TRUMP

Originally posted by pintohoo: ↑

''The problem with the people who voted for Trump is that they felt they were ignored, maybe even discarded by 'the system' hence wanted a revolution and saw Trump as their hero.''

more or less what I feel ------------ my take would be

''The problem with the people who voted for Trump is that they felt they were ignored, maybe even discarded by 'the system', and left behind (which they are) hence wanted a revolution and saw Trump as their herosaviour and revenge hammer.''

IMO, the yawing gap chock full of disaffected in the USA (and there's also a lot in Oz, Britain, France, and many other Western nations waiting for the saving) ------

the fault IMO - lies with both 'sides' of politics -

*leftish, socially minded governments - caving in to the American style, individualist -
* rightish governments - no idea. Can't even grasp the basic concepts of change

The US and Oz are examples for sure ---------- but, the very best example to me of the failure is France

Why France? Because France was well well well well in advance of the culture in the USA and in Oz - way in advance.

France had ideas and put them in place 100 years ago that even now, the USA and Oz aren't even up with.

take education. France has for a long long long time had some very good education systems - totally different to Oz and other western nations.

For areas of academia, for areas of STEMS, for areas of skills such as carpentry, masonry, plumbing - etc etc..

It's systems have allowed people from all levels of society to get the best, to go to the best institutions.

It's had for years - 'special' institutions for 'specially gifted' people - in trades - places that people go to - where the skills way above normal are taken, they have normal apprenticeship places and then, there's elite places above ------ and nothing to do with how rich you are or who you know.

All sounds great. Education was done by teachers - merit based, the best were the ones who got trained and got positions. The competition was very energetic. But if you were good enough - it didn't matter if your family was poor, it didn't matter where you were.

BUT -- with all of that tremendous advancement - way more advanced than places like Oz --

France now is slipping. It's on the slide - and simply because - it's politics are now getting more and more like America and like Oz -

France is in a cut cut cut, budget limiting mentality. It's losing it's 'invest invest invest'

and - it shows. It shows in all kinds of areas.

Teaching, railways, services of all kinds. (railways are an excellent example).

There's something really toxic happening to many places - and IMO, it's a toxicity that's primarily leaked out of the USA - the 'individual must pay' idea. The individualist culture, overtaking the strong community and the 'nation needs this' culture - so the nation will provide.

France is still better than many - but, the slide is palpable. And if one speaks to anyone over the age of 60 - they all notice it. But, the slide continues and there appears nothing is being done to halt it. (The discontent is seen in the rise of the far right - but, there's very little being done to actually fix WHY there are such disaffected numbers). Only the educated can see why - the rest, blame immigrants and such - which have zip to do with it.

In an era of ultra rapid change ----------- if nations DO NOT keep up the investing in their people, their populations - keeping people in the loop, up to date - keeping educating - all through lives

then, there MUST be huge disaffected gaps appear -------- and those gaps are chock full of pissed off people, who not only feel left behind - but are left behind.

and that always - spells trouble.

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@pintohoo Thanks for your elaborate post. In a way similar things are happening all over Europe. In the country of my birth (Austria) similar education systems are in place as in France, so they are in Germany and some former Eastern Bloc countries. I don't know much about Italy nor Spain.
Remember - the French - at one stage - conquered almost all of Europe and put their enlightened rules and decimal system in place.

I do believe, however, that excess drawing on the social services (by many, but mostly migrants, not through their own fault, I know, in Austria they, initially, are not allowed to work, but get social benefits of all kinds including housing), will eventually cause a major crisis.
America's failed wars in so many Eastern country has loosened a stream of humanity which gets busily channeled into Western Europe by kind neighbours like the Serbs and Hungarians - and i am sure it happens in the Mediterranean, also, but there the 'migrants' are mostly from Africa, fleeing global warming and the never-ceasing tribal conflicts.

I do not blame people for seeking a better living, but the constant stream of humanity has put a huge strain on the social fabric of Europe. I believe Europeans will cope, though! Their systems are too entrenched, their conscience - at least in the German-speaking countries - too raw from the Hitler experience - but there will be a price to pay, in debt mostly, which future generations will have to carry. Ironically, it will be the descendants of those migrants who will 'pay' as the local have been busy going on holidays and enjoying themselves and having small or no families. There is some rude awakening happening at the moment.

BUT: this is the ever-changing kaleidoscope of life, which we now see moving more rapidly within our own lifetimes; we see something close-up, which might have happened (and did happen) in the past, but over longer time periods.

Don't worry your pretty head too much - sleep easy! Nature has a way of sorting things out!
Taurisk