Are we nearing a tipping point?

Yes, and it will most likely come with a non-shooting revolution by the middle class.

I don’t know how things are going to end up with China and the middle east, but I have a feeling it won’t end to well. But this isn’t my expertise….

Sadly you are both right Captain and Blackberry.
People here in the US must comprehend that these terrorist want us all dead. The hate us because we are free.

I think we are, when the middle class is forced to buy powdered milk because they can no longer afford rent and a gallon of real milk they are going to get pissed and they are finally step to their windows and scream ” I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Have you noticed the increase in the number of shopping carts that have a box of powdered milk in them? I have. Hope the government has plenty of government cheese on it’s shelves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_qgVn-Op7Q

Many people have NO idea just how very, very pissed off the middle class is in this Country. If the politicians don’t soon wake up to this, they are ALL going to be out of a job!

I secretly hope the LHC has something to do with it…
:)

@CaptainHarley
They should all be out of jobs. I am an Independent. I feel the Middle Class is not represented by the extreme R or L.

@philosopher: more kool-aid?

@Silhouette that’s a great video!

@Master Thanks.

There is some help for the poor in alberta, but in Canada as a whole it would be much better to claim refugee status. They get over twice as much per month more than someone who has paid into Canada for 50 years. Our chidren who owe thousands upon thousands of money in student loans are the ones who will tip it. They come out of working hard and being broke only to find no jobs available. My daughters got good marks- why bother?

Tipping point into what? Every nation eventually collapses; every world power eventually decays. If you are referring to tipping into the natural cycle of war, death, and conquest, then we are overdue. If you are referring to something more significant, perhaps a revolution that actually fixes every thing (hah…), or, more likely, a nuclear, biological, or chemical war that fundamentally changes the rules, then probably not. Be more specific please.

-Dan

I don’t see any signs that we are near a tipping point. If it was going to happen it would have happened last year at this time when the news of the recession was reaching rock bottom.

I think Jeruba is near a tipping point! Quick, someone push her over 20k!!

From what I understand, world oil production peaked in about 2005. This means that no matter how much the population demands, the faucets have never been turned on as hard as they were then. Demand is constantly going up, and production does not match. Sounds like a peak oil tipping point to me.

The peak is hard to recognize except in hindsight, and the tipping point is when more people realize what’s up.

My dad always used to say that society is like a pendulum, and that it has its ups and downs. Ten years ago he told me that we’re currently on a downward swing, and he was pretty much right. I don’t know just how much more further we have to sink, but the force of all said carnage and misery can only swing us back up again, once people are sick of being poor and futt bucked by the government.
It has happened before, don’t see why it shouldn’t happen again. History repeats itself and [ Insert moar metaphorical garbage here.]
People can’t cope too long without a middle ground, no matter the end of the stick they’re holding, and as everything most forcibly end, I predict such cycle until said end does finally come.

Yeah . Half of you, go to that side of the canoe.

The popularity of Lady gaga, The Jonas Brothers and American Idol make me believe we are at a tipping point.

@philosopher

I agree. No one currently speaks for the middle class, which is a major part of the problem.

That’s OK. We have about three people left in the middle class anyway.

I was gonna say. What middle class lol.

I consider MYSELF to be part of the middle class! : P

I do too, because I’m really not that bad off, especially for a student; technically however, I’m apparently borderline homeless lol.

simply how more stupid we have become as a nation and the signs of more drastic natural disasters. I am sure there will be more to come and bearing more force

We’ve been precariously balanced on the edge for so long that we have achieved stable instability.

@jerv

Jerv… you’re weird! : )

@CaptainHarley Yes, but I try to be entertainingly weird :D

@jerv

I know, and by and large you succeed! : D

@Symbeline
I can only hope and pray that you are right.
Jerv and captain you are both intelligent people lets respect each other.

We’re just playing around, @Symbeline .

@Symbeline Yep, just playing.

I am happy to hear that. I believe you are both bright people.
I am looking for some laughs before I go out to shovel the snow. It is not stopping. It started yesterday afternoon. It is 11:35 AM and it is still snowing.

Hey! Can I help it if I live in East Texas where it’s suppose to get up to 50 today and where there has been NO snow? : D

@CaptainHarley Seattle has the same weather as Texas?

@jerv

Sorta, only with less rain! Heh!

We’re nearing a lot of tipping points, I think. It may be too late for us, Americans specifically and humans in general, to fix things on a number of fronts. There… a rather vague, abstract answer to a rather vague, abstract question.

Every generation had believed that they live at a tipping point in history. Every generation has apocalyptic cults. Every generation believes that the abuses of the past can’t possibly continue. And nothing changes.

The continuing rapid gain in people on the planet.