Something really disturbing is happening here. Polarization in this country is way worse than in the 1960’s. There’s no sign it will lessen anytime soon. More likely, the splits, rifts, and dividing lines will deepen. Yes, we all have our views and beliefs. But when opposing viewpoints are consistently demonized and vilified, when character assassination is the first choice of weapon, not the last, when our media deliberately fuels divisiveness because it’s click-bait which means advertising revenue, then Houston, we have a problem. This, I think, is what Buffalo Springfield meant by “Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong.” As we scream at each other, the abyss beckons.
The oligarchs and ruling class worldwide are for the most part corrupt if not degenerate (just look at the continuing pedophile scandal in the UK) and certainly are a major part of the problem. They don’t much care what happens to the rest of us so long as they make money and amass power.
In the 1960’s, even as cities burned and leaders were murdered, there was never a sense the country might split into permanent warring factions. Yet that seems to be what is happening now. Paranoia is striking deep indeed, along with paranoia’s good friends anger and fear. Toss into that mix millions of heavily armed people and chances are, unfortunately, there will inevitably be serious violence because sooner or later some group will nut up, causing a chain of counter-reaction violence.
Sometimes countries do fall apart. It doesn’t have to happen here. But I’m no longer convinced it couldn’t.
“There’s something happening here
But what it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
…
There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
Young people speaking’ their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
…
What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly saying, “hooray for our side”
…
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
Step out of line, the man come and take you away”