This is an evolving story, and as Chris Hedges does accurately point out, hindsight is a lot easier than foresight. We are right smack dab in the middle of the storm, and mostly just trying to breathe.
But if we step back a bit - I rather think that nobody is under the illusion that we are well represented in government.
It might be more accurate to speak for myself, rather than everyone else, so let’s try that OK ?
Since JFK and Bobby, I realized that the deep state, Ike’s MIC, was in charge. That’s what Vietnam was really all about, and the Shaw of Iran - Marine Smedley Butler… and on and on.
Then came the oil shock of the 1970’s, predicted by the way by a geologist named Marion King Hubbert many years before that, while working for one of the Big Oil Giants, who knew also that peak conventional oil in the United States was indeed at hand.
With the oil shock - what it meant in terms of you and me - is the end of the free ride on cheap energy.
Virtually all foreign policy is centered around resources and energy - always was, is - and always will be I would contend.
Anyway - after the oil shock came Reagan and Thatcher and trickle down on steroids - leading directly to where we are now.
Half the population has responded to our collective lack of a place at the table by going bat-shit crazy, and electing Trump, who is in fact anti-everything except pure unadulterated evil. But that’s the point - the vote was not patriotic in any meaningful way - those waving flags and MAGA mean one thing - I’m freaking tired of it all and I support might is right and burning down pretty much everything - hence the batshit crazy part.
The other half is no less disillusioned - we have just reacted differently, voting for anyone other than Trump - all the while realizing we also have no place at the table.
We simply hope things might improve slightly - because - what other choice do we have.
I kind of like my new description of reality because just yesterday I had decided the Trump supporters were enemy numero uno. I prefer today to think they are just not as resilient as we are, and are only batshit crazy.
Which of course still leaves all of us, the batshit crazy half and the resilient hoping half, still with no place at the table.
And all of us are going to feel the pangs of starvation soon - even the lucky ones who still have a job and a place to call home.
This is where Chris Hedges is most accurate, for these ideas on climate change and ecological breakdown are in fact not his ideas, but the scientific findings of the real nature lovers here - the natural scientists.
So where does that leave us ?
Right now up shit creek without a paddle.