We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, March 20, 2011

How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America

by Don Peck from The Atlantic

I have not had time to fully read this article, but it looks very interesting. The Atlantic is a mainstream, elite publication that provides information and analysis to the ruling class and its managers in order to secure their system of capitalism. 

So far, I have seen little in mainstream media about the severe effects on young men and women caused by prolonged unemployment. I think that it is a bombshell waiting to explode--it is only a matter of time. Hence, the importance for the ruling class to look at the problem. This article addresses that, and quite candidly.
If it persists much longer, this era of high joblessness will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults—and quite possibly those of the children behind them as well. It will leave an indelible imprint on many blue-collar white men—and on white culture. It could change the nature of modern marriage, and also cripple marriage as an institution in many communities. It may already be plunging many inner cities into a kind of despair and dysfunction not seen for decades. Ultimately, it is likely to warp our politics, our culture, and the character of our society for years.