I get that a lot but the fact is, I see myself in a different light.
As my writings will attest, I do foresee a bleak future for the Western World in the key areas of the economy and security and I truly think things will get much worse in these two areas, before they get better.
But Dear Reader, they will eventually get better – much better in fact.
Let’s deal with the Economy first:
The West has spent itself into a hole so deep that it will fall to our children’s children to finish digging us out.
Countries in Europe are now rioting in the face of this economic reality while we in North America continue to pretend it does not pertain to us. It does and the day is coming where we too will see more civil unrest in our streets.
Look at what happened in Quebec over a few measly dollars in tuition increases.
Wait till our wages / pensions are slashed !!
50% of Americans and 50% of Canadians pay no income taxes. One in Five Americans are on Welfare and Half are in receipt of Government Assistance. And I suspect the numbers here in Canada are not much better.
Those silly people who believe our economic problems can be solved by taxing the Rich, 1 – 5 % are in for great disappointment. Simply stated, the Rich are not Rich enough to make that much of a difference and we won’t even raise the fact that with heavy taxation of the Rich things will get even worse for everyone.
The Rich do though make a nice easy target and Obama is a Master when it comes to finding someone else to blame for his stupidity. But again I digress.
The day will come though when the books are balanced and when society realizes its free ride has come to an end.
Why? Because there is no alternative.
Think of your own household – if you make $50,000 a year but spend $100,000, the day will quickly come when the jig is up. Nations have a few more levers so they can delay but not avoid the inevitable. We are now witnessing the inevitable and it is not pretty. But it will eventually force nations to build healthy, and sustainable economies. On that I am a true believer and accordingly – an Optimist.
Now For Security:
Again things currently look to be very bleak – and indeed they are.
One of the main causes for worry is the growing threat of Islamist Fundamentalists seizing power throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa.
The other major threat is in regard to China. It is not only the most populous nation on earth, it is now the World’s second economic power and within a relatively short time, will be number one. Simply stated, will it become a peace loving nation or will it aspire to militarism and expansion?
The third issue pertaining to our Security concerns Big City Gangs – usually populated by minorities. These minorities feel – for one reason or another, that main stream society is not open to them. So to survive, they join gangs which deal in various illicit activities. With increasing immigration and a greater and greater sense of isolation, this problem too will only get worse.
So taking them one by one -
- Islamist Fundamentalists will eventually fall but through no help from us in the West. It will be because Muslims themselves rise up and put a stop to their terrorism. And how so you may well ask? Because modern communications has shrunk the world. Dictators / Terrorists can no longer keep citizens in the dark. Eventually – and not that far off, the people in the parts of the world which are oppressed – will demand and receive better.
- This applies too, to China. Modern communications has already made a difference in that country and as time goes on, it will make a very large difference in moving the country toward Democracy and Greater Freedom. Plus the ever growing wealth of China means for the first time in modern history, it has something to lose. These two developments will deflame the dragon.
- With Gangs, the end result is less clear. The answer is apparent – as per my recent Blog but Society / Politicians do not have the stomach to do what is needed. This may come as a surprise, but I believe in order to Defang the Gangs, in lieu of locking them up, Society will have to bite the bullet and legalize drugs. There I said it – Society’s War On Drugs was lost decades ago – it would be like continuing to fight in Vietnam and saying “just another 100,000 troops and we’ll have them licked”. Sooner or more likely later, this problem too will pass but it is the one issue here for which I have less optimism.
So there you have it – on balance I am a rather optimistic guy.
There is one area though where sadly I see Society continuing its decline and that is in regard to Religion.
More and more of Society’s Enlightened view Religion as a Hoax – a myth or what have you. I do not personally, but many do and their numbers growing. I suspect the current breakdown between believers and non-believers in Canada is in the range 40 – 60% and in the United States it runs at an even 50- 50. Very soon the Non-Believers will be in the majority in the United States as well.
The fact remains, that whether or not there is a God, his absence in an individual’s life leads to Narcissism – where the individual cares only for self.
That is not to say that there are no bad people in the ranks of the Believers or conversely, that there are only bad people in the ranks of the Non-Believers – clearly that is not the case. What it does say is that Society’s trend of ‘me first’ is well and truly entrenched and growing stronger.
As I see it…
‘K. D. Galagher’
