Societies||Collapse and response pt.I

when I started contemplating this post, I simply wanted to think about what a collapsed america (and western world) looks like in our near future, but then I realized that there are so many inputs hidden in this simple question that it defies consideration. the questions that go into this greater idea are, in and of themselves, huge enough to warrant their own posts. questions like,

What are possible toppling points and causes of an american collapse, and what would the center issue be?

What are the time scales of these different possible collapses and the responses to them?

Who are the actors?

How do identities change, globally?

What is the nature of the collapse’s focus, and how is it resolved by the collapse (as collapses serve to return unbalanced systems to an entropic stability)?

these questions are all interconnected,  but I can only consider a couple at a time without losing track of the specifics – there is great difficulty in balancing detail and overall view. (note: I just realized what a depressing post this is going to be, and I bet you’re asking, “why would you write about this and spend a couple hours pondering it?” well, I want to think about what MY personal response will be in a few likely possibilities, and also how design will function in such a world. back to the rambling.) it seems simplistic to answer only a few of these questions, and none of them in their entirety, without “showing my work” as the math teachers would have it… but I honestly can’t think of any other way to deal with this issue at the moment. I’ll probably revisit this topic later on.

1.) causes of collapse

-financial (long and short term)

-catastrophic (terrestrial/astronomical/biological)

–war/unrest (occupation, destruction, fading might, civil)

-resources (mismanaged, collapsed, deprivation)

-decay (national age, cultural, moral, identity)

I may elaborate further on these topics in another post, but from what I can see, the most likely at this time is a mix of decaying identity and financial ruin. (this is leaving the very possible oil collapse out of the picture, that belongs in a different post about energy.) now I find myself asking, “wait, why did I think the cause is so important?” I think the reason I started with is that the psychological responses of the affected and the ensuing actions in the aftermath of a collapse entirely decide what comes out of the ashes of an empire, and there will be different responses to different failures. you don’t limp when you’re missing an arm, and your typing doesn’t suffer when you’re minus a leg.

why financial? why now? why  wouldn’t we be able to pull ourselves out from this? I think we’re on the last legs of an understanding of “work” and “jobs”, one where few people do anything of actual merit. current investment fears are causing a downward spiral in the stock market and elsewhere, areas I like to think of as “the pretend economy”, as they can only function as long as people agree to play by a set of complicated rules. the simplicity of a small business store is safe from these machinations, as there’s a basic understanding of worth – even the simplest can see the value of food or goods. since the beginning of time, money (whether it be gold, paper, salt, or tin) has been a representation of the value that’s derived from the quality, duration, and usefulness of a person’s effort. now that we can change the value of money on a whim, it’s hard to see the connection to a person’s worth, and it becomes harder and harder to value the currency at hand. our culture is starting to realize that the money we trust to highly isn’t standing for anything, and we’re starting to wish for a way of life that marks effort more accurately, something that feels more real. decadence is enjoyable, but people fear that they’ll still be dancing when the doors are locked and the lights are shut, so the nervous creeping to the doors begins… once the movement starts, it’s hard to stop the flow. the most important thing for a “pretend economy’s” continued life is a stable, fast flow of currency, much like a circulation system in the body. once people begin to hesitate,  the blood slows and the asphyxiation begins. collapse.

why identity? a unified, proud country can withstand many things, no matter how varied its citizenry is. group strength allows pain to be absorbed and its momentum can push through confusion, for good or for bad. of course, patriotism and cohesion cannot solve or remove problems by themselves, but they’re a powerful defenses, though not always virtuous ones. america is currently lacking in this regard – big time. even the groups that do have a strong following and cohesion are at war with the others. there’s little sense of direction or movement towards any ideology – all parties and philosophies seem to only be saying “what’s happening is not right.” it’s important to be able to say that with honesty – and yes, I think things AREN’T right in our country – but there’s no real solution offered yet. there’s no one to stand behind with true conviction. President Obama seemed to offer a strong lead, but he’s been so ineffectual and dividing that his bright star has certainly dimmed – people don’t like feeling that there’s a game being played, or that the great leader has disconnected from his fellow countrymen. we’ve started to mistrust the democrats more strongly – it doesn’t seem they have our interests in mind. but who do the republicans have to offer? there’s no one in either major party with a plan or charisma enough to inspire others to follow, forget any third parties.

and it goes beyond politics… america has few moral figures who we can look up to, and few thinkers who command any respect with the masses beyond lowbrow satirical humorists on TV. we’re only united as a country in scorn or in anger, never in a positive direction. there’s nothing we truly want, just things we don’t want. this breeds the feeling that it’s becoming every man for himself, and that all we want is our own personal safety – that’s dangerous, because increasingly intrusive or ill-planned schemes can be thrust upon us in the name of safety, while we’re too fearfully paralyzed to make any decisions to move forward.

this is all for pt.I, tomorrow  I hope to move on to what the timescales of collapses will be along with their responses, and what society might look like, drawing on historical parallels (I’m talking to you, french revolution). part three will probably be what design has to do with all this doom and gloom, and future possibilities of new identities in the world – international, local, and personal. let’s see how this goes. please feel free to note your views on where we’re headed, or how I’m all wrong about a possible collapse happening at all!