Clinton, Bush, and Obama all sold us out to China, hypnotized by the false promise of globalization. Only Trump promised to put American citizens first. Today his agenda is vindicated. Is he perfect? Of course not, but he has changed the frame which will indeed lead to progress.
In the 90s, I was part of this too. The Berlin Wall had fallen, and in attempts to argue for a Masters program at GMU for Cultural Studies, we argued that silos and academic walls should also fall. All ideas were good, just a matter of perspective and integration.
Expanded markets, expanded networks, expanded alliances.
Since the 90s, our economy has been love punch drunk on indiscriminate connections. Social media is part of it too– we have connected ourselves to everything and everyone without even giving it a second thought.
It’s now time to re-evaluate and attempt to disconnect.
The era of indiscriminate connection is over. It is time to employ strategic disconnection. We don’t need to be connected to everything. Not every thing needs to go every place. And not every idea needs to be taken seriously.
Now is the time to curate, to assemble, select, categorize, criticize and comment on, and present the most relevant, highest-quality information to meet your needs.
The US, WTO, NATO have illuminated the downsides of indiscriminate connections. Trade, security, and information network integrity require us to step back and re-establish a border.
We must be more selective about who we trade with, ally with or listen to.
Like silly lemmings, we expected our elites to process information and make decisions for us. They failed us. They will continue to fail us. The world is too complex. Our institutions too rigid.
We have lost trust in our institutions. We are on our own now.
Networked political movements are rising. Sensemaking networks are growing. And people are raising information based militias. This is the new order.
China wants to use this crisis to further their quest for world power, as they say, “There is only one Sun, and that is China”. But this is our chance to go all-in on America. Bring jobs back here. Manufacture things here. Strengthen our workers, rebuild our communities.
You wouldn’t believe what could be done, and how much we can accomplish, just by thinking a little differently.
The resources exist. The moment is right. But you’re going to have to trust Americans who aren’t necessarily part of the DC machine.
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