We are living in schizophrenic times. The USA and many other countries are polarized more than ever before in recent history. This dangerous polarization of millions of peoples is being exacerbated by modern technology. Many studies have revealed that the new communication technology strengthens old family and friends connections but has weakened new networks from happening.
The huge media corporations like Amazon, Google, Facebook, Twitter etc. have developed super advanced data tracking algorithms that only feed you what you like or agree with - therefore reinforcing many of your ideas regardless of whether or not they may be right or wrong. Without a healthy dialog, folks of differing political camps are becoming more and more antagonized toward one another. If this keeps up - civil wars may eventually break out.
The stratification between rich and poor has grown so rapidly over the last 20-30 years - that the average citizen still does not realize the huge discrepancy between the incomes of the average worker versus the top executives of the big corporations they work for. Around 30 years ago top execs of the fortune 500 companies used to make 20-30 times the lowest paid employee - in the past 30 years - that has risen 3-400% to now where they now make 200-400 times the income of the workers!
Many factors have fed this fat, greedy, growing beast of the mega-rich .001% of multi-billionaires around the globe that basically run the planet at this point. The opening up of the world markets, mixed with ridiculous US tax breaks/loop holes and government subsidies for the top corporations, and a broken democracy/coporatocracy combined with a pathetic, fickle US electorate, where only around 50% of the citizens vote - have all contributed to the current oligarchy we all live under - regardless of what country you reside in.
A relatively recent, perfect storm of distractions via the new media technologies have also contributed to a fragmented citizenry that has become powerless in spite of the potential of using these sophisticated tools of communication in a people's revolution, as the world witnessed in the Arab uprisings just a couple years ago. Back in February, 2003, the biggest world wide protests ever in history, organized via the internet - against the US/West invasion of Iraq - where millions organized and marched in cities around the world - was a huge example of the power of modern communication technology to try to make a difference for the better and speak truth to power - the will of the people. Unfortunately - the US and its allies did not heed the united world people's call to avoid needless war and invaded Iraq, which has lead to the ongoing sectarian wars, ISIS and current huge mess 11 years later.
This perfect distraction storm happened quite rapidly. Mass use of cell phones only appeared on the American horizon in the early 2000s. It was only a few years later when the smart phone explosion began with the blackberry, followed by the i-phone. Now people had a small computer combined with a phone and all that information/games/social media/advertising/sports/crap etc. etc. that the internet enables 24/7! This has led to a world of people walking around like gadget addicts - constantly looking down and nervously thumbing their smart/dumb phones - seemingly searching for fulfillment the gadget will never provide.
So here, we the people of the world are now - slaves to the machine. It is a double edge sword. It allows people to stay in touch and spread ideas over great distances as I do here in this blog, written in NYC and broadcast to the world. Yet - as the advertising via personal data is how the corporations make fortunes now, they are in the process of selling our important consumer data to the highest corporate bidders outside of advertising - such as insurance companies, and even the US NSA secret service agency (Big Brother)!
Our personal information is no longer safe or ours. Especially if you consider the rise in hacking of big shopping stores like Target and huge supposedly safe banks like Chase. Even our identities and credit ratings via credit cards and bank accounts are up for grabs by the most cunning douche bag hackers - who just want to be rich like every other greedy piece of shit.
So the potential in the new technology is there to unite the world's peoples and actually do something as in a real workers revolution against the multinational corporations that now rule the planet and are destroying it and dragging us all to hell. This can be done - via safe separate networks/servers but people are so busy and distracted yapping, sharing selfie pics, playing video games, shopping, watching sports or porno - that we are more fragmented and weaker than ever before. Sophisticated algorithms are destined to separate us even more by not exposing us to the others points of view. The actual nightmarish breakdown of all polarized, fragmented societies is bound to happen sooner than later if citizens do not start to use and exploit this technology for some kind of peoples 99% revolution, rather than being used and manipulated by it (1984).
Power to the People! Do something! Don't be part of the problem - be part of the solution!
Funny you think women are the shoppers and men are the porno watchers! How sexist of you!
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