The Greatest Crisis of Our Time

I believe today that we face a monumental albatross in our human history to our endeavors for progress. And I believe we as mankind are in the greatest crisis of our time. The disease of corruption and decadence seeps through much of human civilization today. There are many factors that I believe set the stage for potentially the greatest catastrophe of mankind, or at least in the modern age. Back in ancient times, its seems that as one part of the world was experiencing upheaval, another was doing well. But now there seems to be a dark cloud hovering not just over a region, but the entire world. It seems so many wrong things can now potentially engender in numerous locations.

The World Economic Depression and Talk of Austerity
Any one who pays attention, even occasionally, can see that there is a world economic depression. In the United States, it is estimated that the unemployment rate is close to 15%, according to Peter Ferrara of Forbes. From what he implies, this number may be more, considering the people who have given up hope of finding employment, and significantly underemployed that are not counted in the statistics of such government agencies as the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Europe it is estimated that the unemployment rate is around 11.6%, according to The Guardian, citing their source Eurostat. Again, this may be a little misleading considering other factors.

Protests are happening all around the world, especially in places like Spain, Italy, Greece, etc. The unemployment rates for the youths are even higher. What's even worse in this midst of rampant unemployment is that governments are proposing to cut social programs, otherwise known as austerity. These things haven't contributed a cent to unemployment. People who are significantly underemployed and  those who have given up finding employment altogether rely on some sort of social service to make ends meet. This makes the talk of austerity even more untenable. To add insult to this injury, austerity doesn't even work. It actually deepens the deficit and causes needless and mass suffering. As geopolitical analyst Webster Tarpley once said, austerity is genocide. When you deprive people of basic social services that they need to survive due to their unfortunate circumstances, it amounts to killing them. People will die. Yet our "public servants" in the highest offices of the land (especially in Europe and the U.S) are only interested in servicing their debt to bankers and expanding war by cutting these beneficial social programs that the poor desperately need at this time. I believe this reality helps set the stage for a vast humanitarian crisis on both continents.

Due to inflation (mainly by speculation) of necessities like energy and food, millions are becoming further impoverished in the U.S and Europe. In this video, renounced economist Max Kaiser, speaks of the collapse of all global "fiat" currencies, in other words paper currency. There is certainly currency war taking place in the global economy, that is sure to only end in devastation for the common people of the world. The depression will deepen further to abysmal levels. Nutrition-related diseases can be expected to be on the rise, adversely affecting society in a number of ways.

Globalism, another name for "free trade", which is at the root of this rising wave of massive unemployment is not even mentioned in the slightest. All underlying factors that led to the state of the economic situation we are in now have been omitted from any mainstream conversation, and instead the poor are fear mongered into giving up their economic rights (austerity), or else.

As we all know by observing the 20th century, depressions produce austerity, austerity produces dictatorships, dictatorships produce wars. A vicious cycle perpetuated by the ruling class, much to the detriment of society and the violation of peace.

The Threat of Nuclear War
If you don't think this is a possibility, then I hope you are right. In his superb article, No Wonder China is Nervous as Obama Pivots, F. William Engdahl states, "After almost two decades of neglect of its interests in East Asia, in 2011, the Obama Administration announced that the US would make “a strategic pivot” in its foreign policy to focus its military and political attention on the Asia-Pacific, particularly Southeast Asia, that is, China." The U.S is gearing for a confrontation with China. This is sure to be a very big confrontation. As Russia is the strongest ally of China, it too will be deeply involved, not to mention the fact that the U.S is at odds with Russia over military matters (see this, and this).

 In this video, Dr. Hans-Peter Durr makes the case that the greatest threat of nuclear war comes from the United States, not North Korea or Iran, and believes that its use should not just be banned, but mere threat of its use, since there will eventually come a time where they (the U.S in particular) will have to "show that they really mean it." Another point he makes is that it is "scary" because the U.S believes in preventative warfare (a paradoxical term, to say the least) making their use even more likely and certainly not to be ruled out.

China and Russia are also bearers of nuclear weapons as well. They can defend themselves and they will. The reason I believe a nuclear war is very highly likely is that I don't think for a second that the U.S can win a war against Russia and China. In the event of this unsettling realization, the U.S may entertain the use of nuclear weapons.

We live in a world of 7 billion people and counting. Think of the number of deaths and casualties.

The Destabilization of the Middle East
The destabilization of the Middle East will be sure to be detrimental to the economic well-being of not only the Middle East, but the world in general. The Middle East provides the world with natural resources and is a major center of investment by outsiders, and so has been a center of world affairs for a very long time. Yet violent sectarianism and terrorism, largely funded by the U.S and NATO, and the gulf monarchies of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which was revealed by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh in his article The Redirection, threatens to plunge the area into a regional war. This will cause massive global economic upheaval since the Middle East is a major provider of necessities like crude oil, etc.
In his article, Seymour Hersh states:

          In the past few months, as the situation in Iraq has deteriorated, the Bush Administration, in both its public diplomacy and its covert operations, has significantly shifted its Middle East strategy. The “redirection,” as some inside the White House have called the new strategy, has brought the United States closer to an open confrontation with Iran and, in parts of the region, propelled it into a widening sectarian conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. ---The Redirection

 This sectarianism is already evident as Syria is falling victim to western backed terrorists in NATO's bid to purge Syria of its President Bashar Al-Assad. Libya has already fallen. As we saw in Libya, should Syria fall as well and become a safe haven for terrorists, this will bode well for the region. Syria borders with Turkey and Israel. So this conflict is bound to spill over into these countries, causing a conflict marked by sectarianism for perhaps a long time. This will undoubtedly lead to civil unrest, displaced civilians (as it is already happening right now), the massacre of religious minorities, and a failed state, adding to the ranks of such places as Iraq and Libya.

This will lead to economic instability and uncertainty. China is a major investor in the Middle East. Russia is as well, which is apparent in its partnership with Syria. If Syria falls, Iran, it's closest ally, becomes vulnerable and may react with detrimental actions like shutting down the Strait of Hormuz (choking off 40% of the world's oil supply). The Western objective of destroying the Shiite Crescent (a term coined by King Abdullah II, king of Jordan) will reach further realization. But however there is always a blow-back. The regimes left in the wake of these destabilizations tend to be fascistic (like the example of Egypt and the "Arab Spring") and hostile to outsiders in general (except western corporations and financial institutions, ironically).

I believe this potential regional disaster that will propagate from his sectarian strife fueled by the West and the Gulf monarchs will create a nightmarish environment for ordinary Arab citizens all across the region that is antithetical to true economic and social development. Russia and China are sure to lose major investment as these conflicts will force them to draw out of the region (something the west would gladly welcome) or stay at their own peril. Europe will suffer as well, as access to less markets will further scale back the progress of its economy. The U.S is already going through deep economic woes, and so the the extent/significance of its losses I cannot truly assess (as it seems like it is losing too much already).

A Great Epidemic on the Way?
My biology teacher in college once said it is not a matter of if another devastating epidemic/plague will occur, it's a matter of when. Plagues tend to come when we least expect them. Among all these other factors potential crises, will a great plague sweep across a vast portion of the planet? I hope not. But the possibility is certainly not to be ruled out. And it seems with the way people are working and the amount of stress they put on their bodies (especially in places like the third world and even in the U.S), thereby weakening the immune system, this leads me believe that should the plague arise, it will be far too devastating. Not to mention how such a crisis will adversely affect the economic, social, and emotional condition of the area. There are 7 billion people in the world and counting. So in this sort of event, one can imagine the number of fatalities if quarantine fails (which is a high possibility).

The Ugly Side of Capitalism
I believe that in all this, capitalism rears its ugly heads (that's right, heads). Wars are always fought for economic reasons, economic crashes and instability happen due to mismanagement of the economy by ruling classes who turn around to use the event to strip people of their wealth, further causing social ills. War I believe is inherent in capitalism. Capitalism requires resources in its unhealthy and unrealistic expectation of unlimited growth, and expectantly will be willing to wage war or whatever it takes to acquire these resources or preserve them.  It thrives on poverty due to its unwillingness to pay fair wages in its bid to expand its bottom line (profits). Just an example, in the midst of all this global upheaval and rampant poverty, corporate profits are at an all-time high. Capitalism is always at the mercy of the moneyed and ruling class....it's designed that way. So one can expect the ugliest side of capitalism to always expose itself in the end as the upper class use it as a means to benefit themselves, irregardless of the plight that it causes to the underclass or even society in general. Systems at times ultimately reflect human nature and ambition. None more evident than capitalism itself, as well as its cohorts (autocratic socialism, feudalism, etc).


Undoubtedly there are many more factors that one could identify. These are the ones most significant to me. With the world declining into further economic woe, political and sectarian strife perpetuating, the looming threat of a possible nuclear war, and capitalism rearing its ugly head as it plays a central role in a lot of these problems, the world seems prime for a catastrophe of epic grandiosity. It can come in the form of a devastating war, widespread sectarian conflict that generates unprecedented civil and economic unrest, or an economic catastrophe (or all of the above) that will cripple and destabilize societies, families, institutions, and other bodies, many to an irreparable degree. With the major parts of the world affected, other parts in or around that region or that deal with that region will certainly feel the pain also.

There is Still Hope
It doesn't have to be this way. We can create our own alternatives and reject the corporate paradigm. According to this article by the Christian Science Monitor, there is a flourishing black market/underground economy around the globe estimated to be worth $10 Trillion. This is testament to the resiliency of human nature.

We can revitalize the decrepit anti-war movement. We can reject our incompetent ruling class, and begin to use the leverage  that we have (power in numbers) to get things done through mass struggle and enlightenment. This will also require a reflection of ourselves as a people. Because we are largely responsible for the situation we are in.

It's time to identify, boycott, and replace. It is also time to mobilize and make demands and fight for our prosperity and that of our posterity.