Quick Review of Why Things Are Falling Apart

Originally posted 2.13.13, updated on,

4.3.19:

A second re-visit of this post.

In contrast with my original optimism, I am getting a bit pessimistic.  What makes me more pessimistic is persistent lack of will in those who say that there are conservative.  The left doesn't seem to lack will.  Indeed, it seems to define them.

It isn't an economic cause.  The economic situation is a symptom, not a cause.  The cause is deeper.  In fact, it could be a lot like the kind of conversation about the cause of the Roman Empire collapse.  Even after all this time, does anyone know for sure why Rome collapsed?

If it is an organic phenomenon, it may well be unavoidable.  Civilizations may roughly follow the same life cycle of an organism.  It is born, it grows and becomes mature, and then it declines and dies.

It then becomes not a matter for optimism, nor pessimism.  It becomes a matter of acceptance and preparation for when it isn't around any longer.

10.16.17:

A re-visit of this post, which is almost five years old.   It impresses me with how good a job I did with the review.  That is to say, after studying the book a bit more closely, I cannot say that my review changes much.

An addition that I want to make with respect to what to do about it:  a lot of this right v. left stuff is what is holding us back.  This is what the powers-that-be use to keep us in check.

The people need to wise up to the political class, and start demanding answers.  But isn't that what this original post said?  Isn't that what the book says ( if you read it)?



the original post follows

For one thing, it is a long title.  I've been referring to this a "the book" in a series of blog posts thus far on this topic.  Just suffice it to say that the book is mostly about why things are falling apart.  The "what to do about it" is but one section out of six.

Most of the book is a hard read for me because I tend to want to remain optimistic about things as they are.  The book's main message flies right into the face of that.  According to this book, things are not going to stay as they are for much longer.

I began with the notion that I agreed that things are falling apart.  The book confirms that and much more- which to my chagrin, is not necessarily what I really wanted to believe.  What I wanted to believe, and still do, despite this book, is that we can work out our problems.  The thing that is missing is the will to do so.

The book isn't really political, but there is some political stuff in it.  Does it tend towards the right or towards the left?  Actually, neither.  However, those on the left may think the book is aimed directly at them.  In a way, it is.  That's because the dominant paradigm today is big government liberalism initiated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his New Deal.  But it may be noted that a lot of so-called conservative Republicans tend to like their big government too, and are therefore wedded to this paradigm as well.  The book also goes after capitalism, but does not extol socialism nor communism.  To the contrary, it is critical of these systems as well.

 The book's solutions tend in the Club of Rome, Limits to Growth genre.  That won't work with the modern day real conservatives who believe in limited government and economic growth.  I count myself as one of these, but not whole-heartedly so.  I would tend to agree that growth for growth's sake isn't the way to go.  But to eschew all growth and accept sharp limits is not my cup of tea either.

Yet, some of his ideas are plain old common sense, which I've heard is not held in high esteem amongst some on the left or the elite in general.  I agree, they don't seem to have much common sense.  The difference is that they are actually proud of that, which shows all the more how cock-eyed they are.  This book hits them squarely in the groin, but it also hits everybody else squarely in the groin.

He gives short shrift to technological solutions.  He seems to deny that these will prove to be helpful in the long run.  I disagree.  I think there are technologies that could help but are being blocked by the same self-interested elite that he is so often critical of in this book.

On the whole, it is an excellent read.  It will challenge you to the maximum.  If you are one of those people who sneer at common sense or believe in your ideology like it is a religion or something, you will not like this book.  You may even hate it.  But that may be the crux of the problem.  People have to realize that there's a problem here, and denying it won't help us solve it.