Surviving in a Collapsing Economy: The Buffet

Here's a fine and funny piece on how to master the ubiquitous all-American all-you-can-eat buffet. An increasingly desperate population, beset by an impending economic collapse, looks to cheap bad food to sustain itself, while an increasingly desperate restaurant industry looks to maintain its unsustainable growth in a declining economic environment, with more voluminous promotions. American values are perfectly reflected in this piece.

How We Got Here: A Wall Street Tale

This is probably one of the better explanations (yes, it's a little long) of how the US and the rest of the world suffered the recent economic calamity. Hint: it's the excess, it's the greed, it's just...Wall Street Business As Usual, combined with the willing suspension of disbelief and the All-American desire for Something for Nothing. Should put the lie to the phrase, "no one could have anticipated..." because these guys did. Really good stuff, by someone who knows.

The Road Not Taken: How Consumerism Destroys Leisure Time

In the spirit of expanding one's consciousness, or looking at life at this moment in a different way, try this thoughtful history of working hours and leisure time in America. If you've ever wondered why our material wealth doesn't translate into a better life (and if you think it does, do some more thinking), this piece will give you some ideas. In Chaos' view, it is simply tragic that the demands of industrialization have reduced the public to mere "consumers." There's also some interesting stuff regarding the "marketing" of political decisions...an extreme abomination, in Chaos' opinion.

A Couple Of Visuals To Keep The Mood Going...

Reflections On The American "Character"

As regular readers are aware, Chaos believes that there are many and varied technical "solutions" to the current set of converging catastrophes that confront citizens of the planet Earth, but the will to accomplish these is lacking. Further, different geographic regions evince different levels of awareness regarding the said catastrophes; hence, one may reasonably forecast that those who are most aware of the problems and have taken steps to mitigate the same will be the most comfortable in the years ahead. To that end, the continuing study of the character of the citizens of the US has become the primary focus of this blog. The current presidential election provides here a most salient example: two of the three "candidates" for US Emperor have endorsed, enthusiastically, the idea of suspending the miniscule 18 cents/gallon federal gas tax for the summer. It is most essential to note that the success or failure of any such initiative is not at issue here; what is salient is the fact that the majority of those running for the most important office in the nation believe that taking this (completely bogus and counterproductive) position has a reasonable chance of earning votes, which in turn speaks volumes of the American character, which is to say, infantile, ignorant, and completely self-indulgent. Need more? More than several states have taken up the issue; the quote which rings in Chaos' mind is this one from Florida governor Charlie Crist, who, in response to a NY Times reporter's question, answered thus: “I’m supposed to respond to the people and try to make them happy.”

Indeed. Chaos has not much to add, save that it is and will continue to be, quite interesting at the twilight of the Empire...

American Values #5: Prison Nation

It is not new, but nonetheless of interest, that the Empire has the largest prison population on the planet (#2 is China). The rate of incarceration is staggering (1 in 100 overall; 1 in 35 adult male Hispanics, 1 in 9 black males 20 to 35), especially when compared to other OECD nations (Germany: 1 in 100,000). Besides being big believers in the death penalty (an honor the nation shares with certain benighted Third World nations, and no others), American values apparently encompass imprisonment as the first resort in corrections. Needless to say, the cost of this ruinous policy is equally unsustainable, and so, some states are "discovering" that rehabilitation is preferable to expensive housing of prisoners. Alas, Chaos' experience in the state which has the largest prison population in the Empire leads to the conclusion that choosing rehab over incarceration to save expenses inevitably results in underfunded programs, or the costs simply transferred to oversight departments ("probation"). The current article is enlightening, although not particularly helpful (what % of people are imprisoned for the ridiculous "war on drugs?" doesn't say...).

American Values #16: Meet Tila Tequila

Chaos will refrain from comment on this next narrative, since it pretty much speaks for itself as a reflection of current American values. Chaos fondly recalls the startup days of the music channel MTV; many idle hours were spent (in various states of mind...kindly do not inquire further) viewing "music videos" during the early to mid-80s. As most readers know, the channel changed and well, went in different directions, to the point that it is mostly unrecognizable to a being of Chaos' years. None of the preceding has much to do with this slightly whimsical and ironic description of the current offering: Tila Tequila's A Shot of Love. Peruse it, and ponder what values are possessed by the citizens of the Empire watching this particular program.

American Culture In A Nutshell

Read this account of something called the "MTV Music Awards" and explain to Chaos why American culture has not become corrosive. Chaos cannot imagine how anyone who is paying attention could rationally choose to raise a child in this sex-crazed, consumption-addled, brainless culture.

Cracks Appear In The Matrix: Healthcare Film Reveals Geographic Disconnect

Chaos considers the premiere of Michael Moore's newest work, Sicko, to be a watershed moment in the recent history of the Empire. Not too proud to occasionally take an "attaboy," Chaos points out that the US healthcare system has been featured regularly here on the Edge, and many posts have discussed in detail its many failings and lack of potential to change. Nonetheless, the facts presented in Sicko are not, perhaps, of much moment. The visualization of real faces to go with these statistics is in part, what gives the work it's emotional power, along with the stark question posed 2/3 of the way in: "is this what we've become?" In this way, the film's underlying message subtly shifts to that of values--the values of the US public in particular. Sadly, there seems to be little potential for change. Oh, there are quite a few very good ideas to restructure the system (for some of the best, read this), but the lack of will in the Empire today is simply stunning. (For more enlightenment, read this memo from an insurance company executive). Chaos highly recommends the film, for the reasons previously stated, and one more: a sea change in national politics is underway...observe whether this film and a growing consensus that the healthcare system is broken will result in meaningful change or merely nibbling around the edges whilst business as usual continues. Longtime readers will know Chaos' prognostication in this area...

Headline of the Day (Hell, the Week, the Month, the Year)

"Paris Hilton's Garbage Sells Big On Ebay"

Is this what we've become? Yes, it certainly is. There is no way to deny it, minimize it, or rationalize it away. Kunstler is correct: the American public lacks the character to do anything more than sit on its fat ass and watch Paris Hilton on TV, after an exhausting day of mindless shopping.

Toxic Environment: American Culture

Click on this link to read about Adbusters magazine's feature on the poisonous culture which surrounds those of us in the Empire today. (The magazine, for the previously unaware, focuses on the media as the corrupting agent; Chaos would argue that the media simply reflects the vacuity of the people living in this country--another example of liberals' inability to imagine or say that the vast majority of people are unconscious sheep). Many studies are cited here; for example, rates of depression, anxiety and drug problems among recent Mexican immigrants increased the longer they stayed here. The study's author concludes: "socialization into American culture and society [will] increase susceptibility to psychiatric disorders." Interesting stuff, and not available on CNN.

Another Sign of Peak Oil

Also from the "you just can't make this stuff up" department...subtitled "Scootin on the Strip," seems able-bodied visitors to Las Vegas have taken to using scooters meant for the handicapped to navigate the oh-so-long four mile Strip. Chaos could probably make some remarks about how this reveals the true American character and why the nation will continue its fossil fuels fiesta as long as possible, but why bother? It pretty much speaks for itself, and really isn't all that shocking in the context of the entire ridiculous and wasteful insanity any thinking sentient being can discern just by looking around.

Refugee Focus: Iraq

An excellent piece at the consistently prescient antiwar site Tomdispatch, written by Dahr Jamail, gives a true picture of what life in the maelstrom of Iraq is like...to cut to the chase, upwards of 1.5 million people have left the country because of the unremitting violence and chaos caused by the US invasion (another couple of million, give or take, have been internally displaced). Jamail follows some of these unfortunates into Syria, where an overwhelmed UN agency struggles vainly to provide them with the bare necessities. The statistics are staggering, but the individual interviews will make the hardhearted blush. The mainstream media in the Empire have chosen to avoid this subject and why not? The maudlin aftermath of university shootings or the Kabuki rantings and apology of a celebrity are more to the liking of the somnolent public.

The Homeless Inhabit the Library: Another Sign Your Empire's Crumbling

This is a somewhat long and detailed post on the excellent Tomdispatch site, about how the homeless, lacking any sort of safety net, and suffering from mental illnesses, alcoholism, drug problems, and the like, have by necessity started permanently visiting the libraries of the Empire, turning librarians into involuntary social workers. A sort of canary in the coal mine, in Chaos' opinion and apparently also that of the author:

"America is proud of its hyper-individualism, our liberation from the bonds of tribe and the social constraints of traditional societies. We glorify the accomplishments of inventors, innovators, entrepreneurs, pioneers, and artists. But while some individuals thrive and the cutting edge of our technology is wondrous, the plight of the chronically homeless tells me that our communities are also fragmented and disintegrating. We may have gained the world and lost each other."

And this:

"What do you think about a culture that abandons suffering people and expects them to fend for themselves on the street, then criminalizes them for expressing the symptoms of illnesses they cannot control?"

What do you think, readers? An isolated event, an unfortunate byproduct of our success, or a sign of the beginning of the collapse of the Empire? Chaos suggests, once again, to pay attention to the actions of the culture, not the "values" it proclaims it has.

Still Another View of Escape From Empire

As Chaos has noted previously, we greatly admire our friend Joe Bageant for his searing and very funny writing about life in the ever-so-slowly collapsing Empire. Chaos has even greater respect for the man since he decided to "walk the walk" and exit the Empire for a hut in Belize (leaving behind his unaware spouse, who apparently could not break free of the Matrix...). Here's Joe's first take and musings on life in a different place, far away from the corrosive "values" of the Empire. If for nothing else, be entertained today, readers. (For an additional interesting contrast between Germany and the US, look up posts by "Expat" on The Oil Drum).