America's Epidemic of Massacres Is a Sign of a Collapsing Society

[Hugin]

13. I lean toward agreement with you.

Have you ever seen the 1987 movie, “Empire of the Sun”?

In it there’s a character Basie. Basie is a hustler who has survived by recognizing periods of transition and transformation. He takes advantage of the ensuing chaos to opportunistically loot and pillage. He also recognizes such periods are temporary and are followed by some form of governance during which he has to conform or hide for a period of time to survive. He implies there is no guarantee the governance will be more civilized than the one preceding it. In fact it’s usually worse. His goal at the end of the movie is to steal enough to be at the top of the hierarchy in the next period of governance.

I realize this is fiction. However, it was based on the semi autobiographical writing of J G Ballard and there are some profound truths in it.

It seems to me we’re awash with Basies right now who firmly believe that if they can steal enough they will be making the rules. It is possible that the worst of them might. But, what usually happens is that those who have the most when the strife begins end up with more when it ends and remain making the rules. Historically anyway.

The only way something better emerges is if those who have empathy, fairness, and compromise prevail in forming what comes next.

Who are these people right now? Who has a plan?