[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Withnail', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '
')
The workers rose up in Poland and chucked out the communists.

[americandream]

There are revolutions and there are revolutions. To date, humankind has stumbled from one farce to the next, from one incompetent opportunist to the next. These points in human development are invariably littered with the Blairs, bin Ladens, Hitlers, Maos etc etc. Little changes and often for the worse.

Any real meaningful change will only come on a mass raising of consciousness and that is going to be an epic challenge for this species.

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', 'T')hen, after eastern Europe gained its freedom from the Russian imperialists, the USSR collapsed and disappeared into the dustbin of history.

timelines/collapse-of-the-soviet-union

[Apneaman]

Outcast_Searcher, as per usual, you pull out the one part that has no bearing on the main thesis. Why don't you comment on the 210 index number and it's high degree of accuracy? How about because then you would have to contemplate the reality of the situation which you tend to avoid like the plague. Sure you're not a complete denier, but you're a big time minimizer, subject changer(Hey look! a squirrel!) and down player. Not a lot of difference there IMO. The guy lighting himself on fire is just the ubiquitous human interest/human tragedy angle that every single media story includes for effect.

[Apneaman]

Hey planty, the rest of us are discussing the situation here today in the 21st century 2015 - not cold war shit from 30 plus years ago in the 1980s. Read the question again, it's present/future tense - try and keep up.

[C8]

The "masses" are getting old and overweight fast. They will need a cane to rise up. This isn't the 60's anymore.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Apneaman', '.')...discuss... the situation here today in the 21st century 2015 -

[onlooker]

[quote
Any real meaningful change will only come on a mass raising of consciousness and that is going to be an epic challenge for this species.[/quote]
So true and part of that consciousness raising should involve us developing into a more benign and caring species with a calling to be creatures with love and compassion. To aspire to have harmony and peace as the bedrock of our continued existence.

[Poordogabone]

No comments
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'C')artier boss with $7.5bn fortune says prospect of the poor rising up 'keeps him awake at night'

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', '[')quote
Any real meaningful change will only come on a mass raising of consciousness and that is going to be an epic challenge for this species.

[onlooker]

Their is much sense in what Marx said, AD. Too bad we in the West have so disparaged and denigrated him and his message.

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', 'T')heir is much sense in what Marx said, AD. Too bad we in the West have so disparaged and denigrated him and his message.

[onlooker]

So true about Darwinism and it's influence of Capitalism's tenets. How competition and survival of the fittest seem central to Capitalism dogma. As though we humans were mere predatory type animals bereft of caring or kindness and could only act in response to brutish self-interest. The rule of capital being analogous to the might makes right or survival of the fittest concepts. All this in contrast to as you point out to a Marxist communal solidarity prefaced on mutual cooperation and interest as well as recognition of the need to protect and share the commons to attend to the needs of all.

[americandream]

Exactly.

Its always pays to recognise that human consciousness takes us beyond the domain of our instinct driven forebears into a whole new realm of organic interaction with consciousness replacing the immediacy of instinct. Instinct has its own internal logic. Humankind can never reclaim that and any attempt to do so is a poor parody of our animal forebears. We are not better than our animal brethren, just differently tooled and it behoves us to share our planetary home with them. It is logical for the sake of our own survival.

[Paulo1]

Ibon,

Nicely said. I live next door to some French...(in Canada). My brother lives in France. One thing I have learned about Europeans over the years is that they know everything. The Frenech will always say you are wrong, in fact often start their conversations with "non non non". (Everything is better in France, don't you know?) The Germans will simply say, "you should do this". And it gets worse from there. I am surprsied the Euro has lasted as long as it has.

Give me a fat American, anytime; outgoing and friendly, guile restricted to their politicians and organization grinders, helpful to a fault.

[Withnail]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Paulo1', 'I')bon,

Nicely said. I live next door to some French...(in Canada). My brother lives in France. One thing I have learned about Europeans over the years is that they know everything. The Frenech will always say you are wrong, in fact often start their conversations with "non non non". (Everything is better in France, don't you know?) The Germans will simply say, "you should do this". And it gets worse from there. I am surprsied the Euro has lasted as long as it has.

Give me a fat American, anytime; outgoing and friendly, guile restricted to their politicians and organization grinders, helpful to a fault.

[onlooker]

I, myself abhor US foreign policy as in my mind it is imperialistic and arrogant. If you read some of my posts here, I am unequivocally critical of US interference and intervening. So not all Americans are blinded by patriotism or ignorant of what is being done by their government.

[Withnail]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', 'I'), myself abhor US foreign policy as in my mind it is imperialistic and arrogant. If you read some of my posts here, I am unequivocally critical of US interference and intervening. So not all Americans are blinded by patriotism or ignorant of what is being done by their government.

[zoidberg]

No unrest until the economy starts shrinking in earnest. People need to be hungry and backed into a corner before they'll make the calculation to strike out. Us goes last because it's at the center. Timing uncertain beyond "soonish"

[Paulo1]

Power outage of 48 hours during the summer is all it will take to set any 'civilized' city on fire, imho. The empty grocery stores will soon follw.