Interesting article on marketwatch.com this morning by Paul Farrell. He touches on something that I think so many people are sort of missing and that is the growing gap between the haves and the have-nots. It’s easy to watch turmoil unfold in regions throughout the middle east and somehow feel the distance and cultural differences insulate us, but the London riots are a little harder to comfortably ignore.
After listening to one interview of a London rioter, I thought a lot about a local punk element that’s unfortunately recently moved into my neighborhood. He’s a symbol of what’s happening in our country. The story starts with Daddy buying his 22-year-old son a foreclosed home. Quick visual, just because: white kid, shaved head, lots of wife beaters, couple tats, inability to pull his pants up, and a rather blank/psychotic stare as he ambles around his yard…enjoys real loud rap music 24/7. Son then moves in with girlfriend and 2 kids. Although no member of this respectable household holds down a job, they have plenty of funds to party with their equally respectable pals during all hours of the day and night. Safe to say that I’m not a huge fan.
OK, short rant complete, my thought recently revolves around the belief that our fabulous government leaders are losing their grip. As this grip loosens further and they inevitably lose the ability to finance the cool lifestyle of my aforementioned punk neighbor, what do you suppose Mr. Tilt a Whirl is going to do? For obvious reasons, I don’t see him buckling down and becoming a productive citizen…not going to happen. No, what he’s going to do is something akin to the London riots. I’m not sure of what the exact spark will be, but he and the legions like him (very easy to pick out of a crowd with their uniform, inability to speak english and cool music) will be quick to point blame, unite in action and commence to tearing shit up. It’s unfortunately a bad combination of poor character and the feeling that one has nothing to lose.
I don’t have the answer on this one, but it bears considering as you continue on in what I know many feel as life as usual. You might think recent market gyrations are scary or that the odd shift in weather patterns/intensities are unnerving, but the social decay going on around you as you blindly go about your life (family, church, work, etc.) is going to end badly. I simply suggest you consider it and be proactive.
TD
Z Koolaid 