Here in burgerland, it seems there’s no end to the ways that people can bury their heads in the sand or just all together deny that awful things are happening. But I’m wondering, what are the critical social structures that, if attacked, will be an undeniable shattering of the illusion for most people?
Don’t know if this makes sense, I’m very eepy.
Probably food prices, just like everywhere else
People barely live with the rent and the expenses of the road, and the tax that goes to war and murder with no social benefit
If fertiliser affects the US, then the rising prices will definitely put a large section of the population into potential starvation unless government aid is granted
Considering the current administrative incompetence this needed aid may never come, but I doubt the elites would let it rot that easily, and additional subsidies would be given to companies in exchange for further monopolisation, bankruptcy of smaller farms and consolidation
Social security and Medicare are the only things keeping the lifespan above 70 and basically the only hope even wealthier people have of retiring.
I kinda thought the tax credit rollbacks of the ACA would freak more people out but I guess that speaks to how narrow a population they actually were available to. If they got rid of the pre-existing conditions clause that might lead to some chaos though.
The only thing that would start waking people up is when the flow of treats stops. When the imperialist loot starts running out and material conditions start going in freefall, maybe people will start seriously organizing, but I fear it’s going to be too late until any of that happens before full blown fascism makes organizing a near impossible thing to do
It’s never impossible.
Have hope.
thanks comrade, that’s harder and harder these days
Fidel had 12 people.
A single spark can start a prairie fire.
the whole thing is scaffolded by treats and distractions, most of which are made possible by cheap fuel.
people take for granted that the things they enjoy are not produced in their community or even their region.
if the internet gets throttled down from energy / infrastructure issues to not allow the easy, widespread streaming of movies/TV and food/clothing/material prices all skyrocket or become scarce, the sleepy dream americans retreat into daily will die. they will be forced into the streets, to interact with their neighbors and confront those still clinging to power and hoarding comforts.
i would say such a constellation of events would never happen because this is the beating heart of empire, and what idiot would allow it to be threatened. but most of my transition into late adulthood is realizing that the people vested with decision making authority are truly incompetent.
they will absolutely sit on their own balls and then shoot themselves in the penis as retaliation.
they will absolutely sit on their own balls and then shoot themselves in the penis as retaliation.
So what I’m hearing you say is, when we eat the rich it’s actually a dinner and a show! 😃
the only thing I can think of is gas prices
Roads (and cars) underpin so much of the American lifestyle that if you pull on that thread, so many other things start unraveling.
One that isn’t readily apparent to the average person, but that also keeps the modern world working are just-in-time supply chains. We had a taste during Evergrande and 2020, but if something were to seriously disrupt the axioms of it (good infrastructure, relatively cheap fuel, short lead times from order to delivery). It would mean the end of cheap consumer goods and the diversity of products on the average westerner’s basket would be severely curtailed
That is a global problem unless that consumptive demand can be replaced. Much of the world economy depends on there being a place to dump goods.
China is the obvious answer, but it really ought to diversify through increasing the median global income.
Pentagon or the White House. Even partial destruction of them will have effect. But, since Pentagon was build specifically as a fortress, damaging the White house is easier.
pentagon took a hit 25 years ago and all they did was reinforce the fascism
I do think American society is teetering.
Looking at wealth inequality and the lower paid working class, there isn’t very much room for the problems coming.
Ironically, look at what has happened to Cuba during an oil blockade. Basically all society stops.
So much of the complacency in the US is dependent on, as we derisively say, treats. I do think the current war and the oil dominoes are going to severely impact the treat flow. American capitalism can’t eat any decrease to profitability so the consumers must be squeezed. There isn’t much squeeze left.
- Implementing Compulsory Education
- Make it illegal to talk shit about the government.
- Make it illegal to post pictures of the president.
- Shut down the internet during the weekends.
- Enforce strict gun ownership laws.
I could think of a few more, but this is a start.
The free speech things would probably just lead to elaborate metaphors on the internet, and I’m absolutely certain many people would romanticize not being allowed on the internet on weekends. They literally kill people in the streets now and not much happens
There’s probably better ways to implement is. But the point is to ban poop flinging so that people are forced to develop literacy. The point in making spontaneous mass protests illegal is to force people into developing discipline.
If you want to overthrow me then organize, get disciplined, present your case and should the majority be on your side I’m destined to fall and why shouldn’t I?
That is unless I want to be an Empress, then I’d allow endless mockery, make myself take all the blame for your sorrows and allow for endless, disconnected, entertainment. But how is this any different than raising cattle? I cannot imagine how disgusting someone would have to be in order to treat people in such a way.
The highway system. If it was completely shut down in certain spots a lot of chaos would ensue.
It’s really hit or miss, but explaining the difference between a free market and capitalism. Income inequality destroys main street because it turns out rich people really really love money and prefer to save it for the sake of saving it.
This really works on liberals who are genuinely open-minded, and even then the first framing I go for is “this is for the free market’s own good: the rich can’t have it too good. They need problems, and that’s how we get jobs.”
Sauce: Ohio is actually pretty up there in terms of population and while it’s no New York or California, you can tell this state has been hit hard by global wealth inequality.
Why concede the abstract goodness of the free market? What do you see as the difference between the free market and capitalism?
I’m all for praxis, but this feels like compromising on principle
Oh, not trying to do tailism here and while there is a legit critique of the free-market, I think a good place to start with open-minded liberals is how not even the capitalist subscribes to free market principles.
Logically the next position from “this is inconsistent with a free market” is not anticapitalism but anticorruption. They will not blame capitalism. They will blame the politicians “screwing up” capitalism.
Given the state of American politics, that is more likely to turn them into a partisan, or a more extreme partisan if they are one already. In my opinion it is more effective to be completely clear and unapologetic: capitalism is designed for exploitation, and The Free Market is imperial propaganda. (Note that only the dominant power ever wants a free market. When Britain was in charge, USA adopted protectionist policies.)
in the US there are none. there is no amount of cruelty or depravity by the ruling class that the cowardly working class of this country will not permit
they could starve us to death on purpose and there’d be 100 million hogs hooting about how they’d rather have the freedom to starve to death than live under socialism
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