Today's word is DYSTOPIA.
Dystopia best describes the here and now.
What is a dystopian society?
A dystopian society is usually described with words like unlivable, stark, dreary, repressive and not equitable. Also, notions often associated with dystopias are widespread privations and lack of personal freedoms, as well as political oppression, or systematic discrimination based on various individual attributes.
A dystopian society is the opposite to a Utopian vision. When inequity, unfairness and oppression becomes the societal standard, dystopia has been achieved.
Inequality can be gauged using the Gini coefficient.
For many years astute and learned organizations have committed to in-depth analysis of what portending risks are looming on our horizons, ostensibly the warnings are for the benefit of corporations and governments to consider in the hope said risks can be preemptively avoided or at least mitigated on OUR behalf.
Strangely, as time slides by--the warnings become ever more dire and yet... less and less attended to if one considers historical result.
One could even be forgiven for thinking the looming dire consequences cited in these reports were actually a road map to what to "cause" rather than "avoid" since warnings given seem destined to manifest as predicted rather than be avoided as seemingly intended.
As examples... not one of these calamities was a surprise, New Orleans levy collapse, Global Financial Meltdown, Gulf Oil Spill, Japan nuclear meltdown... these and countless other recent travesties were not only highly predictable, they were all but guaranteed by expert sources... yet... they were and indeed still are destined to occur without any form of proactive avoidance strategy put forward by our official representatives.
One could almost say these well known risks were even condoned and supported rather than factored in and steps taken to minimize the tragedy represented by them. If nothing else this state of affairs tells us... threats to humanity are the responsibility of the individual not the incumbents we elect to guard our interests.
Perhaps this is the lesson we need to learn.
Perhaps the "Global Risk" analysis for 2012 is about to become a case in point.
If one studies the report one can clearly relate to the "realities" put forward and one could quite easily see them as an opportunity for remedial action... however, the chance of avoidance seems to be slim or non based on elitist governance reaction to them both in the past and presumably into the future.
To be fair, the predictions and alarms are said to be for the benefit of "business" and the fattening of the bottom line, rather than for the benefit of the beleaguered population at large... the idea being... there is always (profitable) opportunity within a climate of chaos for opportunist corporations and the like.
Still, having access to such well researched and thought out risk analysis could and probably should be of value to many, even if for only gaining a slight edge in the brutal game of surviving it all. It is this aspect which interests me and explains why I am "showcasing" the 2012 edition. I hope many of you will benefit from it and share with kindred spirits.
Global Risks 2012
Seventh Edition
One interesting statement alludes to the rapidly escalating areas of risk the International community is exposed to.
At the high level of the "statements" the underlying global misery in store for countless millions is lost in the noble words of commercial impact and corporate-ease, still it is not difficult to surmise the hard, stark reality of real world consequence when one projects them onto the lot of innocent subjects and electorate who are bound to shoulder the burden of decisions taken on their behalf and not necessarily in their best interests. The more the world identifies its issues, the more it seems to stay the same.
It seems there has never been shortage of predictions and even prophecies which have warned against the wisdom of pursuing foolhardy strategy, yet humanity seems compelled to slither helplessly on slippery slopes constructed by their very own hand...
How often do you mutter "Go figure!" when you come across the endless stream of ill-conceived, reckless and even wanton actions foisted upon us in the name of "progress". Woe betide anyone though who would challenge any part of it, for surely you will be scoffed at and called regressive and anti-something or another.
Progress for me is - betterment without heinous, debilitating or even lethal consequence, yet for the past 100 years or thereabouts most supposed progress has weighed heavily with diabolic consequence.
Surely someone should protest, surely leadership should intervene... here endeth my pipedream for the day.
In the meantime, prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
Stay tuned...
Strangely, as time slides by--the warnings become ever more dire and yet... less and less attended to if one considers historical result.
One could even be forgiven for thinking the looming dire consequences cited in these reports were actually a road map to what to "cause" rather than "avoid" since warnings given seem destined to manifest as predicted rather than be avoided as seemingly intended.
As examples... not one of these calamities was a surprise, New Orleans levy collapse, Global Financial Meltdown, Gulf Oil Spill, Japan nuclear meltdown... these and countless other recent travesties were not only highly predictable, they were all but guaranteed by expert sources... yet... they were and indeed still are destined to occur without any form of proactive avoidance strategy put forward by our official representatives.
One could almost say these well known risks were even condoned and supported rather than factored in and steps taken to minimize the tragedy represented by them. If nothing else this state of affairs tells us... threats to humanity are the responsibility of the individual not the incumbents we elect to guard our interests.
Perhaps this is the lesson we need to learn.
Perhaps the "Global Risk" analysis for 2012 is about to become a case in point.
If one studies the report one can clearly relate to the "realities" put forward and one could quite easily see them as an opportunity for remedial action... however, the chance of avoidance seems to be slim or non based on elitist governance reaction to them both in the past and presumably into the future.
To be fair, the predictions and alarms are said to be for the benefit of "business" and the fattening of the bottom line, rather than for the benefit of the beleaguered population at large... the idea being... there is always (profitable) opportunity within a climate of chaos for opportunist corporations and the like.
Still, having access to such well researched and thought out risk analysis could and probably should be of value to many, even if for only gaining a slight edge in the brutal game of surviving it all. It is this aspect which interests me and explains why I am "showcasing" the 2012 edition. I hope many of you will benefit from it and share with kindred spirits.
Global Risks 2012
Seventh Edition
One interesting statement alludes to the rapidly escalating areas of risk the International community is exposed to.
"The risk landscape in this 2012 report is based on a refined and expanded set of 50 risks, compared to 37 in previous years."Four primary areas of risk are said to be;
- Severe income disparity (economic)Five weaker areas of risk are said to be;
- Major systemic financial failure (economic)
- Unforeseen negative consequences of regulation (economic)
- Extreme volatility in energy and agriculture prices (economic)
- Vulnerability to geomagnetic storms (environmental)From these discussion points many (dire) consequences are described.
- Proliferation of orbital debris (technological)
- Unintended consequences of nanotechnology (technological)
- Ineffective drug policies (societal)
- Militarization of space (geopolitical)
At the high level of the "statements" the underlying global misery in store for countless millions is lost in the noble words of commercial impact and corporate-ease, still it is not difficult to surmise the hard, stark reality of real world consequence when one projects them onto the lot of innocent subjects and electorate who are bound to shoulder the burden of decisions taken on their behalf and not necessarily in their best interests. The more the world identifies its issues, the more it seems to stay the same.
It seems there has never been shortage of predictions and even prophecies which have warned against the wisdom of pursuing foolhardy strategy, yet humanity seems compelled to slither helplessly on slippery slopes constructed by their very own hand...
How often do you mutter "Go figure!" when you come across the endless stream of ill-conceived, reckless and even wanton actions foisted upon us in the name of "progress". Woe betide anyone though who would challenge any part of it, for surely you will be scoffed at and called regressive and anti-something or another.
Progress for me is - betterment without heinous, debilitating or even lethal consequence, yet for the past 100 years or thereabouts most supposed progress has weighed heavily with diabolic consequence.
Surely someone should protest, surely leadership should intervene... here endeth my pipedream for the day.
In the meantime, prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
Stay tuned...
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