led to the last collapse), leading to the collapse of that collective life-form.
In Nature trees have a lifespan, but so do forests. The two are not the same. Conditions that lead to the death of a tree are not the same as the conditions that lead to the failure of the forest, but are pre-conditions for the latter. Same thing with reefs, etc.
The biggest problem with people is in my estimation the belief that they are somehow exempt from the laws of Nature simply because we can think our way around problems. What we cannot do is escape our true nature.
I thought the quote concerning the “tea party” was quite odd considering the date given to the introductory piece. How did these guys pull that out of the hat in the 1990’s?
Another masterpiece HSF. That is just about the way I think about the 4T myself.
It’s too bad that most people don’t think beyond their own lifetimes. It dooms us to repeated failure. The thing I’ve noticed is that our owners think and plan on much longer time scales. They think in terms of centuries and continually come out on top. Coincidence? I think not!
I would think that this forum is to express new ideas and present a new ways of thinking and NOT be subjected to a hissy fit.
Let’s keep the new thoughts rollin’. Remember–the consensus of many is much more reliable than the thoughts of a few central planners.
Billy–A lot of things attributed to evil is nothing more than stupid people acting ignorantly. Evil is specific intent. You know that you are doing wrong and choose to do it anyway. Mal-intent.
In addition to “The Fourth Turning,” read “The Great Reckoning,” which was published many years ago. Same thing, but a greater emphasis on prepping. I hope we don’t have to wait until 2029 for things to fall apart. Another 15 years of religious nuts, cruelty, lack of compassion, and the theft of the country’s wealth, and we’ll all be Mad Max.