Anyone else feel like something serious can happen anytime soon?

[Fulanito de Tal]

We're almost at a world war again. NATO friends are involved in conflicts with Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Libya -- when does it become world war status, China and Russia join? There are revolts going on in Northern Africa and Middle East. Meanwhile, the economic inequality is increasing like crazy in the aftermath of a capitalist crisis. Greece may go under, and the people are revolting-ish. If Greece does flop, others in the EU might go down with it.

On top of that, I just feel like shit, more than what's already happening, is about to go down. Like something crazy.

Anyone else?

[Tommy4ever]

The chances of a 'World War' (ie a War on the scale of the previous two World Wars) breaking out any time soon about are similar to the chances that pigs shall instanteneously grow wings and take to the skies.

Economic catastrophes, social strife and troubles for the EU, on the other hand, are very likely.

[tracher999]

We're almost at a world war again. NATO friends are involved in conflicts with Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Libya -- when does it become world war status, China and Russia join? There are revolts going on in Northern Africa and Middle East. Meanwhile, the economic inequality is increasing like crazy in the aftermath of a capitalist crisis. Greece may go under, and the people are revolting-ish. If Greece does flop, others in the EU might go down with it.

On top of that, I just feel like shit, more than what's already happening, is about to go down. Like something crazy.

Anyone else?

i feel the same man something big is gonna happen real soon keep strong man

greetings

[W1N5T0N]

The ironic thing is, the USA is at war with multiple countries, or rather, factions within that country (it never is that simple). HOWEVER, few of these factions are allies, or bonding against american "intervention" and "democratisation".

A world war is when two or more distinct factions are at war with each other, consisting of many different nationalities.

And don't worry too much, we'll just declare the time for revolution is ripe when the time comes...whatever is necessary to keep those dumbass politicians in line and not to start a WW3.

Albert Einstein: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

[Blackburn]

No, the elites and reactionaries have never had it this good. The Right Wing in America has a staggering amount of support. None of which it deserves. Liberal and most definitely Socialist are such dirty words it's not funny. As long as Joe six pack benefits from the Made in China wage slave situation, nothing will really happen.

[Matty_UK]

The chances of a 'World War' (ie a War on the scale of the previous two World Wars) breaking out any time soon about are similar to the chances that pigs shall instanteneously grow wings and take to the skies.

Economic catastrophes, social strife and troubles for the EU, on the other hand, are very likely.

I wouldn't be so confident that a World War cannot happen. Remember that the first World War was the "war to end all wars" and until fairly late on people did not think a second world war could ever happen. I think a lot of people are making an effort to be cautious and moderate in their predictions, as a reaction to the knowledge that the revolutionary left have a historical record of getting carried away and claiming revolution is around the corner.

Personally I would be very worried about the next elections in the United States. The Republican Party seem to have gone completely insane, and a lot of conservative Americans seem to be really freaking out about America's declining position in the world. (see: Tea Party) It's not too difficult to imagine that the next American President will be a zealous nationalistic loon who will strike out at enemies whether imagined or real to try and offset American decline. Bush was bad enough, and already he looks exceptionally sane compared to the new breed of Republicans.

[Tim Cornelis]

There are no more wars than there have ever been. The US is always at war, there is nothing special about these wars.

And every generation has felt something "big" was going to happen, in the 1960s people anticipated world revolution. In the 1970s and to a lesser degree 80s it was awaited and excepted as well.

It's not gonna happen, just sayin'.

The Greek sovereign debt crisis may plunge the word into another financial crisis, and maybe we'll see a grow of anti-capitalist movement but that's it. Maybe around 2060 we'll see the long awaited world revolution, maybe not.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Ultimately something terrible will happen unless there is a revolution beforehand. I don't think it's that useful to speculate on the timeline, but if capitalism is left to run on its own logic, at some point the old powers which are in decline will have to be challenged by the emerging powers. This as well as a connected capitalist economic crisis were the root causes of World War 1 and 2: the UK was dominant but on the decline while countries like the US and Germany could no longer grow as long as the old empires held onto their markets and territories and maritime dominance.

Now we are in a situation where the US is militarily dominant but economically weak and China is strong but held back by US dominance - the same with Brazil coming up but the US and some european and Japanese still control much of the rest of Latin America. At some point something has to give and either the Imperialist staus-quo continues in some form to the detriment of up and coming Imperialists or the old system is broken and new powers take the lead... or just devastation of all involved.

I think we are now entering into a much more turbulent era much like the period between the two big depressions of the 1870s and 1930s and that could result in increased imperialist competition and wars - it can also result in uprisings and revolutions - so far we have seen small versions of both.

[manic expression]

Now we are in a situation where the US is militarily dominant but economically weak and China is strong but held back by US dominance - the same with Brazil coming up but the US and some european and Japanese still control much of the rest of Latin America. At some point something has to give and either the Imperialist staus-quo continues in some form to the detriment of up and coming Imperialists or the old system is broken and new powers take the lead... or just devastation of all involved.
Right. Virtually no one actually likes the (crumbling) status quo outside of the richest 5%, and the only thing holding it all together is millions of rifle barrels and a vague apathy. I think once one major change happens that wasn't "supposed" to happen, and once the state can no longer pay all its soldiers and cops...the flood gates will crack like crazy. Who knows, but it does feel like the history of the last 30 years has been building up to a breaking point.

[praxis1966]

I think once one major change happens that wasn't "supposed" to happen, and once the state can no longer pay all its soldiers and cops...the flood gates will crack like crazy.

Some states already can't pay their cops... Have a look at California. As somebody living inside the state it's hard to know what details people outside of it are actually getting, but the old tactic of cutting public education and social services as a means to balance a budget haven't worked here. They're now laying off fireman and pigs, former sacred cows as we all know, by the truckload. It's gotten to the point where some smaller municipalities have had to outsource their law enforcement to the county (ie sheriff's departments) and/or state.

At any rate, I dunno what'll happen any more than the next asshole. But the eensy bit of me that's a Leninist has said for years that things will have to get a hell of a lot worse before they get any better and it looks like that point may be coming soon. A hard rain's gonna fall as the song says...

[Jimmie Higgins]

Next asshole here... yeah no idea what or when things will happen.:lol:

...but that's why we all hafta be organizing in our various different methods now, even when it can be slow and frustrating sometimes.

[Aspiring Humanist]

The Russian Federation will never go to war with the US...theres simply no motive. Tensions with the chinese have to increase exponentially if theres to be a war

[praxis1966]

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/6/66385/1429754-1253930_this_thread_again_super_super.jpg

Picture posts without any context are considered spam here in Non-Poli, Rafiq. I'm not gonna get all official on you this time, but please don't let it happen in the future, kay?

[ellipsis]

Oh I am feeling it!

[bcbm]

Ultimately something terrible will happen unless there is a revolution beforehand.

something terrible is already happening and has been happening for 10,000 years at least. if there is more horror it is only more of the same

[bricolage]

the 1970s began with the Vietnam war and ended with the Soviets in Afghanistan, civil wars in Angola, Ehtiopia and Lebanon, the Soweto Uprising and the Iranian Revolution, May 68 and the Hot Autumn spurred on a resurgence of mass workers struggles, a miners strike brought down the British government in 1974 and the Winter of Discontent was perceived by many as bringing the country to the brink of collapse...
the 1980s then saw Reagan and Thatcher retrench capitalism more brutal than ever, the uprisings failed and the Soviet Union collapsed.
a lot of people at the time thought something was about to go down, something crazy... capitalism won.

[bcbm]

capitalism will probably win again but i think there is no doubt we are living through a very unique period in time, especially as environmental change coincides with economic collapse and resource scarcity

[Rafiq]

It is quiet.... Too quiet.

[Tablo]

I definitely feel things are taking a serious turn. I do not see world war happening at any point in the near future. Our economy is globalized and all the major nations are so economically dependent on one another that attacking each other is economic self-sabotage. With the US economy falling apart, the looming threat of collapse of the Chinese growth bubble, and serious national debt crisis in several nations, things are definitely taking an interesting direction. I don't know if this may lead to the seizing of the means of production to any significant degree, but I can see the world and our way of life changing.