How far does society have to fall

[peregrinus]

Before the normal functions of the society disintegrate and civilization ceases to be? And what does that look like? Because it seems we are going down that path. It seems the only function of our current society is wealth extraction and nothing else. The USA really has no culture so to speak of. Every aspect is focused on consumerism.

[Attilatheblond]

1. The background noise of my soul

is hearing a lot from the late Edward Abbey

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Yes that's a valid observation.

Wealth extraction is the #1 goal, and there are aspects of it that don't on the surface appear to be part of the process. I'm thinking of the cheapening of goods, the pricing of every aspect of process. There is little if any exploitable value remaining in products. They will sell you air if they can. When value cannot be created from components, do we still have capitalism? Only to the extent you can soak consumers?

[malaise]

3. Society has been replaced by the market

Everything is for profit.

[anciano]

4. Exactly....

it's all about the money 💰

[PufPuf23]

8. A free and open society depends on free and open markets.

Profits and wealth concentration are maximized when markets are not free and open.

Markets are not free and open unless wealth and income distribution foster a free and open society.

Add that the present USA norm in politics and courts is that money is more important than votes and justice.

[Cirsium]

15. Other way around

Society does not depend upon markets, markets depend upon society.

You can have a society without markets at all, but you can't have a market without a society.

[PufPuf23]

20. "Free and Open" is the point made in the post. nt

[keep_left]

23. There was a really good book written a number of years ago about...

...this process, which has been going on for decades now--the transformation of American society into a gigantic market. Paul Stiles wrote Is the American Dream Killing You? back in 2005, but it is arguably more relevant today than ever. (By the way, the first chapter alone is worth the price of the book). Stiles' book is out of print, I believe, but you can still find copies for sale on Amazon, and of course it's available from most libraries.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Dream-Killing-You-Market/dp/0060593784

[usonian]

5. Repost.

Thou shalt worship this God with all your ... you know the rest.

[malaise]

6. THIS

Rec

[Diamond_Dog]

7. I say that all the time to Mr. D

America in particular is all about money.

[Bread and Circuses]

9. Citizens United, my friends.

. As we see, the greed and corruption is unchecked. I blame Citizens United for putting a 'for sale to the highest donor' sign on the door of every single elected official.

When seditious conspirators have stolen everything, they’ll start locking up people in for-profit camps and make billions .

I think we can say that the American experiment has failed, I don’t see a return to a centrist political posture.
More than 70 million Felon-voters is a lot. And it has become entrenched by stealing our courts and judges.

It’s over. I do hope Santa can erase this timeline

[oasis]

13. "More than 70 million felon lovers is a lot"

That’s the sad truth about where we are today.

[rampartd]

10. i've been quoting prime ministers today

"there is no such thing as society" thatcher

but it is amazing how fast we are called upon to fight wars and otherwise sacrifice.

[markodochartaigh]

11. I'm not the biggest fan of Tony Blair, but

he said that when people become stressed they don't turn left economically, they turn right socially. I think that this is generally true and we are seeing it now.

[Cirsium]

16. People will turn left

People will turn left, if there is a Left to turn to.

If there isn't, they will turn right.

[markodochartaigh]

19. I hope that you are correct.

I think that most people are more likely under srress to regress psychologically and to look for a Strong Leader with quick answers.

[Cirsium]

21. As a last resort

As a last resort people look for a strong leader with quick answers. Things have to be pretty bad with no alternative in sight. That is the case now.

[markodochartaigh]

12. It was a once in history moment.

After WWII the US was the only industrial economy standing. We had the opportunity to capitalize on the end of the industrial revolution. We took full advantage of the materials revolution, the agricultural revolution, the military revolution, the health care revolution, the computer and electronics revolutions, and the financial revolution. We had the reserve currency, were able to take it off precious metals (gold and silver) and substitute military metals (lead and uranium). And now we may debase the currency completely by substituting electronic bits.

We had a once in human history opportunity. And what did we get? Anthropogenic climate change on an order of magnitude that would have been thought impossible two centuries ago. We have gotten the greatest wealth inequality in history (and about to get far worse). And we got a bunch of cheap plastic baubles transported half way around the Earth to junk up our environment and
our bodies.
And we gave up the responsibility of calling ourselves citizens for the pleasure of calling ourselves consumers.

[ancianita]

14. How far? Read this to get the bigger picture. You'll see why every aspect is not just consumerism.

[Godot51]

17. Where we we fall to?

All the way to the bottom.

Will it be possible to lift ourselves up again?

[moniss]

18. Many of us began to warn of this

when the Yuppie deal became the thing.

[Skittles]

22. seeing how easily people are manipulated

not too fucking far

it's fucking sickening to see

[dickthegrouch]

24. The culture of the US? Waste

People, resources, money, education, all are wasted at an astonishing and alarming rate.

I watched recycling plants in Milan in the 70s achieve more than any known US plant today. Citizen cooperation is required (both formally and logistically) so it would never work in this me first (only) atmosphere.