the united states suffers from institutionalized ignorance and it is endemic. as a nation they cling to a capitalist-centered world view, a winner-take-all ethic and a profoundly unempathetic attitude toward other people, not only of the world but within their own country. like other unevolved nations they still rely on first-past-the-post elections, a two-party system which cannot represent the views of many of its diverse citizens, and control of government at every level by moneyed interests.
this regrettable situation will be exacerbated by the newly elected government and those who still seek to present optimistic scenarios or caution against despair are guilty of wilful blindness. it will be bad. it will hurt americans and it will hurt us all. and by withholding its undeniable power to assist in solving the existential threats both to itself and the planet, the united states will be materially responsible for its collapse, if it should indeed come to that.
though i hear ringing in my ears, 'be careful what you wish for,' i do think it is past time for a world governing body to wrest control of world-scale issues from the hands of regional interests.
