@madsenandersc - I do not deny that Scandinavia has some of the best democracies in the world. People there are also among the happiest. Still, my view of the future turned me into a small, cynical beast.

Take Norway. It may have the best welfare system on Earth. Sounds great. But it is funded by oil pumped from the sea. Oil that feeds climate change. And let’s not even start with the seal pups that were killed for years. Like many places, Norway also has a twisted elite. Some were even linked to Jeffrey Epstein.

Then there is Sweden. The country hurt its own image in the case of Julian Assange. Its military sometimes feels like it runs its own side quest. Submarines appear near the coast. Fear spreads. The public watches like extras in a tense thriller.

Denmark treats refugees harshly. Food there is also very expensive. And Denmark could have treated the people of Greenland much better, much earlier.

Can I count Iceland as Scandinavia for a moment? During the banking crisis, Iceland behaved badly too. It never fully dared a true reset. Even though it saw, more clearly than most, how ugly capitalism can get when criminal bankers run the show.

Sometimes the “happiest region on Earth” feels less like a utopia. More like a shiny Black Mirror episode — bright surface, dark plot, and a warning hiding in plain sight.

Does #capitalism still deliver, or does it only destroy our living space for #profit?

Anyone who is not completely blind can see the slope is getting steeper. We are like on the Titanic. The iceberg is right ahead. Everyone stares at it like a deer in headlights. Frozen. Or weirdly fascinated. No one moves.

Capitalism does not even need #democracy. It runs just fine in #China. The #rich get richer at breathtaking speed. They gain more power every day. Meanwhile, many people are exploited. Some even go hungry.

#Infrastructure falls apart where it brings no profit. Gains are privatized. Losses are shared by everyone. Capitalism works great for arms races and wars. It also works great for rebuilding after. Only #peace seems to bring too little profit.

#Diseases without profitable drugs are ignored. Human suffering does not always sell well. But social-media #algorithms that shake democracy? Very profitable. Public goods, #privacy, data protection, #ethics — all side characters. Hard to monetize. The #future and sustainability also feel optional when today’s shareholder payout boosts #power and profit.

Why do we believe that people driven by greed and contempt will build a better future? Maybe #humanity does not really care about democracy or ethics. Maybe it only cares about #consumption. Ads promise that buying things will make us #happy. And of course, anyone against capitalism should throw the first #smartphone.

Running water, electricity, full supermarkets — all nice. Until you notice the food is packed with sugar and salt. Fresh fruit and vegetables carry poison. The oceans are overfished. The fish comes with #microplastics as a bonus. Wild animals vanish, pushed out by humans. Only farm animals multiply by the millions. They #suffer. #Nature breaks.

This story does not feel like it has a happy ending. Not if we keep scrolling and call it progress.

#civilization #question #news #system #matrix #politics #economy #business #freedom #mankind #collapse #apocalypse #war #terror #military #crisis #pollution #extinction #emissions #climate #disaster #security #fascism #earth #food #poison #problem