Look at any meaningful metric to determine America’s and much of the Western World’s economic, physical, cultural and moral health.
In fact, all those indicators are in sharp decline. Tensions are high and the trajectory is not positive.
As we wrote two years ago in “Empire America is fading fast” (Trends Journal, Fall 2013), “When a critical mass of human spirit rises to higher levels, the state rises with it.”
Months later in rhe Trends Journal’s Summer 2014 edition, we forecast: “…the downward spiral of the collective moral character (of our leaders) has brought them to epic lows. As poll after poll show, there is virtually no measure of respect given to the most powerful — those with the most control over our lives.”
That powerlessness, we stated then, was reflected in the state of our physical and intellectual strength. We called it “I Don’t Care,” a trend defined by sinking standards for self-respect “for how we dress, how we eat, how we nurture our own well-being, how we value aesthetics and how we exercise our own moral authority against the political powers and cultural tides that dictate our quality of life.”
Headed into 2016, the great divide — which separates the majority of the world from the elite political, financial and corporate leaders who corrupt culture to their own unending, insatiable gains — is greater than ever. For better than a decade, the institute has repeatedly warned that “decline” has come to characterize the state of America and many other counties, and “denial” has come to characterize the minds of their people.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
The people are ready to explode.
The institute’s analysis demonstrates that with all critical measures of a healthy society in such rapid decline, a crossroads has been arrived at: In 2016, any number of trigger points could ignite widespread civil unrest — or unified uprising could at last challenge the status quo before disaster strikes.
The trigger points are many. They range from the collapse of global markets to the start of World War III — the Last World War — over intrusive government practices, deranged foreign policies, global aggression, a confluence of uprisings over social/racial issues, police violence, inequality, stagnant wages, diminishing opportunities, etc.
From standing in line at the grocery store checkout, to attending just about any public event to dinner with friends, and even to driving to work, it is clear the slightest provocation can trigger angry, sometimes violent, overreactions.
It’s a world ready to explode. TJ