Is U.S. Capitalism On The Brink Of Collapse?

[Teacher Terry]

Yes WS the millennials are our best hope for the future. 2 of my 3 kids vote. My youngest falls into that category but I think the older 2 don’t at 41 age and 45.

[Williamsmith]

Change is constant. The “millennial generation” (why do generations need brand names?) will outnumber the “baby boomers” after another three million funerals. Does it necessarily follow from that that millennials will change the world?

Why do we expect them to vote in a block, assuming they can be induced to vote in large numbers at all? Why don’t we expect them to get “mugged by reality” and leave aside childish things as they mature? If they are so famously skeptical and mistrustful, why are we so sure that they will succumb to the blandishments of a new wave of “democratic socialists”?

Taking it one issue at a time.....millenials are expected to outnumber baby boomers by 2019....conveniently just before the 2020 elections. According to the US Census. That sounds quite a bit more imminent than your “after 3 million funerals” that doesn’t create a sense of urgency now does it.

As far as the validity of using generational labels.....are you saying that research is useless and that marketers, governments, the media and all other sorts of interested folks have wasted their time and money on generational investigations in order to find commonalities? Because you ought to tell them why so they can save a bunch of money.

Block voting is not a function of independence.....it’s a function of pathetic two party system we enjoy these days. Get them to vote and because of their “commonalities”...they will necessarily vote in a block.

Did I say millenials will change the world....I meant to say, they will change your world!

Millenials are far far from the “skulls full of mush” a radio talk show host has popularized. They are the most highly educated generation there has ever been. However, their education cost them an arm and a leg and they are still owing. They are pissed about that!

Nothing is certain, but perhaps this post will remain long enough for me to say.....”I can’t believe that socialist was elected President!” In 2016, plenty of people were shaking their heads when the “Symptom” was elected.

[LDAHL]

There are about 74 million boomers and 71 million millennials. I just did the math.

I think there is enough variation within any large population that making sweeping generalizations is problematic. For instance, I would be hesitant to assume that just because some members of a group carry college debt we are headed to a period of Bolshevik-lite politics.

[JaneV2.0]

There are about 74 million boomers and 71 million millennials. I just did the math.

I think there is enough variation within any large population that making sweeping generalizations is problematic. For instance, I would be hesitant to assume that just because some members of a group carry college debt we are headed to a period of Bolshevik-lite politics.

So we only have two courses--laissez-faire capitalism (government by oligarchs) and Bolshevism lite? I'm pretty sure we have more choices than that.

[LDAHL]

So we only have two courses--laissez-faire capitalism (government by oligarchs) and Bolshevism lite? I'm pretty sure we have more choices than that.

Not at all. There’s a broad spectrum of possible courses of action. I am in favor of neither your dystopian capitalist strawman regime nor the the Big Rock Candy Mountain future posited by the left.

I do object to facile predictions based on superficialities like race or gender or class or age acting the way we want them to. People are more complicated than that. Saying we are becoming Sweden even as Sweden turns to the right is a good way to look foolish. I should know. I bet good money on Rubio and then doubled down on Clinton.

[JaneV2.0]

Not at all. There’s a broad spectrum of possible courses of action. I am in favor of neither your dystopian capitalist strawman regime nor the the Big Rock Candy Mountain future posited by the left.

I do object to facile predictions based on superficialities like race or gender or class or age acting the way we want them to. People are more complicated than that. Saying we are becoming Sweden even as Sweden turns to the right is a good way to look foolish. I should know. I bet good money on Rubio and then doubled down on Clinton.

A rising fascism disturbs me; I can't think of a better way to sink a country than to insist all its citizens look alike. Maybe that's because I grew up here and believe in the old American principles vis-a-vis immigration. I have some hope that the generation coming up will prove to be competent and compassionate. but--like you--I've been wrong before.

[LDAHL]

A rising fascism disturbs me; I can't think of a better way to sink a country than to insist all its citizens look alike. Maybe that's because I grew up here and believe in the old American principles vis-a-vis immigration. I have some hope that the generation coming up will prove to be competent and compassionate. but--like you--I've been wrong before.

A political elite ignored or belittled a population that punished them for it at the ballot box. You don’t need to approve of Trump or harbor fascist sympathies to take a little satisfaction in that.

Nor does preferring that borders be secured the way every country on Earth does necessarily make you a racist.

[Williamsmith]

Trumps trade war with China may turn into a referendum on “socialist market economy” vs the “free market” economy. I’m not sure Americans are prepared for the increase in cost of goods or complete unavailability. The masses are too used to walking into WalMart and buying cheap consumer products from China or browsing Amazon offerings. Some say Trump might just might tank the economy and burst his own bubble.

Maybe that’s what you get when you put a person in charge of the worlds largest economy who has a history of using bankruptcy as a wealth preservation tool.

[pinkytoe]

Some say Trump might just might tank the economy and burst his own bubble.

Yep. We were set to buy a refrigerator but it went up $350 in one swoop. Never mind.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I have my doubt millenials are what is expected of them. Most of the real activists I see out there seem to be the old boomer cohort. I don't know why this is (although maybe because the legacy of political activism and when it actually was both widespread and mattered dates back that far).