Blog Stage 7: How diversity will lead to the collapse of civilization: U.S. Version

Economy is the centerpiece of society.  A successful economy results in a prosperous nation and a happy population. Because of this, it is obvious that most countries of the world will strive to achieve this economic success. However, this would mean expansion on a global scale, competition, and ideological clashes. All countries of the world have created conflict over this economic race, but in this argument, we are only focusing on the U.S.

Natural resources, which play a powerful role in any economy, create desire. Like moths drawn to light, countries scramble for it. In the Middle East, oil is the crown jewel of the garden. Amidst all the wars that have occurred here, diverse groups of people from around the world have integrated themselves behind the scenes. The U.S. have often given support to whichever group would economically benefit them the most by sending things like weapons and training. The Iraq War for example, despite being named the war on terror, was also a means of securing oil at the cost of many innocent lives. What I am trying to say is there is always some alternative reasoning for being involved. It is possible that the current U.S. support for rebels in the Syrian Crisis was also driven by some sort of economic reasoning. Look at the consequences, refugees, loss of innocent lives, creation of terror groups. These things only escalate the situation. Powerful sophisticated weaponry would mean the loss of more lives and the wars are effectively prolonged. Because of these senseless acts of nationalism, the desire of a successful economy has created a conscious support for violence and war. If nations are willing to risk the lives of soldiers and civilians in order to power factories, then what would they do in the future when the supply of resources inevitably diminish?

            The race for an economic paradise has also given rise to new domestic concerns. In the United States for example, there is an issue of unequal wealth distribution between the rich and everyone else. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.  The article It’s theInequality, Stupid, written by Dave Gilson and Carolyn Perot, points out that in the United States, the “richest 10% controls 2/3 of American’s net worth” (sec. 1). It also states the top 10% experiences significant gains in average annual income while the rest have an average annual loss of “$3,733 [to] $5,623” (sec. 6). The rich are isolating themselves by expanding their businesses to make more money, while the middle and lower classes are being left out to dry. This kind of “nationalism” exists within the class systems everywhere. Money has allowed many to reach a godlike ascension; it has become an unstoppable force. The biggest businesses control nearly every aspect of life. Things like technology, jobs, and even the so-called “unbiased” media are stewards to these businesses. The affluent elite influences even governments, often taking position or giving massive donations and endorsing officials who would work in their favor. In 2009, the "10 richest members of congress have a combined net worth of 2.9 billion dollars" (sec. 4). Because the rich make up a small portion of any country’s population, this would mean poor representation of the masses, causing them to suffer. Although there have been no major outbreaks of violence within the U.S. over this discrepancy of capital, it is not to say the issue has gone unnoticed. Riots and civil wars are born from these disparities. The famed Occupy Wall Street movement that originated in 2011 is a great example that shows how everyday citizens are well aware of their financial standings, and are more than willing to raise objection. The fact that first world countries can still be so adversely divided shows how imperfections exist on the smoothest of surfaces. If the gap between the rich and the lower classes continue to expand as it is now, protests will turn into riots, and riots will turn into civil war. The peace that currently exists is a ticking time bomb, and in the future very likely to explode into an ungainly beast of chaos and violence.