Collapse psychosis: navigating the madness

by Carolyn Baker

It's happening daily now, almost hourly-rampant eruptions of violence throughout the so-called developed world. As civilization unravels, the uncivilized behavior of humans is becoming viral, and the culture of empire is quite simply going mad as its values, assumptions, and reasons for existing are evaporating with dizzying speed. For those who are and have been collapse-aware for some time, it is important not only to make sense of the epidemic violence, but to incorporate skillful responses to it.

First, I believe we need to deeply discern what is actually happening psychologically. The current outbreaks of violence are about more than unemployment and financial stressors. Yes, job loss, bankruptcy, foreclosure, homelessness, and loss of health care are breaking people and communities in pieces. Yet something even more fundamental is seething beneath the surface--something of which these losses are symptomatic.

Underlying the chaos is the reality of civilization's dissolution. But what does that actually mean?

Read on...

Puts the current random violence into context. Tom

Debt Rattle, October 2 2008: Showboating

Ilargi: Ireland this week announced full insurance for all bank deposits in the country, to the tune of some $650 billion. This is twice the country’s GDP. For comparison, if the US were to do the same, about $25 trillion would be required.

Is this realistic, in either of the countries? You kidding me? Ireland would only need one major bank run to turn into a scary mess, adorned with fighting in the streets. Let alone two or three.

For its part, the US has huge problems passing a $700 billion "rescue" (the Senate raised it to $800 billion), and its FDIC banking insurance fund has maybe $45 billion left.

No problem, the FDIC keeps reiterating: we can always borrow from the Treasury. Well, nice and all, but then you’re back to square one, ain’t you? You would have to put the taxpayer in deeper debt, in order to insure that same taxpayer’s bank deposits. How does that qualify as a plan?

Read on...

Ilargi of the blog Automatic Earth rants about economic collapse and speculates about societal collapse. What does this have to do with Criminology? Anyone care to speculate about crime rates in the near future? I'll hazard a guess that arson rates will go up. Tom