Regarding the Trumpola inauguration, and aftermath: How many times, over the past few years, did I say that when a civilization collapses, it doesn't look pretty?
Be sure to look out for my new book, "The Degradation of the Buffoons."
-mb
ps: I do hafta say one thing: If I had to choose being Trump, vs. being Schmiden, I wd pick Trump. Trump is evil incarnate; he is a criminal and a scumbag. But he is not, I repeat not, a douche bag and a doofus. Schmiden is, unequivocally, a douche bag and a doofus. I prefer to be a criminal and a scumbag rather than a douche bag and a doofus. That's all I hafta say on the subject.
I wd like to say that there is one thing Trumpi might do that wd actually be terrific: put an end to this phony/proxy war in the Ukraine. Stop the Biden stupidity; stop sending arms and $ to Zelenskrap. Putin had every rt to protect Russian borders from NATO and the American threat. *We* caused the war in the Ukraine, not Russia. What a fucking charade this has been. So enuf. Enuf with that douche bag Zelenskapoop. Let him take his considerable wealth and remove himself to his villa in Tuscany. Russia is winning this war in any case. Go, Trumpi!
Bolsen doesn't mince words. He tells it like it is: that the West is barbaric . As for Schmiden: quite simply, a war criminal. He shd be tried at The Hague, and then hung (along w/Netanyahu).
I want to thank all of you for your comments. Let me also suggest that you and all Wafers go back to the post entitled "The American Sitcom, Part 3", and re-read the Epilogue. And also to update your post-its with a single word: BUFFOONAGE. Today, a major buffoon was inaugurated as president, and was cheered by millions of buffoons, nationwide. Hence, let me repeat this blog's slogan: Bad Is Good.
-mb
ps: One bit of positive fallout from Trumpi's election: the end of the political career of Blinken, Schminken, a consummate piece of crap. What, exactly, did he do for the Middle East? He was a nonperson, little more than theater. Wafers need to fly to DC, corner him, slap him silly, and then vigorously urinate on his shoes. Jesus, what a turkey.
Truer words, etc. Do you realize how many Americans need to be slapped? A recent MPH study (Morons Per Hectare) revealed that the figure for Denmark was 0.6, as opposed to the US: 188.2. I wd like to say that we are not a nation of douche bags, but the unvarnished truth is that we are a nation of douche bags.
-mb
ps: And this can extend to institutions of 'higher' learning:
My problem is that I love a gd buffoon. They're "campy". Musk is like a cartoon character. All of those people are absurd; they take shmuckdom to new heights. Of course, I realize the horror of it all, but I can't help thinking it's also very funny. Still, if I cd ask Trumpi 1 question, face to face it wd be this: "When are you going to start rounding up Jews and Muslims, putting them in detention camps in Idaho, and making them wear a yellow star? Why the delay?"
Trump's fully on board with Israel's genocidal campaign. He's given Israel the green light to invade the West Bank. He also plans to develop northern Gaza into beachfront property and make a fortune selling it. He's become a war criminal just hours after his inauguration. Trump might be a world historical individual who will destroy American Empire, but he'll destroy other countries too. Such is life, I suppose...nobody ever said imperial collapse and tectonic political shifts were pretty, however necessary they may be.
Always happy to have yr comments. Note that Wallerstein wrote more than one bk. Suggest u start w/"Utopistics". The inauguration came off like a cartoon show, except that these people are serious (consider Musk's Nazi salute; he may be an ass, but he knew what he was doing). Yr rt, a massive shift is in progress, and somehow History chose a cartoon character to be the agent of it, along with his clueless minions. The problem is that the old order finally stank; consider recent history. Bush destroyed a country that was innocent of 9/11; Obama did abs. 0 for 8 yrs; and then a doofus got into office, a man who had no more imagination than to revive the Cold War, and knowingly support genocide in the Middle East. Kamala was offering nothing more than the continuation of neoliberalism, wh/by 2024 was sadly dragging its tail. So the time was more than ripe for the old order to change, and that is what Tumpola has set out to do. (This is why it didn't matter that she made him look ridiculous in the debate they had.) The issue, as I said in my recent post, is what the heck that is finally going to look like. We may wind up being nostalgic for the old order. (By comparison, millions of Russians want the USSR back.)
Trump wants a second Gilded Age - a return to the 19th century American economic model. This is regression, not the creation of something new. However, America's collapse will certainly result in a new multipolar world. I can't say for certain, but it appears this multipolar world will be more autocratic and peaceful, as most Eastern nations exhibit both qualities to various degrees. I can imagine the East being very oppressive, but I can't imagine it destroying nations willy-nilly like the West has done for the last 500 years.
The only thing that keeps the average American from engaging in the same kinds of degeneracy that Epstein and Diddy engaged in comes down to poverty, not piety.
Given the same financial resources, the average American would also brutalize their fellow human beings.
I do not comment as much as I used to mainly because I am trying to divorce myself from most things technical. I'm also scared my comment may end up in the wrong place like others have. That being said, I do so enjoy your posts to substack as well as your old posts on blogger. This latest one was eye-opening. Not only are we in full-on collapse in the good ol' USA, but we see the world as a whole in the middle of a Larger Shift, as you so concisely illuminate. The collapse of America now seems to be part of a much larger phenomenon. I feel like if we can just let go of our anxieties and watch it all happen from the cheap seats, it could be very interesting. I browsed the Internet looking for some links to support my comments, and it all seems like old news or a load of crap. I think I'll read Wallerstein's book and comment on that when I'm finished. I also encourage you to start taking donations. I'll contribute a few bucks a month to keep reading your blog. Thanks again for all you do.
As mentioned in your linked video, the richest man who has ever lived was in attendance at the inauguration. The richest man who has ever lived.
I can't help but laugh at how absurd this all is. Americans are cheering like it's a football game and their team just won the Superbowl with a last minute field goal kick.
thank you for not making any predictions. i mean this sincerely. i just can't take anymore of the rhetoric... especially, the "during the next four years" variety.
I think 2 things are happening: (1) Trump is rolling back Biden policies that were “implementing diversity measures across the federal government”; and (2) In general, Trump is trying to “rollback” many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. My take away is that #1: DEI policies, according to Trump, should not be mandated at the Federal hiring level; and that #2: “rollback” is a shifty word: does it mean “reduce”? or “reverse”? to a previous level? Keep in mind that Corporations—especially transnational ones—will still be in charge of their own internal policies (no surprise there). Note that two of the biggest corporations in the world—Apple and Costco—“have remained resolute in maintaining their commitment to DEI.”
The Reuters article does imply, from my POV, that these “rollbacks” could next lead to steps toward a move to “scrap many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and sharply curtail transgender rights.” But that’s far from certain. And if it is true that, according to Trump, federal funds should stop being used to promote "gender ideology," then I, personally, tend to think that’s a good thing. But isn’t this all still a far cry, from a judicial standpoint, to declaring illegal all things homosexual? But let me know where, or if, I missed something, especially as your profile page indicates you are in the legal profession. Thanks.
Just learned about the content of some of Trump’s executive orders- ranging from reversing clean energy mandates to declaring illegal all things homosexual. I just have to say that this is a stupid country and it thoroughly deserves its stupid president.
A man set fire to the office of a Wisconsin representative over the TikTok ban. The app was temporarily inaccessible, but Trump signed some kind of order to delay the banning, I guess. This is the grownup equivalent of throwing a tantrum because your shiny toy was taken away.
Elon Musk gave a Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration. His arm was just askew enough to give him a modicum of plausible deniability, but everyone understood his intent. Meanwhile, Trump pardoned over 1,500 insurrectionists, just as MB predicted. All this conveys a powerful message: "We're fascists, and we're not hiding it. On the contrary, we're loud and proud. Moreover, the rule of law means nothing to us. We'll do whatever we want."
Trump has promised to transform America into an oligarchy and usher in a new Gilded Age. He didn't use these exact words, but his meaning is clear. Unlike the first Gilded Age, this one will be permanent and unassailable. What's more, most Americans *want* this, just like they wanted Reagan's destruction of the New Deal. Clueless buffoons indeed.
Biden himself just admitted that he and Netanyahu conspired to commit war crimes, knowing exactly what they were doing. He initially tried to convince Netanyahu not to kill indiscriminately, but ultimately agreed to his genocidal plan. What a spineless piece of shit. Much of the West has gone "mask off" and is no longer pretending to be moral or civilized.
Wafers-
Regarding the Trumpola inauguration, and aftermath: How many times, over the past few years, did I say that when a civilization collapses, it doesn't look pretty?
Be sure to look out for my new book, "The Degradation of the Buffoons."
-mb
ps: I do hafta say one thing: If I had to choose being Trump, vs. being Schmiden, I wd pick Trump. Trump is evil incarnate; he is a criminal and a scumbag. But he is not, I repeat not, a douche bag and a doofus. Schmiden is, unequivocally, a douche bag and a doofus. I prefer to be a criminal and a scumbag rather than a douche bag and a doofus. That's all I hafta say on the subject.
-mb
I wd like to say that there is one thing Trumpi might do that wd actually be terrific: put an end to this phony/proxy war in the Ukraine. Stop the Biden stupidity; stop sending arms and $ to Zelenskrap. Putin had every rt to protect Russian borders from NATO and the American threat. *We* caused the war in the Ukraine, not Russia. What a fucking charade this has been. So enuf. Enuf with that douche bag Zelenskapoop. Let him take his considerable wealth and remove himself to his villa in Tuscany. Russia is winning this war in any case. Go, Trumpi!
-mb
Bolsen doesn't mince words. He tells it like it is: that the West is barbaric . As for Schmiden: quite simply, a war criminal. He shd be tried at The Hague, and then hung (along w/Netanyahu).
-mb
I want to thank all of you for your comments. Let me also suggest that you and all Wafers go back to the post entitled "The American Sitcom, Part 3", and re-read the Epilogue. And also to update your post-its with a single word: BUFFOONAGE. Today, a major buffoon was inaugurated as president, and was cheered by millions of buffoons, nationwide. Hence, let me repeat this blog's slogan: Bad Is Good.
-mb
ps: One bit of positive fallout from Trumpi's election: the end of the political career of Blinken, Schminken, a consummate piece of crap. What, exactly, did he do for the Middle East? He was a nonperson, little more than theater. Wafers need to fly to DC, corner him, slap him silly, and then vigorously urinate on his shoes. Jesus, what a turkey.
Sven-
Truer words, etc. Do you realize how many Americans need to be slapped? A recent MPH study (Morons Per Hectare) revealed that the figure for Denmark was 0.6, as opposed to the US: 188.2. I wd like to say that we are not a nation of douche bags, but the unvarnished truth is that we are a nation of douche bags.
-mb
ps: And this can extend to institutions of 'higher' learning:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jan/21/harvard-antisemitism-lawsuit-settlement
David-
My problem is that I love a gd buffoon. They're "campy". Musk is like a cartoon character. All of those people are absurd; they take shmuckdom to new heights. Of course, I realize the horror of it all, but I can't help thinking it's also very funny. Still, if I cd ask Trumpi 1 question, face to face it wd be this: "When are you going to start rounding up Jews and Muslims, putting them in detention camps in Idaho, and making them wear a yellow star? Why the delay?"
-mb
Take a look at this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUtN9_qFu9w
Trump's fully on board with Israel's genocidal campaign. He's given Israel the green light to invade the West Bank. He also plans to develop northern Gaza into beachfront property and make a fortune selling it. He's become a war criminal just hours after his inauguration. Trump might be a world historical individual who will destroy American Empire, but he'll destroy other countries too. Such is life, I suppose...nobody ever said imperial collapse and tectonic political shifts were pretty, however necessary they may be.
Mike-
Always happy to have yr comments. Note that Wallerstein wrote more than one bk. Suggest u start w/"Utopistics". The inauguration came off like a cartoon show, except that these people are serious (consider Musk's Nazi salute; he may be an ass, but he knew what he was doing). Yr rt, a massive shift is in progress, and somehow History chose a cartoon character to be the agent of it, along with his clueless minions. The problem is that the old order finally stank; consider recent history. Bush destroyed a country that was innocent of 9/11; Obama did abs. 0 for 8 yrs; and then a doofus got into office, a man who had no more imagination than to revive the Cold War, and knowingly support genocide in the Middle East. Kamala was offering nothing more than the continuation of neoliberalism, wh/by 2024 was sadly dragging its tail. So the time was more than ripe for the old order to change, and that is what Tumpola has set out to do. (This is why it didn't matter that she made him look ridiculous in the debate they had.) The issue, as I said in my recent post, is what the heck that is finally going to look like. We may wind up being nostalgic for the old order. (By comparison, millions of Russians want the USSR back.)
-mb
Trump wants a second Gilded Age - a return to the 19th century American economic model. This is regression, not the creation of something new. However, America's collapse will certainly result in a new multipolar world. I can't say for certain, but it appears this multipolar world will be more autocratic and peaceful, as most Eastern nations exhibit both qualities to various degrees. I can imagine the East being very oppressive, but I can't imagine it destroying nations willy-nilly like the West has done for the last 500 years.
On Diddy, Epstein, and the absolute brutality of the Western fantasy.
https://www.youtube.com/clip/UgkxXPQYpTNCqAkyjo3DSHPrFOLZTnZJD6he
The only thing that keeps the average American from engaging in the same kinds of degeneracy that Epstein and Diddy engaged in comes down to poverty, not piety.
Given the same financial resources, the average American would also brutalize their fellow human beings.
It's what Americans aspire to.
Mr. Berman,
I do not comment as much as I used to mainly because I am trying to divorce myself from most things technical. I'm also scared my comment may end up in the wrong place like others have. That being said, I do so enjoy your posts to substack as well as your old posts on blogger. This latest one was eye-opening. Not only are we in full-on collapse in the good ol' USA, but we see the world as a whole in the middle of a Larger Shift, as you so concisely illuminate. The collapse of America now seems to be part of a much larger phenomenon. I feel like if we can just let go of our anxieties and watch it all happen from the cheap seats, it could be very interesting. I browsed the Internet looking for some links to support my comments, and it all seems like old news or a load of crap. I think I'll read Wallerstein's book and comment on that when I'm finished. I also encourage you to start taking donations. I'll contribute a few bucks a month to keep reading your blog. Thanks again for all you do.
@David.
As mentioned in your linked video, the richest man who has ever lived was in attendance at the inauguration. The richest man who has ever lived.
I can't help but laugh at how absurd this all is. Americans are cheering like it's a football game and their team just won the Superbowl with a last minute field goal kick.
What's left but to just point and laugh?
bonjour d'amboise, cher morris.
thank you for not making any predictions. i mean this sincerely. i just can't take anymore of the rhetoric... especially, the "during the next four years" variety.
bien cordialement,
patrick bodden
Methaya— I respectfully disagree that there is any Trump executive order “declaring illegal all things homosexual.” Check out this Reuters article:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-sign-orders-ending-diversity-programs-proclaiming-there-are-only-two-sexes-2025-01-20/
I think 2 things are happening: (1) Trump is rolling back Biden policies that were “implementing diversity measures across the federal government”; and (2) In general, Trump is trying to “rollback” many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. My take away is that #1: DEI policies, according to Trump, should not be mandated at the Federal hiring level; and that #2: “rollback” is a shifty word: does it mean “reduce”? or “reverse”? to a previous level? Keep in mind that Corporations—especially transnational ones—will still be in charge of their own internal policies (no surprise there). Note that two of the biggest corporations in the world—Apple and Costco—“have remained resolute in maintaining their commitment to DEI.”
The Reuters article does imply, from my POV, that these “rollbacks” could next lead to steps toward a move to “scrap many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and sharply curtail transgender rights.” But that’s far from certain. And if it is true that, according to Trump, federal funds should stop being used to promote "gender ideology," then I, personally, tend to think that’s a good thing. But isn’t this all still a far cry, from a judicial standpoint, to declaring illegal all things homosexual? But let me know where, or if, I missed something, especially as your profile page indicates you are in the legal profession. Thanks.
Just learned about the content of some of Trump’s executive orders- ranging from reversing clean energy mandates to declaring illegal all things homosexual. I just have to say that this is a stupid country and it thoroughly deserves its stupid president.
A man set fire to the office of a Wisconsin representative over the TikTok ban. The app was temporarily inaccessible, but Trump signed some kind of order to delay the banning, I guess. This is the grownup equivalent of throwing a tantrum because your shiny toy was taken away.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5094751-man-admits-to-setting-fire-to-building-housing-wisconsin-reps-office-over-tiktok-ban/
Amerikkka is really sad, a pathetic country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qta4diWypgM
Elon Musk gave a Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration. His arm was just askew enough to give him a modicum of plausible deniability, but everyone understood his intent. Meanwhile, Trump pardoned over 1,500 insurrectionists, just as MB predicted. All this conveys a powerful message: "We're fascists, and we're not hiding it. On the contrary, we're loud and proud. Moreover, the rule of law means nothing to us. We'll do whatever we want."
More evidence of the West's rapid decline:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wyQcsBsZgs
Trump has promised to transform America into an oligarchy and usher in a new Gilded Age. He didn't use these exact words, but his meaning is clear. Unlike the first Gilded Age, this one will be permanent and unassailable. What's more, most Americans *want* this, just like they wanted Reagan's destruction of the New Deal. Clueless buffoons indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf-wMoGux5U&t=26s
Biden himself just admitted that he and Netanyahu conspired to commit war crimes, knowing exactly what they were doing. He initially tried to convince Netanyahu not to kill indiscriminately, but ultimately agreed to his genocidal plan. What a spineless piece of shit. Much of the West has gone "mask off" and is no longer pretending to be moral or civilized.