Bruce Bisset.
Back in the bright-eyed 1960s and '70s we children of the bomb believed in working to create a united world. That is now coming to pass, but it is nothing like what we imagined it to be.
Our dreams were of a world where the fair distribution of food, easy access to primary technology, and the upholding of rights under just and prudent laws were universally achieved through social enlightenment and equity.
That was always too much to hope for.
Our mistake was in thinking humans are at base rational, ethical, and inherently good.
We neglected to factor in that most of the race is insane; or at best undereducated and superstitious, driven by fear rather than love, mired in hunger and suffering and too busy scratching for survival to look up at any stars that might shine through the smog.
Too beaten down to dream.
And that the New World Order was a reactionary counter-strike against the counter-culture is a bitter irony for those who once believed we could make a difference.
Instead it seems we are all now too beaten down to dream.
Too ensnared in the heartless nets of the corporations, whose legal status of "natural persons" mocks our very existence.
Only those at the extreme top of the pile still get to pull strings; that a mere 62 people control half the world's wealth is the starkest example of how unbalanced this so-called civilisation has become.
With the TPPA to be followed by the TTIP (Americas/Europe), before this decade is out the lawfare - the corporate version of warfare - will have "globalised" everything outside Russia, India, and (arguably) China.
This is the corporative regime the next generations must endure, unless they can somehow find the strength and unity of purpose to shrug it off and "go back to our roots". Which is the plea of the new generation of activists who, rightly or wrongly, blame a failure of democracy to keep the false gods of the corporations in sufficient check.
Personally I don't believe democracy itself has failed, though certainly it has become corrupt; the blatant buying and selling of politicians, judges, and even the institutions of the State is obvious in the US, and rapidly becoming so here, too.
No, the failure lies with those who choose to "opt out" by not participating - not standing for office, not writing and speaking, not voting - thereby unconsciously condoning the corruption and exacerbating the decline of integrity, quality, and most importantly accountability in our elected representatives.
A more general malaise is at work, too. Last week's free concert in Cornwall Park, Hastings, featured Mock Crme, a tribute band playing 1960s songs by the first so-called "supergroup", Cream. I was piquantly amused by the hundreds of grey heads nodding and tapping along to old favourites, albeit from the comfort of picnic chairs and walking frames.
What struck me was that while the music might trigger happy reminiscences, how many as easily recall the adrenaline of protest and the fire of youthful ideals? And for all we might have learnt the value of a vote, how many any longer take part in any form of political activity?
We "opt out" just as much by not fully critiquing the issues and working to uphold our rights as we do by not voting. And a vote for a "known" name with a nice smile, without any qualitative rationale to support the choice, is worse than not voting at all.
If democracy is broken, then we must stop supporting those who broke it.
Starting with ourselves.
That's the right of it.
- Bruce Bisset is a freelance writer and poet.