As the economic collapse of the United States continues, we are getting very close to the point at which no amount of propaganda will conceal the magnitude of the problem. Rational observers are now experiencing a peak of cognitive dissonance as every corrupt “news” organization bleats out upbeat evaluations of truly dreadful economic statistics. After the breaking point is reached, the general public will share the stunned, disillusioned, and alienated outlook of the well-informed.
What happens to society in a state run by discredited propagandists? If the history of the Eastern Bloc totalitarian regimes is any guide, we can expect serious societal decay: alcoholism, drug abuse, family disintegration, and rising crime. When people no longer believe in the soundness of their government, they regress to more primitive (criminal) security arrangements, and often withdraw to the minimalist state of society, the Hobbesian war of all against all.
I fear that America will endure a dark era in which it slowly purges itself of the endemic dishonesty and corruption that destroyed its prosperity. People who have always taken the easy way out are about to learn that there is no easy way out. Still, we live, and so we must prepare for what is coming. Try to do the following.
1. Turn off your TV and never turn it on again.
2. Make backup arrangements for Internet connectivity in case your ISP fails.
3. Keep a spare computer and parts available.
4. Download and install a Linux operating system and Mozilla browser on your spare computer.
5. Buy tools and learn how to use them to perform useful services and maintain your environment (e.g., table saw, sewing machine, socket wrenches, multimeter, garden tools).
6. Invest in improving your relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. You will need their good will.
7. Practice honesty and reliability in all of your dealings with others.
8. Participate in the Internet community by sharing all useful information you have.
9. Avoid contact with and reliance on anyone who knowingly makes false statements.
10. Minimize your dependence on cash transactions.
The money culture is slowly collapsing. It will eventually be replaced by a culture based on esteem. Cultivate esteem and disengage from money to help rebuild our society.