World War III: What’s In It For You (Or Why The World Feels Like The Voice Of Nina Simone)
As we wait for World War Three to pop off I thought I would talk for a few minutes about what we should really be concerned about.
War is scary, even if it’s happening a million miles away. We are all so connected that ‘the butterfly effect’ is real. My country, like your country, will get dragged into this potential Armageddon and a melancholy Nina Simone vibe.
But War doesn’t scare as me as much as what else is happening.
The systematic failure of all our institutions.
A few months ago I was going to start a blog about institutional collapse. But it was too depressing.
But the collapse is real.
Nothing works, anymore.
Our health system doesn’t work.
Even religion is being torn apart at the seams.
Now if you’re as old as I am (39) you have been able to watch the crumbling of all our institutions first hand.
Of course every generation thinks their generation is the end of the world.
Elvis era parents thought the the end was near, just like the parents of today’s violence driven kids.
But what’s happening to our institutions is real.
They are victims of 21st century expectations.
They were literally built for a different age. And that different age faced different problems.
This is the age of the nimble.
Look at what works today.
Google and Terrorism works.
GM and High Schools don’t.
But again,what scares me isn’t Al Qaeda.
It’s institutions and people trying to preserve the old way of doing things.
They say the difference between being smart and wise is to have “Strong Opinions, Weakly Held”.
It’s the difference between the Clinton and Bush administrations.
It’s also the core to successful 21st Century thinking.
So now we stand at the cusp.
What’s happening feels like the tipping point.
It feels like it’s all about to hit the fan.
That this war will lead to our inevitable death.
It’s more likely you’ll get killed by a rock.
chartreuse 
July 23, 2006 at 10:43 am
We will adapt… kicking and screaming all the way
July 23, 2006 at 11:04 am
It does feels like we are at some kinda tipping point. On many fronts. Something is happening. I don’t know what exactly, but the shit is most certainly hitting the fan on many levels.
Culturally, Economically, Emotionally, Globally.
I’m not scared though.
I have brains, a passport, and a laptop.
Bring it.
July 23, 2006 at 11:11 am
It feels like we’re at a tipping point and then we’ll learn to ignore the feeling that we’re at a tipping point too.
July 23, 2006 at 11:29 am
I agree with you Liz. I think this tipping point feeling is going to become a natural one. But I’m going to find my passport, anyway!
July 23, 2006 at 1:21 pm
Brilliant. Anyone want to meet up in Bocas del Toro on the Caribbean coast of Panama?
July 23, 2006 at 1:30 pm
It’s not looking good. But the earth will survive us all. I wouldn’t mind taking a forever holiday on some pacific island with high speed internet access.
July 23, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Nice. This is the stuff of yours that really sharpens the blade Char.
Though I’d argue that its not religion that’s falling apart at the seams, but the bastardized institution, humanism, that we’ve made of it.
Humans tend not to play nice with each other. From the sandbox of childhood to the deserts of adulthood.
We like the sound and sentiment of world peace, but then turn on a dime and sell each other out for a bag of shit everyday in a million little ways.
Which is what true religion murders.
Which is what, I’m guessing, you’re getting at anyway. Among other things…
Nice post.
July 23, 2006 at 7:30 pm
safe in muskoka for now with my dual citizenship. Love the analogies and rhythm to the post.
July 24, 2006 at 7:45 am
oh let us pray it never happens. u r too close to truth. so it is chilling.
July 29, 2006 at 1:17 pm
I’m glad I didn’t read this before starting Brand Destruction Research.
Damn, now I’m thanking you for what you didn’t do as well as what you’re doing.
August 2, 2006 at 12:55 pm
Yep, the puzzle piece are coming together. wars, disease, global warming, economic decline. The 4 horsemen. Whats next, am i going to just dissapear off the earth? If anyone knows what im talking about, dissapear witcha boy:). hahaha
You cant stop it
All you can do is pray
August 7, 2006 at 2:59 am
Hi, good write.
Now, I write film scripts, I have to think out side squares, tringles and human history.
How’s this.
Israel becomes Palistine.
USA dissovles like the Soviets.
Europe, don’t know, but it will frag.
White man power becomes second hand.
And New Zealand learns Japanese.
It’s all changing, this is Singapore – nd our guns are pointde in the wrong direction.
But, in the end, we be all okay – some how, some way, wes survive.
Smile, we got aliens yet to deal with – Though King George is close.
Nij
August 8, 2006 at 7:26 am
[…] Prince Campbell of Chartreuse Beta wrote an interesting post on the collapse of institutions and the brink-of-WW3 sentiment that’s bubbling on the back burner of this 21st century. […]