Where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?

[L4m3r]

I'm beginning to wonder if the apocalypse is at hand.

Around the world, freedom is losing ground. The UK is pretty much lost at this point; Australia is close behind. The US is becoming a massive totalitarian nanny-state, a power struggle among a bunch of insane fringe groups. China's disregard for human rights continues as the world turns the other way, and Russia appears to be reverting to its old Soviet ways.

A worldwide food shortage is on the horizon.

The US economy (on which much of the world is dependent, to some degree) is collapsing because of a number of factors, not the least of which is the oil problem.

And, speaking of oil, let's not forget the middle east... I can only imagine what will happen there following the inevitable implosion of the oil-based economy in several countries there- as if the region wasn't already unstable enough.

What happened to progress? Are we doomed?

[Spazzy McGee]

It's an unpleasant thought, but I fear that we've probably gone so far we can't go back.

Not just the US economy, but the world economy. Approval of first world leaders is, I think, at an all time low, and corruption and coercion is rife with their governments.

And they're reluctant to make any serious changes to the way things are going, it's not going to pay of in their short term outlook. Just keep everybody informed that the world is chugging along nicely. It's all being dealt with. It'll all be fine. *Bam* there goes another innocent iraqi civilian.

It's commonly said democracy is not a good political system. It's just the best one we have.

[L4m3r]

Democracy is a horrible political system, and nowhere near the best. The best system known, thus far, is a republic. Representative government helps curb knee-jerks and extremism, and overall keep things much more stable than would be possible in a full democracy.

Of course, there are the same flaws as with a democracy... namely, the fact that people are suggestible idiots. The government is controlled by popularity, and popular opinion can be manipulated.

Fortunately, there are mechanisms by which the stupidity of popular opinion is mitigated, preventing the "majority tyranny" that democracy creates... Namely, the oversight of a governmental body that is not subject to popular opinion. in the US, this is the Supreme Court. (In the UK, I believe it is the House of Lords.) Supreme Court justices are appointed by the President, approved by Congress, and serve for life (or until they resign), so they do not need to worry about political captial when making a decision that may be unpopular. Historically, the SC has protected the rights of minorities when the other arms of the government have attempted to violate them.

I don't know how it goes in the UK, but lately the Supreme Court has not been doing its job well... but I digress. I don't think the system of government is the main issue.

[Psyrkus]

You forgot to mention Africa... It's worst off than the rest of the world.