Professor Doomsday Reaction to ‘the Donald’
This nickname was given to me by a long time friend. But it is misleading. I am only doomsday about the near future for humanity, not the long term. I have no idea what lies in store for our planet and the human race in the near future. Given the millions of years of history, there seems every reason the evolutionary process will continue to progress in a positive fashion, just as it always has. But it needs to be remembered that there have been several stalls or reverses, sometimes lasting millions of years, so the near time future can be devastating for particular species. Just as Lincoln could not possibly predict the future even 150 years away, there is little reason to think that I, or anyone, can foresee the future even 50 years away.
Since the real problems facing the human species are not being addressed at all by any country, or any party within our own country, the prognosis near term by me is not upbeat regardless of who won the election. The winner simply affects the rate of total implosion.
I have no real interest in writing endless musings about the political consequences of Donald Trump. I find more interest in exploring all sorts of topics which deal with human nature. Daily politics is all over the media outlets. These following general observations will have to suffice.
All the real problems facing the human species and other species in the near future are global. The unrest all over the globe is a consequence of human overpopulation, joblessness, low wages, intolerance to diversity, religious conflict, climate change, limited natural resources, and violence as a means of protest. The Donald sees a better life for ‘all’ Americans via America taking care of America first. This hardly will result in global ‘responsible reproduction’ nor will it generate any reasonable global minimum wage, nor reduce the global distribution of wealth in any meaningful way. Violence, for sure, will generate even more violence. The smallest groups have the capacity now to inflict real fear in societies via terrorism. We are trapped in a vicious cycle—too many people, not enough immediately available natural resources, 75 million refugees today and growing at an exponential rate, inadequate health care for huge portions of humans, stagnant wages for lower level workers, loss of or decreased pensions, high unemployment, need to work more than one job, job insecurity, increased illusions that all problems originate via minorities within populations, and more and more people suffering from chronic increased levels of stress hormones.
Nothing good will come from any of this. Barack Obama managed to keep the lid on in this country and probably did so far better than anyone else could have done. He is gone now and intolerance will run rampant as various groups decide to teach other groups a lesson. Modern technology will at some point create ‘rolling riots’ in which the police/army cannot be everywhere. That is precisely why we have lost every invasion of backward countries the last 40 or so years. Our vast military power is powerless to create a peaceful, prosperous environment anywhere. We have a vast economic and military empire which is too costly to maintain, and an economic situation at at home which allows 2-5% of our citizens to own 90% of our wealth. This insane distribution of wealth is world wide. The top 8 richest people on earth own half the wealth of the poorest humans on our planet.
Donald Trump sees kindness, tolerance, assisting those with the greatest needs, and working with other nations to improve global matters as simply weakness. Donald’s personality and behavior his whole life has been self centered, obsessed with acquisition of wealth, notoriety, and an ethical mantra which sees it appropriate for him, in any interaction with others, to attempt always to make sure they get the short end of the stick. His immense wealth has been obtained via inheritance and by stiffing investors and workers who built his towers. He hides the money collected to build his towers, then declares bankruptcy—and each time his financial portfolio grows larger and larger, while he uses bankruptcy claims as a means to not pay income tax for at least 18 yrs. The Donald is emotionally unstable and an unhappy warrior. He does not think most things through and reacts based on gut feelings and a strong sense of entitlement coupled with revenge.
Everyone better hold on to their hats, this is going to be a volatile next four years. Even if he gets impeached Pence will pursue similar policies-or worse-with just a more calm demeanor. Democracy is now failing and for multiple reasons, too many for a short musing. All these impending problems, now descending on the whole globe at once, will have to be resolved by the next generation. Letting senior citizens vote makes needed changes more difficult. Senior citizens should not be voting albeit only if firm laws are in place to protect the economic well being of senior citizens. Young people tend to see, far more clearly than the elderly, the kind of ‘hostility’ and self serving mentality of The Donald. He appears to be a modern day Hitler and we all know what kind of damage Hitler did to people of all stripes across the globe. The Donald is not just America’s problem, but a global problem.
Trumps’ idea of America first translates easily into practices of family first (family values), racial and religious ‘us firsts’, humans over other species first, unlimited greed for wealth—and all this ends up with increased intolerance and the consequent violence and terrorism which inevitably follows.
“Holy Mackerel Andy, we’se got a terrible mess here” For those my age the question is: “Where’s the cord to pull which stops the world? I want to get off.” For the younger generation, what to do and how to do it, and when to do it, is far more complicated. Good luck. Hang in there.
