Unbridled Capitalism: The World's Longest Running Snuff flick.

[skip fox]

The wheels are coming off the cart, the cart is flying off the track.

The petroleum industry has asked us to sign a suicide pact and we have.

I think we all realize this at least subconsciously. Therefore we believe nothing matters.

Evangelicals can embrace a man whose beliefs are antithetical to their own.

Formerly stable alliances or beneficial treaties are suddenly dissolved.

The worldwide swing to the right appears to be in response to our own confusions and fears.

etc.

I have no idea what the answer is (if there is one). But maybe if we elect a sane Democrat in 2020 . . .

[Kurt V.]

1. this is not what adam Smith had in mind. 2 things changed along the way. the wage based economy

changed to an asset based economy. and competition capitalism was replaced by mergers and acquisitions.

[sop]

2. Consumerism and capitalism are too often confused with democracy and freedom

They are not the same things. For decades America has been crippled by late-stage capitalism. Our people have been slowly driven insane by the near-religious belief profit-making is the essence of democracy, and consuming is the only form of freedom.

We've now reached the era of end-stage capitalism. Predatory corporations are desperately devouring what's left of the economy, sucking out the few remaining profits from a played-out system.

[skip fox]

3. Nicely and succinctly put.

It's my belief, for what it's worth, that this brand of capitalism has brought us to the edge of extinction (w/in 150 years?) and we all know that consciously or not. I believe even the passionate deniers (as opposed to the deniers for hire) know in their hearts that we have done and are continuing to do damage to our planet which will increasingly harm our species (not to mention millions of others).

We were horrified when we discovered cigarette companies (another product of end-stage craziness) knew they were killing fellow humans, but it took us years to act.

With climate change we don't have years before we turn this ship around. Perhaps we have passed the point-of-no-return already, and there appears no near-collective will on the part of the petroleum industry (not to mentions its cousins) to even begin.

But I'm really looking for the origins of all the insanity of late, the fascism, racism, religious hypocrisy, Trump, the Republicans abandoning principles for advancement or to stay out of the asshole's cross-hairs.

And as Initect so eloquently posted on DU today (https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212133560 ): This whole damn planet is turning into a colossal right wing category 5 shit storm.

Could it be that we all realize, at one level or another what we have done and are still doing, and we are having a collective nervous breakdown as a result?

Since the United States retains strong leadership role in the world (the strongest in the free world?) perhaps if we elect a strong and moral leader . . . ??????