Our Elites are MIA

[coberst]

Our Elites are MIA

 

David Ignatius asked the question “why is an increasingly ‘connected’ world such a mess?” in a February article in the NY Times. More democracy and more Globalism seem to be leading to more chaos and confusion.

 

Thomas Friedman argues in his book “The World is Flat” that technology and more Globalism is driving the integration of the world and will lead to a better world.

 

Francis Fukuyama posted an essay in the New York Times Magazine, "More democracy will mean more alienation, radicalization and -- yes, unfortunately -- terrorism"?

 

The Middle East is turning into a cauldron of destruction and death. What the hell is going on? Where are our leaders? Are they out to lunch? Is this a beginning of a repeat of the twentieth century? Can humanity survive such a rebirth of such a century?

 

David Ignatius talked with a number of his contacts and formulated his answer to why is the world such a mess? His explanations are listed below:

1) As elites become connected in the world they lose their ‘home’ connection.

2) Connectedness produces local political disconnection.

3) I will add that our elites are now ‘following the money’ and the world is their ‘oyster’.

4) The Internet is a “rage enabler” and reinforcer.

 

Ignatius concludes that “The connected world is inescapable, like the global economy itself. But if we can begin to understand how it undermines political stability -- how it can separate elites from masses, and how it can enhance rage rather than reason -- then perhaps we will have a better chance of restabilizing a very disorderly world.”

 

Coberst concludes that we need to develop immediately a new ‘farm system’ for elite hood. There is a phrase from a popular post-WWI song that goes something like this “how ya goina keepem down on the farm after they’ve seen Parie”.

 

Do we need a new ‘farm system’ for elite hood?

 

 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/19/magazine/neo.html?ei=5090&en=4126fa38fefd80de&ex=1298005200&pagewanted=all

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/21/AR2006022101148.html