@NinaBernstein1 I wonder what part the joker, weirdo or "The Mule" plays in this cycle. The catalyst. The Hitler or Trump that just takes over without any significant resistance. Against all odds. Probably because systems and norms are unstable or in transition. I.e. is it more probable that the joker takes the role of the catalyst?

Probably time to sleep instead of speculating into the void. And I should probably read the Foundation again.

@NinaBernstein1 actually, US liberal democracy could probably be considered dead 10+ years ago. If it ever really existed. Because of the huge and accelerating economical inequality, and implied political inequality. Trump just made it explicit. The Dems lost because they seemed (were/are?) fine with status quo. Many European countries are in the same situation.

@NinaBernstein1 It probably started much earlier. Reagan? It's hard to see how 40+ years of market fundamentalism won't kill democracy and make the country politically unstable. This is not new and has been covered by philosophers like Locke, Smith and Marx 150+ years ago. Plato probably considered this as well. Almost seems like the cycle of power concentration and self destruction is unavoidable...