Isn't It Obvious?

We are currently exhausted by the divisions, frustration, and loneliness in a world that seems to be spiraling out of control. What is obvious to one person may not be obvious to another, and this chasm of differing views is causing significant social and emotional distress. Historian Peter Turchin has documented a cycle of socio-economic-political disintegration-integration that occurs approximately every 50 years, and we appear to be in the midst of such a cycle. Many people are aware that the end of the Debt-Speculation Super-Cycle is near, but this is hotly denied by others who are counting on the Everything Bubble never popping. The merging of mass media and social media has created a Darwinian competition for attention and engagement, with the few winners at the top collecting the vast majority of the rewards. This competition has led to the use of tools such as addiction, clickbait, emotional manipulation, and echo chambers to lure people in and keep them engaged. The result of this environment is a society that is increasingly deranged and lonely, with individuals becoming addicted to the constant stream of information and entertainment. The only way to escape this cycle is to have the strength to walk past the arena and resist the temptation of the endless scroll of information. Unfortunately, this is a difficult task, as there are many well-paid and highly motivated individuals trying to lure people into the arena. The author suggests that the only way to truly escape this cycle is to have super-human powers of resistance.