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What is your greatest ambition?

How do you feel about the direction America is headed in currently?

What is your greatest ambition?

That's literally the first question asked in this thread.

I don't think my answer has changed much in the last year since answering it.

How do you feel about the direction America is headed in currently?

Not too good. Things are still quite well by broader standards, but there definitely seems to be increasing blatant corruption, ignoring political norms and laws, intentional bigotry, fascism, etc.

On the other hand, the issues we're facing have I think made people (younger people in particular) more politically conscious, and a wider range of political viewpoints, such as various forms of socialism, are now much more acceptable in the mainstream, at least in some circles, which I think is a good thing. Though perhaps that might just be a sign of increased polarization in politics, which isn't too good.

Yeah, what's happening in America is symptomatic of what's happening all over the world. Do you feel the next generation might inherit a more stable environment?

Yeah, what's happening in America is symptomatic of what's happening all over the world. Do you feel the next generation might inherit a more stable environment?

Given that things are trending toward increasing instability, no, if anything I suspect the opposite may be the case. The current generation of politicians/leaders are likely to kick most problems down the road to the next generation, as generally happens, and that includes whatever instability is currently present/growing.

Rather, the next generation needs to try to stabilize the situation themselves, since the problems won't fix themselves.

*can't resist geopolitical speculation*

Unless inequality is reigned in and we eliminate this nonsense that is a multipolar world (either by some country again achieving global hegemony or some new cold war between US/Europe-China or something similar, the world is probably just going to get worse and worse.  As sad as it is to say, globalism (in its current corporate/neo-colonialist form) has done way more harm to the world than good.  Until governments start acting like governments again (ie putting corporations in their rightful place below the government) things are just going to continue to unravel probably. 

And on the topic of the youth being more liberal, that's a double edged sword.  On one hand yes, they appear far more community-oriented than the Boomers/Xers, but I'm not sure they've been invested in to the same degree.  If we can squeeze feats like the greatest generation out of ours I'll be happily surprised.  But considering our voter turnout is abysmal (~20% in non-presidential election years) first we need to vote. 

And on the topic of socialism too, one of the fears I have is that we go too far in that direction.  Because the upper class has forced horrid disregard for the environment and the people of the United States (particularly, but other developed countries too, for sure) in the name of "free enterprise" (Flint, MI to name one blatant one) I think people have forgotten what capitalism actually looks like.  Because the current system is anything but.  Markets are only effective because of competition, and if there are only 5 or so companies per industry, that's more a cabal than a healthy competition.  I personally think that the most optimal solution is tougher regulations and breaking up companies when they get too big (more like logging, if that analogy makes sense) rather than state ownership of industry, etc.  Though I will admit even the latter might be better than our current crony system. 

Apologies for this rather longwinded venting.  This is supposed to be tau's AMA thread after all, so therefore from here:

Who or what is your favourite economist/economic theory?

I don't think I know enough of economics or economists to have an informed opinion on that, sorry.

What is your least favorite food group?

Hmm, that's difficult... I like pretty much all foods.

If I had to choose, perhaps junk food/confections... I do like those too, but other foods can taste so much better.