In my lifetime, I've never seen anything like this.
In fact, as far as I can tell, the present level of radicalization of the masses, in the U.S. and possibly globally, is unprecedented. The knowledge, the awareness, the networking, the activism, the motivation -- all the indexes that indicate radical societal change are going up.
This is key stuff and what "House on Fire" is all about. So I want to devote two or three posts to it. My observations of what's going on at present, what it means, where it might lead, how it will affect us and what WE can do to affect it.
What's the Evidence?
Let's start with the U.S. Even as recently as a decade ago, you didn't hear the "average person" questioning America's major institutions -- and certainly not with the sophisticated level of knowledge that they're exhibiting now.
People are aware of the Wall Street robber barons; the illegality of the U.S. invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere; the fact that we don't have a real democracy; the notion that things really do just go round and round in the same sick way regardless of who gets elected; the knowledge that corporations call the shots; the fact that those corporations can pollute the hell out of the air, water and land and not pay a serious price -- and will probably be granted more licenses to rip and tear for fossil fuels; a stark awareness that not only nuclear weapons but nuclear energy is unsafe and unnecessary. The list goes on.
People are discussing these things. I see it all the time now on Facebook, message boards, Twitter, in the alternative media and, on occasion, the mass media: you name it. The dialogue is thrilling to witness -- and very often it's really smart dialogue.
Activism-based groups have hit the mainstream. While I'm not here to go into deep detail about their individual merits or flaws, movements like Zeitgeist, Anonymous, the Venus Project and resource-based economy groups herald a whole new era. I feel that we have Wikileaks -- in tandem with a pitiful global economy -- to thank for this surge of widespread activism.
Then there are the uprisings around the globe: against oppressive regimes, protesting governments whose policies feed unemployment, and demanding peace and justice and decent-paying jobs. The Middle East alone is awash with protests.
And, of course, cyberspace. The New Frontier. The Establishment just can't keep the lid on it. TV was the one-way propaganda gold mine they relied on. But this Internet thing? What's a WASP to do?
"But how's it going to turn out?"
The question on everyone's lips. But to focus on the question itself is to miss the real point. I believe the real point is that people are actually ASKING this question. When has this ever happened before in modern, Western history vis-a-vis mass societal change? This is a landmark -- it almost feels like a miracle.
But not really: This has been simmering for some time. Of course, you could shorthand an answer and say: "Well, things are so rotten for so many people, we need radical change of some kind so at least the ship has left the dock. We have a shot of making things better." Predicting exactly how it will play out is like trying to predict anything about the future -- and it isn't what's important anyway. We just have to keep working, talking, protesting and shaping the thing as we move forward.
I'm not saying that there isn't quite a way to go; I'm just saying that we've traveled farther than ever before. And now, all things are possible.
Much more to write but I don't want to make these posts too long. Check back and I'll have more for you in a day or two -- and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Take care,
Adrian
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