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

Friday, January 13, 2012

World Economic Forum warns of economic turmoil and social upheaval

Click here to access article by Larry Elliott from The Guardian. 
The threat of fresh economic turmoil and social upheaval could put at risk the gains produced by globalisation, the World Economic Forum said on Wednesday.
In its annual assessment of the outlook for the global economy, the WEF set the scene for its meeting in Davos later this month by warning that the "seeds of dystopia" were being sown.
The World Economic Forum is, of course, where the political operatives of the world's ruling capitalist class come together once a year to plot strategy, which means conspire to serve their needs. (Yes, conspiracy, like shit, happens!) This year they are clearly worried. Their policies of globalization are now wrecking havoc on the 99 Percent and the environment. They are beginning to see signs of revolt coming from the hoi poloi. I really don't think that they are worried about dystopia so much as they are about the revolting 99 Percent, especially the way the latter are using the internet to change things.