Consumers are long accustomed to getting whatever they want when they want it. The frenetic intemperance of having everything instantly and effortlessly defines consumer society. Manufacturers accommodate the immediate expectations by organizing seamless supply lines worldwide that get everything to its destination “just in time.” This world of instant gratification is breaking … Read more
The investing world is exploding with news about the latest trendy asset for everyone’s portfolio. It is called a Non-Fungible Token (NFT). The virtual commodity is not only non-fungible but also intangible. It exists only as a unit of data. However, people are paying millions of very real dollars for the surreal … Read more
Imagine getting up one morning and finding helicopters hovering over the neighborhood. They are showering down cash on the community. All one has to do is go and pick up an allotted amount. Such a prospect might seem too good to be true. However, in these chaotic times, it might become the … Read more
If there is an image that corresponds to the coronavirus crisis of our society, it would be that of the Diamond Princess cruise ship infected in mid-cruise. Before tragedy struck, it had every modern comfort and entertainment. The bands were playing, the theaters were full, the restaurants crowded, and its boutiques well-stocked. … Read more
Little remains of the vast edifice of family, community and faith relationships that once unified and anchored the American way of life. These things have not disappeared from the horizon. They are still important, but they have deteriorated. There is no more consensus about what they mean, and they no longer serve … Read more
For many, Thanksgiving is one of the favorite holidays of the year. In a culture which has lost much of its sense of family, it is a time for families to get together. It remains largely unsullied by the commercialization that has infected Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween and even Mothers’ Day. Everything … Read more
Anyone can stand in a line for hours on end and burst into Walmart trampling people underfoot on Black Friday. The scene has become so ordinary and scripted that most people don’t even notice anymore. Shoppers fighting over Barbie dolls are as predictable as hockey match brawls. The reports from news crews … Read more
As I look upon the desolate landscape of sound bites, tweets and other social media, I cannot help but lament what has happened to our culture. Almost all Americans have a high school education. And today more people than ever have college degrees. One would expect reading levels to be increasing. Real … Read more
An avalanche of news hits us every day. It gets to the point that we barely have time to read beyond the headlines. Fast news is making things inhuman because it comes at a pace beyond the capacity of anyone to absorb. Everyone complains about fake news. However, fast news creates the … Read more
The present political situation reminds one of a carnival. There is no other word to describe it. It is a carnival. The world has become a giant stage of political players and the media full of incomprehensible rage and fury. The problem with carnivals is that everyone tends to play along. Each … Read more