The Economist wrote an article about 2014 being the hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of WWI. Its main conclusion was that the war was a result of a complacency that festered in Europe, mainly the complacent attitude among politicians and business leaders that the commercial ties that existed between Britain and Germany were grounds enough to stave off war. Who would want to go to war and endanger all that money making? was the prevailing attitude. But this complacency blinded leaders to the many underlying issues that weren't being addressed and causing major riffs between nations and societies. Yet, European leader continued to think to the end that the extensive business and commercial ties between Britain and Germany would prevent war, and if there was a war it would be a short one. How wrong they were.
Complacency is the scourge of Civilization. Nevertheless, it continues to occur. It naturally occurrence in societies that believe they have arrived, thinking they have accomplished everything that can be accomplished and have triumphed over humankind’s major problems. Complacency takes things for granted. It is a form of arrogance and naivety. It engenders a false and dangerous optimism. It’s a corrupting force. A stagnation transpires as a result of it, which is why Civilization abhors it. It’s a death knell. It can lead to unfortunate circumstances like the world saw in 1914.
Complacency and 1914
Re: Complacency and 1914
To continue...
The Economist sees signs of a parallel complacency in the world today similar to the one that caused WW1. It believes that world leaders are entertaining complacency in the same way, thinking that the geopolitical frictions that exists in the world today will never lead to a major conflict or a world war because of how interdepend and connected the world has become through business.
But the world today is very different from the one that existed before WWI. It is much more complex and sophisticated than it was back then. There is much more going on and far more agitating forces occurring, leaving far less chance for the type of complacency to develop that set of WWI. The atmosphere before WWI was more rigid, clubby and deferential, and the reins of power more tightly held, creating an atmosphere that was vastly more conducive and ripe for complacency than it is today. Today we have far more diversity and vested interests competing and grating each other so that if any complacency does set in it is soon an issue. It’s a far more fluctuating, corrosive world today, thus making it more difficult for complacency to gel or last for long. Moreover, entities today work harder to avoid complacency because they know from past experience what a spoiler it is.
The Economist sees signs of a parallel complacency in the world today similar to the one that caused WW1. It believes that world leaders are entertaining complacency in the same way, thinking that the geopolitical frictions that exists in the world today will never lead to a major conflict or a world war because of how interdepend and connected the world has become through business.
But the world today is very different from the one that existed before WWI. It is much more complex and sophisticated than it was back then. There is much more going on and far more agitating forces occurring, leaving far less chance for the type of complacency to develop that set of WWI. The atmosphere before WWI was more rigid, clubby and deferential, and the reins of power more tightly held, creating an atmosphere that was vastly more conducive and ripe for complacency than it is today. Today we have far more diversity and vested interests competing and grating each other so that if any complacency does set in it is soon an issue. It’s a far more fluctuating, corrosive world today, thus making it more difficult for complacency to gel or last for long. Moreover, entities today work harder to avoid complacency because they know from past experience what a spoiler it is.
Re: Complacency and 1914
I would argue complacency is still alive and well. Consider this...
100 years ago, WWI hadn't yet happened, the Depression hadn't yet happened, WWII hadn't yet happened, the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis (just barely missing the end of civilization) hadn't yet happened.
Here we stand on the same spot 100 years later, 2014 now, with most of a century before us. Some very big challenges and huge catastrophes most likely await us, as they seem to in every century.
Look around you at your friends, family, co-workers. Do you sense they are psychologically prepared for what could be the upending of their lives? Or are they complacently assuming things will go on pretty much as normal forever, with science making our lives better and better as we go?
Consider global warming. There is now an overwhelming consensus of the scientific community that we are headed in to deep do do. How high is this on the political agenda? Do you know anybody willing to change their lifestyle to the degree required to avoid the impending chaos?
Just as in 1914, we will sail complacently in to the storm, and wake up only when it is upon us. Human beings are very slow learners.
100 years ago, WWI hadn't yet happened, the Depression hadn't yet happened, WWII hadn't yet happened, the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis (just barely missing the end of civilization) hadn't yet happened.
Here we stand on the same spot 100 years later, 2014 now, with most of a century before us. Some very big challenges and huge catastrophes most likely await us, as they seem to in every century.
Look around you at your friends, family, co-workers. Do you sense they are psychologically prepared for what could be the upending of their lives? Or are they complacently assuming things will go on pretty much as normal forever, with science making our lives better and better as we go?
Consider global warming. There is now an overwhelming consensus of the scientific community that we are headed in to deep do do. How high is this on the political agenda? Do you know anybody willing to change their lifestyle to the degree required to avoid the impending chaos?
Just as in 1914, we will sail complacently in to the storm, and wake up only when it is upon us. Human beings are very slow learners.
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Impenitent
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Re: Complacency and 1914
johnny jihad and nukes... or 1914?
the genie is out of the bottle...
-Imp
the genie is out of the bottle...
-Imp
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Brit Dems
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Money is Racist and Currency is Racial
spike wrote:The Economist wrote an article about 2014 being the hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of WWI. Its main conclusion was that the war was a result of a complacency that festered in Europe, mainly the complacent attitude among politicians and business leaders that the commercial ties that existed between Britain and Germany were grounds enough to stave off war. Who would want to go to war and endanger all that money making? was the prevailing attitude. But this complacency blinded leaders to the many underlying issues that weren't being addressed and causing major riffs between nations and societies. Yet, European leader continued to think to the end that the extensive business and commercial ties between Britain and Germany would prevent war, and if there was a war it would be a short one. How wrong they were.
Complacency is the scourge of Civilization. Nevertheless, it continues to occur. It naturally occurrence in societies that believe they have arrived, thinking they have accomplished everything that can be accomplished and have triumphed over humankind’s major problems. Complacency takes things for granted. It is a form of arrogance and naivety. It engenders a false and dangerous optimism. It’s a corrupting force. A stagnation transpires as a result of it, which is why Civilization abhors it. It’s a death knell. It can lead to unfortunate circumstances like the world saw in 1914.
Money is Racist and Currency is Racial
"The understanding of the concept of money was forbidden to unauthorised persons"
George Simmel
The Philosophy of Money
1. What is the role of White Supremacist ideology in the Political and Religious economy?
http://united-races.blogspot.co.uk/2011 ... tical.html