The West is never going to be what it was PERIOD!!!

[StonyArabia]

All civilizations eventually rise and come to an end. After the West it will be the rise of India and China once again, and especially the latter

[Jägerstaffel]

Have to admit mostly pessimistic about the future of "the West".

a)The wrong type of people are getting ultra rich, large corporations (many of which are useless and destructive), scum billionares, many elites who seem to have abandoned European people and values. (USA is a whole different entity, but similar or more problems)
b)the falling and struggling middle class, poor suffering.
c)the social liberal nonsense (degeneracy, lack of morals, lost outside of reality)
d)the wars, coups, bombing, which dont help Europe or people in Middle East or anywhere.

A smaller part of me tries to be positive though. Try not to consume yourself with just one subject.

This.

I have a very grim picture of the future, but giving up isn't an option. Defeatism isn't a good look for anyone.

[JohnSmith]

Have to admit mostly pessimistic about the future of "the West".

a)The wrong type of people are getting ultra rich, large corporations (many of which are useless and destructive), scum billionares, many elites who seem to have abandoned European people and values.
b)the falling and struggling middle class, poor suffering.
c)the social liberal nonsense (degeneracy, lack of morals, lost outside of reality)
d)the wars, coups, bombing, which dont help Europe or people in Middle East or anywhere.

A smaller part of me tries to be positive though. Try not to consume yourself with just one subject.

One must look and the world at the end of WWII to today and the WEST was at it's peak in the 1980s when the Berlin Wall fell. However, the signs of bad future were becoming apparent when Nixon opened China int he 1970s. Now , the West has a situation where they need to compete against so many more people.

Germany is in the best position within Europe because half the country is a former communist block country this helps them tremendously in the labor markets when competing with East/South Asia. However, it has been a nightmare for the other Western Countries as they cannot reform fast enough to compete.

Germany will eventually have the same problem in time,, it is not easy to now compete with 2 billion more people. The Western Standard of Living will suffer,, it is basic economic principle.

[JohnSmith]

This.

I have a very grim picture of the future, but giving up isn't an option. Defeatism isn't a good look for anyone.

"Its the economy stupid" -- when you have 2 billion more people to compete against and think you will keep the same standard of living of the good old days you are living in fairy tale land.

[JohnSmith]

All civilizations eventually rise and come to an end. After the West it will be the rise of India and China once again, and especially the latter

Yup, and the West will decay as it cannot compete at with those countries in the long run.

[StonyArabia]

Yup, and the West will decay as it cannot compete at with those countries in the long run.

Every dog has it's day

[Colonel Frank Grimes]

I want the West to go back to the 20s in style. I like the idea of guys wearing suits and fedoras. I think the way women dressed was totally hawt (except for the bathing suits).

[MysteriousWays]

JohnSmith, so you should be strongly supporting Trump and helping him to vote out every member of Congress in both parties to get people in who are more protectionist...That's the deal.

Also, what is the point about writing "doom and gloom" about the West? What do you want countries to do about the problems you are diagnosing?

[JohnSmith]

Every dog has it's day

Yes, but people in the West will not go quietly into the night. The rioting in Athens and Paris due to austerity reforms will continue.

Also, the WEST is not just competing with East/South Asia,,, they also have to compete with the Eastern Former Communist Block countries. This is a lot of change within the last 30 years.

[StonyArabia]

Yes, but people in the West will not go quietly into the night. The rioting in Athens and Paris due to austerity reforms will continue.

Also, the WEST is not just competing with East/South Asia,,, they also have to compete with the Eastern Former Communist Block countries. This is a lot of change within the last 30 years.

Only Russia can compete with the West, and other Eastern block countries can't compete and especially those in the Balkans lol. The real power actually lays in India which is rapidly developing and has very highly intelligent people, and the same is true of East Asian nations especially the Chinese.

Of course but it's just a losing battle, since India and China are rising. However Russia's rise is very problematic