Cultural Consequences of Overshoot

Overview

3-6-25 Robert Putnam Books Overview – Robert Putnam on the 100+ year cycle between “we” and “I”. – https://weta.org/watch/shows/pbs-news-hour/robert-putnam-how-u-s-became-polarized-and-how-fix-it-1740010796

Putnam’s 2 books: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_Alone & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_D._Putnam & https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/mrcbg/programs/growthpolicy/upswing-how-we-came-together-century-ago-and-how-we-can-do-it

Increasing Tribalism, Racism & Nationalism

Apparently: now that the border is under control, and the unlimited migration of Hispanics has been halted, the white Christian nationalists in Texas have turned to a new target: the Muslim population. Islamophobia seems to rapidly increasing in the South.

From a previous PBS episode, these two Southern congressmen and a US senator are unabashedly Islamophobic.

PBS Weathered Episode: "Climate change won't end the world. This could."

While watching PBS series, "Weathered" hosted by Maiya May, I came across this very interesting episode in Season 7, Episode 7. In this episode, Maiya makes the connection between climate change and societal collapse. And she pulls Luke Kemp and his recent important book, Goliath's Curse, into the episode. To me, this is significant. For the first time in her series, she brings up the topic of societal collapse in what is supposed to be a series devoted exclusively to climate change. An important phrase that Luke mentions is stuck in my mind: The more inequality there is in a hierarchical society, like the American empire, the quicker will be its collapse.

Denial & Shock

Denial & Shock: The first 2 steps in the grieving process are, in order, denial and anger. “Panic is the opposite of orderly queuing. It happens when the confidence of society’s members breaks down and turn-taking gives way to an “every man for himself” type of scrambling behavior.” – William Catton in “Overshoot”.
I suspect that humans, in general, have begun to sense that we have reached the limits and panic is setting in. We are beginning to shed the little bit of “domestication” that we acquired as a species and are reverting increasingly,to outright biologically induced animal behavior.
- The lady, Christiana Figured, in this interview has confirmed exactly my take on human nature – https://watch.montanapbs.org/video/tipping-point-1701385917/
- January 17: doubling down: This NYT article discusses how Wall Street (the American financial system) has abandoned their pledges to combat climate change and are doubling down on business as usual: extracting and burning fossil fuels. We are on track for the BAU-2 scenario: increased extraction of resources and a steeper decline down the other side. – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/climate/how-wall-street-turned-its-back-on-climate-change.html
- December 17: Denial & Pushback: The major US auto companies are scaling back their plans to manufacture all electric vehicles and resume the production of hybrid and pure fossil fueled vehicles. – https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/business/ford-electric-vehicles-hybrids.html
- December 15: Denial & Pushback: Peter Brannen’s distressed article in the Atlantic (https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2025/11/cop-climate-3c-warming/685036/) highlights the human species ducking out of its challenge to respond significantly to climate change. The author mentions 3c in his article, but again, I maintain my insistence that the real number in the end will be 4c with its apocalyptic ramifications. One more data point in my 4c thesis.
- December 14:Denial & Pushback: Even Canada is now succumbing to the global fossil fuel pushback and doubling down. 4 deg is baked in. – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/13/canada-carney-climate-oil-pipeline/
- Denial: American home builders are pushing back against regulations requiring more energy efficient homes. They want to talk about “affordability”, not “climate change”. My conclusion, as well as that of the article: You can have both. – How the housing industry is working to stop energy efficient homes – https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/02/21/homebuilders-energy-efficiency-climate/
- July 23: Denial & Pushback: The climate change denial effort is gathering steam. The Trump Regime is preparing to demolish the entire US Federal government program of climate change mitigation. Full speed ahead with increasing carbon emissions. 4 deg is baked in. 6 deg, here we come! – https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/07/22/endangerment-finding-epa-climate/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F43c561b%2F68810851d2a65e78271a12f3%2F59731c20ae7e8a1cf4b6ac38%2F30%2F69%2F68810851d2a65e78271a12f3
- 7-8-2025 Denial & Pushback: The Orange Crook is hiring climate change deniers and skeptics to staff federal agencies. This is exactly the opposite response required to mitigate climate change. On with the BAU2 Overshoot scenario. The collapse will be steeper and quicker than the original BAU scenario. – https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/climate/trump-climate-energy-department.html
- 7-5-2025 Denial: As the impacts of climate change intensify, so does human denial. The Orange Orangutan is about to cut off the ability of the federal NOAA to research and report and warn about the effects of climate change. I’m guessing that hurricane forecasting, since hurricanes are deeply involved with climate change, is the next target. – https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07/05/us/texas-floods#texas-flood-climate-change
- A voice of realistic counterpoint, arguing against the predisposition towards Doom – The 100-Year Extinction Panic Is Back, Right on Schedule – https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/26/opinion/polycrisis-doom-extinction-humanity.html

Prime exhibit of the human tendency of denial. Question is: will the Chimps move down the list to acceptance and response before it’s too late? Based on what I’ve seen so far, I expect not.
As the world boils, a backlash to climate action gains strength – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/31/climate-change-political-right-action-heat-wave-global-boiling/
We’re on our way to 4° C .; This species is even dumber than I thought! – The intractability of Republican climate politics – https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/07/intractability-republican-climate-politics/

This sign reminds me of all the signs that graced Sequim as the local frightened imbeciles desperately opposed the Tribe’s opioid clinic: “Save Our Sequim!” The story below is another powerful argument that humans, as a species, are not only in denial of climate change and overshoot, but they have decided to remain that way. So much for those stupid beach towns: Earth Mother has those towns marked with big red bull’s eyes: The inconvenience of a wind farm offshore will be replaced with a record shattering mother-of-all-hurricanes storm that will definitely destroy their precious beach towns, and wash all the beaches away.

Somebody else gets to save the world, not us! We’re special! – The future of East Coast wind power could ride on this Jersey beach town – https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/08/08/offshore-wind-energy-east-coast/

An editorial by Paul Krugman – The culture war is a major problem for climate action – https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-culture-war-is-a-major-problem-for-climate-action/
Another aspect of denial: “We’ll save our town (cling to normality) in spite of climate change!”. Unwillingness to face up to the inevitable – This N.J. town erected barriers to hold back the sea. A public fight erupted – https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/08/18/new-jersey-beaches-erosion-fight/
Another example of the denial process: the GOP is in an overwhelming state of denial. Maybe they need to pray to Jesus more fervently! Maybe Jesus needs to speed up His return to earth. If He doesn’t get here soon, the whole planet is just going to burn itself up without Him initiating the process. Democrats and Republicans deeply divided on extreme weather, Post-UMD poll finds – https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/08/23/extreme-weather-climate-change-poll/
The stubborn denial continues. I’m convinced that this denial is largely biological. – Falsehoods Follow Close Behind This Summer’s Natural Disasters – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/business/media/maui-idalia-disinformation-climate-change.html
False claims that heatwave is bogus spread online – https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66314338
How One Firm Drove Influence Campaigns Nationwide for Big Oil – https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/climate/fti-consulting.html
Oil Executives Privately Contradicted Public Statements on Climate, Files Show – https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/14/climate/oil-industry-documents-disinformation.html
Here an example of denial and backlash over responsible investing taking climate change into account – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/conservatives-fight-back-against-environmental-and-socially-conscious-investments

Loss of Trust & Increasing Violence

“De-civilization of mankind – The “de-civilization” of mankind – loss of trust in cooperative government (democracy) and the institutions of government and turning to the use of violence or the threat of the use of violence – William Catton

December 17: Rising Anger:: Here is an Atlantic article that talks about rising anger in the US. Anger is symptomatic of underlying fear. Rising anger is a predictor of rising violence. Both of these can and probably are symptomatic of declining human psychological and social health in a time of declining prospects as a result of overshoot. – https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/charles-duhigg-american-anger/576424/
March 13th 2026: rising violence: a story about the Temple Israel synagogue attack in Michigan, evidence of increasing anti-Semitism in the US. – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/michigan-synagogue-attack-highlights-rise-in-antisemitic-violence
February 23rd: breakdown of civil society
according to Deborah Bonello, the violent situation in Mexico is the result of systemic breakdown of government. It would appear that the US is trending in the same direction. – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/killing-of-cartel-leader-sparks-retaliatory-violence-in-parts-of-mexico
Total collapse of public order in Sri Lanka, driven by failure of agriculture and the economy https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/09/sri-lanka-protest-gotabaya-rajapaksa/
Cultural regression in the US is apparent. In this article, several theories are offered: economic, technological, demographic, sociological, and in this case, just plain moral. I offer my own theory: overshoot. It’s just part of a much larger picture that the entire human species is getting meaner as overshoot progresses. This same meanness so apparent on this side of the Pond is also apparent on the other side also. HOW AMERICA GOT MEAN – https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/09/us-culture-moral-education-formation/674765/
Increasing violence – an extremist militia is threatening FEMA in North Carolina – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/fema-adjusts-hurricane-recovery-efforts-in-north-carolina-after-workers-threatened
Fear & Gun Culture
- Gun violence US surgeon general declUS surgeon general declares gun violence to be a national emergency - PBS NewsHour June 25
- Limits to the power of the NRA are beginning to show up. It would appear some of these problems are being caused by the patriarchal value of entitlement. – Luxury spending, internal strife leave NRA staggering into 2024 election – https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/04/nra-trial-new-york-election-influence/
- A thoughtful report about gun violence in the US and it sounds like some creative approaches to reducing this gun violence – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/psychiatrist-advocates-for-reforming-u-s-approach-to-gun-safety
- The psychology of guns – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-019-0373-z
- 600 mass shootings in U.S. so far in 2022 – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/02/mass-shootings-in-2022More evidence of a sick gun culture –https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/fourth-of-july-celebrations-marred-by-mass-shootings-in-several-u-s-cities
- Widespread ownership of guns in the U.S. implies armed rebellion against democratic government – https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/27/opinion/us-second-amendment.html?searchResultPosition=1
- Missouri lawmakers pass a law legalizing open carry by juveniles – https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/09/missouri-gop-children-guns-open-carry/

Another diagnostic indicator of general higher fear levels: increased residential home security measures – The delicate art of selling safety in a paranoid America – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/08/09/crime-fears-americans-security-protection/
The body count is finally approaching critical mass. But it sure took a lot of them. The fear of guns themselves is now growing stronger than the nebulous fears that prompt gun ownership. – After Nashville school shooting, one mother seeks ‘purpose from the pain’ – https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/19/nashville-school-shooting-tennessee-gun-laws-safety/
When the times get tough, the wolf pack gets snarly – In Texas, guns are everywhere, whether concealed or in the open – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/09/26/texas-guns-open-concealed-carry-laws/
The decivilization of mankind is well underway. Stories about horrific gun violence in the US. https://video.kqed.org/video/guns-in-america-1700687448/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/ar-15-force-mass-shootings/

Increasing Tribalism, Racism & Nationalism

Increasing Tribalism: Defying the popular trend, at least among conservatives, the general population seems to be aware of the moral obligation behind “Diversity, Equality and Inclusion”: “Share the toys in the sandbox.” – Most Americans approve of DEI, according to Post-Ipsos poll – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/06/18/affirmative-action-dei-attiudes-poll/
Social cohesion in the UK seems to be under a lot of strain right now. – PBS NewsHour August 5th 2024.
December 15: Increasing Xenophobia: The Trump administration has abruptly canceled the citizenship ceremonies for many vetted immigrants. Needless to say, the cruelty of this cancellation is hard to ignore. – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-policies-upend-years-long-paths-to-citizenship-for-some-immigrants
(“Jews will not replace us.”) (“The Great Replacement Theory”) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Replacement
Increasing tribalism: immigration chiefly, and other issues are driving the rise of the far right in Germany - https://video.kqed.org/video/far-right-protests-1707596338/
Antisemitism is on the rise in the U.S. – https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/10/27/antisemitism-kanye-trump-adidas-jews/
‘Our state is at war with our family’: Clergy with trans kids fight back – https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/02/28/missouri-transgender-bills/
She lost her trans son to suicide. Can a Kentucky lawmaker make her colleagues care? – https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/25/transgender-suicide-karen-berg-henry-brousseau-kentucky/
anti-Semitism in the US is at the highest level in history – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/anti-defamation-league-reports-dramatic-rise-in-antisemitism-in-u-s
Trans people have never been so visible — or so vulnerable – https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/04/13/trans-representation-popular-culture/
Anti-semitic attack in Pittsburg: defendant found guilty – Gunman in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting found guilty in 2018 massacre – https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/16/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting-trial-verdict/
Asian people are apparent target in California mass shooting – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/01/22/monterey-park-california-shooting/
Increasing hate of LGBTQ population – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/11/20/colorado-springs-lgbtq-clubq-shooting/
Fear of immigration is fueling the rise of the Far Right in Europe – Collapse of Dutch Government Highlights Europe’s New Migration Politics – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/world/europe/netherlands-refugees-government-collapse.html
The obvious is now being more widely acknowledged: Israel is an apartheid regime, not a democracy – In Israel and the U.S., ‘apartheid’ is the elephant in the room – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/11/israel-palestine-apartheid-israel-scholars/
Just when humanity should be uniting to face a common threat, the species is fracturing into smaller and smaller conclaves, hostile to all the other conclaves and indeed, unsympathetic to the survival of any humans outside its own conclave. This is the exact formula to hasten the advance of climate change and the collapse of human civilization in the Great Unraveling. Every day, new developments confirm my overall pessimism. – Europe May Be Headed for Something Unthinkable – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/opinion/european-union-far-right.html
Increasing tribalism explains a lot about the deep and increasing polarization in the U.S. The Chimps are so predictable. One of the deep-seated roots of violence is “other-ism”: us vs. them. Question is: how do we overcome tribalism in an age where it will be lethal to human civilization. Or… are the Chimps doomed? – Science is revealing why American politics are so intensely polarized – https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/01/20/polarization-science-evolution-psychology/
Donald Trump is on the forefront of stoking the fires of racism and tribalism in the United States. This racism and tribalism is most likely the direct result of the inevitable demographic change occurring in this country. Irrational fear is at the root of this rising hostility. – The Party of Malice – https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/01/haley-trump-gop/677212/

Populism and the Rise of Fundamentalism

In this case it appears that 16th century Catholicism is back in favor with the conservative crowd. – JD Vance’s Catholic conversion is part of young conservative movement – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/07/29/jd-vance-religion-catholic-republican-vp/
Conservative reaction: a story about the far right making an attack on science, particularly the science of climate change - https://video.kqed.org/video/attacks-on-science-1707520339/
https://whatisproject2025.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf
https://whatisproject2025.net/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_for_God

Rise of reactionary fundamentalisms: both religious, nationalistic and racial https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/08/trump-america-first-speech-analysis-gop/671004/
Increasing misogyny and assertion of male control over women and the reproductive process
- U.S. to ask Supreme Court to restore full access to abortion pill – https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/13/abortion-pill-ruling-mifepristone-fda-approval/
- GOP’s Tim Scott says he backs 20-week federal abortion ban – https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/gops-tim-scott-says-he-backs-20-week-federal-abortion-ban/
- Missouri lawmakers pass a law legalizing open carry by juveniles – https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/09/missouri-gop-children-guns-open-carry/
- Southern Baptists Vote to Further Expand Restrictions on Women as Leaders – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/14/us/southern-baptist-women-pastors-ouster.html?searchResultPosition=2
- Southern Baptists lose another megachurch: Elevation quits the SBC – https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2023/07/05/southern-baptists-lose-another-megachurch-elevation-quits-sbc/
- This story reinforces my contention that humans tend to live their own (mostly private) conception of Fantasyland. In this case, Fantasyland is again, an imaginary illusion of the “Good Old Days”, and by God (literally), they’re going to impose their fantasy on everyone else. – The MAGAmerican dream lives in Sarasota – https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/interactive/2023/sarasota-maga-dream/?itid=mr_1

Decline of Democracy

"Declining respect of the instruments of collective government as they are used increasingly by the elites to preserve or increase their share of a declining resource base." -- from the "The Limits to Growth"

Article needed -- The defeat and ousting of Viktor Orban in Hungary -- Hungarian voters have chosen to return to more democratic government.
Comment: My prognosis is this: unless American voters reverse course next year, human could be in its final days of widespread democracy. There could be a few remaining democratic governments, say Canada, Iceland, Norway and perhaps Sweden. But the rush towards authoritarian government could be on. And be aware, the favorite activity of authoritarian governments is warfare, either upon its own citizens or upon neighboring countries. Examples: Vlad Putin and Russia → Ukraine; Assad & Syria → its own citizens; Kim Jong Un → his citizens and South Korea and Japan. And then there are the brutal authoritarian regimes fighting each other in Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia. As these increasingly authoritarian regimes engage in conflict and outright warfare, the world’s nations will become even more polarized, aggressive, and arm themselves for the Final Conflict. More bloodshed is most likely on the way: three of the Four Horsemen are mounted up and riding strong: War, Conquest and Death. And all of this, of course, is happening in a crisis, Overshoot, which requires an overall humanity-wide cooperation to face and deal with a near-existential crisis that they all face. This response, so far, will only hasten the onset of a tipping point and hurtle us irretrievably toward the collapse of human civilization. I don’t think this is just another Fourth Turning. It feels to me more like the Final Turning. We need to get up off the beach, beyond the reach of the surf as best we can, and try to wait out the Great Tsunami.
https://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/global-state-democracy-2023-new-checks-and-balances
December 17: Decline of Democracy: Another article by Anne Applebaum, describing the continuing decline of American democracy, driven in part by factions inside the Trump regime. – https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/national-security-strategy-democracy/685270/
December 15: Breakdown of democracy: Chile has elected its most wing wing government since the Pinochet dictatorship – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/ultra-conservative-wins-chile-election-will-be-most-right-wing-president-since-dictatorship
PBS NewsHour June 30th –big win for the far right in French elections today bodes a sharp turn to the right in France.
How many democracies are left on the planet? Several democracies in Europe have now joined Hungary and lurched far to the right. What are the issues? Two of the primary issues involved in the Great Unraveling: increasing shortages of resources, driving up the cost of living and reducing employment and second, increased immigration by many people who have found their home living conditions to be unbearable. Robert Kagan has pretty much summarized the US lurch to the right on exactly the same issues as their European counterparts. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/30/trump-dictator-2024-election-robert-kagan/
Democracy in the US is in real danger, and the end of the unique American experiment in democracy could be imminent. Any shred of democracy in Israel has dissipated in a puff of bomb smoke over the ruins of Gaza. Democracy, which flourishes in an era of shared prosperity, will be one of the first political casualties of the Descending Darkness. This Post Editorial article sums things up pretty succinctly. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/07/netherlands-elections-geert-wilders-islam/
Declining democracy: it looks like an authoritarian won the elections in Indonesia the world's third largest democracy. – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bdCHqpdNZ8Y
Declining Democracy: The voters in El Salvador have opted for authoritarianism – The inescapable appeal of the world’s ‘coolest dictator’ – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/06/bukele-nayib-el-salvador-president-coolest-dictator-global-international/
Declining Democracy: The Sun Is Setting on Indonesia’s Democratic Era – https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/12/opinion/indonesia-election-democracy.html
Inequality levels are at an all-time high, not just in America, but all around the planet.
Democracy is under threat all around the planet – https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/19/world/democracy-threat.html
Italian reactionaries are on the verge of electing a prime minister in Italy – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/13/giorgia-meloni-italy-election-right/
Fascism is about to return to Italy – https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/09/giorgia-meloni-italy-election-fascism-mussolini/671515/
Democracy around the world continues to collapse – https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/16/authoritarian-world-leaders-putin/
Berlusconi flirting with outright fascism – https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/20/world/europe/silvio-berlusconi-vladimir-putin-russia-italy.html?searchResultPosition=1
Increasing authoritarianism in India – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/world/indian-officials-search-bbc-offices-after-documentary-critical-of-prime-minister
Nicaragua is sliding into authoritarianism – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/freed-political-prisoner-discusses-nicaraguas-slide-toward-authoritarianism
(Democracy in Israel is in very serious trouble) Netanyahu Is Shattering Israeli Society – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/28/opinion/netanyahu-israel-palestinians-courts.html
The Jewish nation is in its own crisis of reactionary tribalism – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/27/israel-protests-judicial-reform-netanyahu/
Overshoot is probably responsible for the collapse of government in Sudan – https://www.pbs.org/video/news-wrap-1682717086/
Far-Right Parties Are Rising to Power Around Europe. Is Spain Next? – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/world/europe/far-right-parties-are-rising-to-power-around-europe-is-spain-next.html
Conditions continue to deteriorate in Niger – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/french-embassy-in-niger-attacked-during-pro-junta-rally-in-capital
Down the tubes goes democracy in Niger – https://video.kqed.org/video/coup-in-niger-1690486132/
Germany’s far-right party is more popular than ever — and more extreme – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/18/germany-afd-polls-krah/
American democracy is eroding into a state of war between the two sides. It shows in this essay about “free speech” by Thomas Edsall. – Behold the Free Speech Chutzpah of the Republican Party – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/06/opinion/republicans-democrats-free-speech.html
Democracy is failing in Tunisia – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tunisias-president-tightens-grip-on-power-by-jailing-rivals-while-economy-falters
Democracy worldwide continues to deteriorate. Right wing populist Wilders wins a big victory in Holland – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/november-22-2023-pbs-newshour-full-episode
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/dutch-election-winner-geert-wilders-is-an-anti-islam-firebrand-known-as-the-dutch-donald-trump-2/
Right-wing populists won the election in Argentina – https://www.pbs.org/video/argentina-votes-1700518103/
Dutch election shows far right rising and reshaping Europe – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/25/europe-far-right-netherlands-election/

Increasing Migration

January 29th 2025 migration: the Trump regime has slammed the doors shut at the border revoking entry for even refugees who have been previously approved. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-options-remain-for-immigrants-seeking-entry-into-the-u-s-as-policies-rapidly-change
1-28-25 Migration: The Trump regime is going to encounter varying levels of resistance from the countries to which it is trying to expel American migrants to. I predict that this resistance will increase as these countries experience varying degrees of success in resistance, as well as ways to get around it. One as yet little-noticed side effect of this planned mass migration will be substantial disruption of American agriculture, meat packing and home construction, driving up the cost of all three. – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/27/trump-deportees-venezuela-china-india-cuba/
Another story about the ongoing immigration problems on the American southern border. The problem appears to be getting worse as more and more people are starting to show up. And the American response is becoming increasingly hostile. – https://video.thinktv.org/video/on-the-border-1703192921/

Increasing migration – desperate journey story in PBS NewsHour August 14th – original story 70 miles in hell published by the Atlantic September 2024 edition

A look at one of the reasons people are migrating elsewhere – Seeking medical care, one family races anticipated US border restrictions – https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/25/seeking-medical-care-one-family-races-anticipated-us-border-restrictions
Another huge caravan of migrants set it for the US border is now in Mexico. – https://video.kqed.org/video/on-the-border-1703711729/
Increased racism is direct result of the migration problem
Story about migration in Texas – https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/20/opinion/el-paso-migrant-buses-republicans.html
Conditions inside a migrant detention facility PBSNewshours – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/photographer-documents-immigration-and-life-inside-detention-facility
Bad situation in Venezula, due to overshoot sending flood of migrants to Mexico, towards the U.S. – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/small-town-in-southern-mexico-unexpectedly-hosts-thousands-of-migrants
Big surge over the border on El Paso – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rv3h9gdt0KY
Rising seas risk climate migration on ‘biblical scale,’ says U.N. chief – https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/15/un-sea-levels-rising-climate-migration/
Teenage immigrants are in trouble in Brighton – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/activists-say-uk-government-not-keeping-asylum-seeking-minors-safe-as-hundreds-go-missing
A Post article detailing the complex and violent mess that immigration is bringing to the Texas border. Things are probably only going to get worse. Texas uses aggressive tactics to arrest migrants as Title 42 ends – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/texas-title-42-end/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f001
There is a serious migration crisis in the city of Chicago, another example of migration caused by overshoot – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/chicago-warns-of-humanitarian-crisis-as-city-struggles-to-house-migrants
The stories of tragic immigration problems continues and worsens – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2023/2/27/tragic-scene-refugees-in-shock-after-shipwreck-off-italy
Collapse of Dutch Government Highlights Europe’s New Migration Politics – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/world/europe/netherlands-refugees-government-collapse.html
They Hid on a Ship’s Rudder to Flee Nigeria. They Landed in Brazil. – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/10/world/americas/nigerian-migrants-brazil.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/britain-aims-to-house-asylum-seekers-on-massive-boat/2023/08/11/e3b3912b-32d2-4c30-9a04-eb2ff720eed3_video.html
Predictions of the future Great Northward Migration inside the US. My expectation is that as climate change makes the southern states more and more uninhabitable, the migration patterns will shift: south → north. Phoenix northwest? Climate change migrants could be headed our way – https://www.seattletimes.com/business/phoenix-northwest-climate-change-migrants-could-be-headed-our-way/
Too many humans, not enough places for them to live. Forced migration by the Pakistani government. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/afghans-seeking-refuge-in-pakistan-ordered-to-leave-or-face-forced-deportation

Increasing International Conflicts

"Increasing conflicts, especially conflicts over resources or sinks."

March 2026: US & Israel attack Iran. War with Iran
February 16: Increasing conflict & war: China is ramping up its nuclear weapons program just as the last nuclear arms treaty has expired. Threat of nuclear war branch of the Polycrisis. – https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/02/15/world/asia/china-nuclear.html
February 16: Increasing conflict & war: The NYT has created a series about risk of nuclear war: “At the Brink” – https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/10/10/opinion/nuclear-weapons-nytimes.html
Increasing international conflict – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K3z35tmxfAo
Story on PBS NewsHour about the fighting in Sudan. Interviews with the troops. Nothing like this will ever come here, right? – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/sudanese-teachers-and-shopkeepers-join-the-fight-against-rebels-in-nations-civil-war
An update on the dire situation in Sudan. This is becoming the worst humanitarian disaster in the world today – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/sudanese-families-describe-their-search-for-sanctuary-as-the-brutal-civil-war-rages-on
Increasing warfare – A Massacre Threatens Darfur — Again – https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/06/19/world/africa/sudan-darfur-siege.html – As stated below, this time from the NYT, the human apocalypse in Sudan is again prominent in the US news. The only commodity not in short supply in the area is ammunition and death. Have a good look – this is how it ends.
Increasing warfare: hellish mess in darfur is a preview of the end times for many humans as overshoot conditions worsen. Story on PBS NewsHour June 18th 2024. This mess could come to a country near you.
Doomsday Clock set to 90 seconds – closest ever to Midnight – https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/01/23/what-how-doomsday-clock/
Growing risk of nuclear war https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/28/nuclear-threat-higher-cold-war-uk-warning/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/02/nuclear-annihilation-world-warning-united-nations/
Growing conflict around the world – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/22/global-six-months-ukraine-war-russia/
New conflict in Azerbaijan and Armenia – https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/13/world/europe/armenia-azerbaijan.html
Russian invasion of Ukraine increasingly looks like a resource grab by Russian – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/10/ukraine-russia-energy-mineral-wealth/
Humanity draws ever closer to Nuclear Armageddon, and hardly anybody pays any attention – https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/11/poland-missile-strike-russia-nuclear-war/672175/
Atlantic article about the end of the global order and probably onset of militarism – https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/12/putin-russian-ukraine-war-global-peace/672385/
What is New START and why is Russia ‘suspending’ its role in the treaty? (WWIII creeps ever closer) – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/21/russia-ukraine-war-live-updates-biden-poland/
War in Ukraine Has Changed Europe Forever (European economies and society are shifting over to a war footing – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/26/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war.html
The most shocking intel leak reveals new Chinese military advances – https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/04/13/china-hypersonic-missile-intelligence-leak/
Previews of coming attractions. Overshoot is most likely behind this brutal dystopian nightmare unfolding in Western Sudan. Hopefully this mess will be replaced by the bleaching bones of the dead and the silence in the shimmering heat of the Sahara Desert – A ‘Dystopian Nightmare’ Unfolds in Sudan’s Battered Darfur Region – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/07/world/africa/war-sudan-darfur-region.html
Warfare continues in Sudan, reducing the country to hell on Earth – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/battle-for-power-in-sudan-reignites-conflict-in-darfur

Decreasing Physical & Mental Health

February 2nd 2025 mental Health effects of climate change disasters – it appears that climate change disasters can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder and lasting health effects on the mental health of the population in the affected areas – https://www.thirteen.org/programs/pbs-newshour/the-ongoing-toll-1738530218/
Social catastrophe underway in many American cities, including Seattle – https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/11/20/king-county-seattle-homeless-pandemic-/
Young American women “engulfed in violence and trauma” – https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/02/13/teen-girls-violence-trauma-pandemic-cdc/
Youth mental Health – deteriorating medical and social state of social and cultural health – the anti-lgbtq policies of the reactionaries is beginning to have a significant detrimental effect on the mental health of lgbtq youth in their states. – https://www.thirteen.org/programs/pbs-newshour/youth-mental-health-1729453539/
Martin Griffiths of the United Nations emergency relief effort makes remarks that 2024 is the most depressing year for him because of the outbreak of hostilities all over the planet. Overshoot most likely has a lot to do with this situation. – https://video.kqed.org/video/war-in-the-holy-land-dis-griffiths-levy-1706047456/
The stress is everywhere. American farmers are experiencing higher rates of depression and suicide. – https://video.kqed.org/video/growing-burden-1705266826/
Why we split the world into good and evil — and make decisions we regret – https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/04/hamas-israel-good-evil-splitting-amanda-ripley/
Overshoot in the rich countries: a story about the overwhelming stress that American parents are facing these days. It is hard to escape the conclusion that this is a byproduct of overshoot, especially since it is recent. – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/surgeon-general-addresses-growing-stress-and-mental-health-struggles-facing-parents
Teenager mental health is in trouble https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/health/cdc-data-shows-u-s-teen-girls-in-crisis-with-unprecedented-rise-in-suicidal-behavior
American teens are unwell because American society is unwell – https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/15/teen-girls-mental-health-suicide/
Teenage girls in unprecedented mental health crisis – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/teenage-girls-experiencing-record-high-levels-of-sadness-violence-and-trauma-cdc-says
One school’s solution to the mental health crisis: Try everything – https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/04/28/school-mental-health-crisis-ohio/
Emergency Room Visits Have Risen Sharply for Young People in Mental Distress, Study Finds – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/health/adolescents-mental-health-hospitals.html
After Student’s Suicide, an Elite School Says It Fell ‘Tragically Short’ – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/30/nyregion/lawrenceville-school-suicide.html
‘A Daily Game of Russian Roulette’: Homeless in San Diego (A new term heard on PBSNewshour on May12: (socially dead”) – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/13/us/san-diego-homelessness.html
Mental health in American schools is in bad shape – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/states-push-for-harsher-school-discipline-practices-to-address-student-misbehavior
Worried sick: a Journey into the Anxious Teenage MInd – https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/100000007871187/mental-health-pandemic-teens.html?action=click&gtype=vhs&version=vhs-heading&module=vhs&region=title-area&cview=true&t=11
Mental health of college students is now taking a big hit these days. Another aspect of overshoot. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CkCV0puBDoE
There is a shortage of mental health services for American teens making their overall mental health situation worse – https://video.kqed.org/video/child-poverty-1694549699/
Report finds drops in policing and mental health services in schools – https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/01/17/mental-health-schools-police-national-center-education-statistics/
Rising Drug Addiction as a barometer of social stress & decline
- Rising Drug Addiction – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aCp46xfqDgw
- Drug addiction is becoming a problem in the Mideast – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/17/iraq-meth-iraq-drugs/
- Fentanyl seizures in US are huge – https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/12/20/fentanyl-seizures-2022-dea/
- Fentanyl use in US exploded while government did nothing about it – https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/20/fentanyl-drugs-mexican-cartels-treatment/
- Drug problems in the Mideast – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/jordan-battles-influx-of-cheap-amphetamines-from-neighboring-syria
- Addiction Treatment Eludes More Than Half of Americans in Need – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/15/health/addiction-treatment-opioids.html
- Prescription opioid pill use by county across the nation. Clallam County was one of the higher counties. – How deeply did prescription opioid pills flood your county? See here – https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2023/opioid-epidemic-pain-pills-sold-oxycodone-hydrocodone?itid=cb_box_NAIEWV4DVRCEFLJR44AL2HEF64_1
General Climate anxiety – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/climate-change-causing-a-sense-of-despair-here-are-some-ways-to-combat-it
Generalized social chaos: Social chaos in Haiti – https://www.pbs.org/video/haiti-in-crisis-1690742811/
Increasing trauma and mental illness

Declining Birth Rates

Potential parents, especially women, are choosing to postpone or forego having children in a world that is increasingly difficult to live in.

April 10th, 2026 Declining birth rates: the US birth rate is that an unprecedented low with no end in sight. – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-potential-impacts-of-the-u-s-birth-rate-decline
6-10-25 Declining human fertility; My guess is that somehow, human women have picked up on the future prospects and the baby production line has been permanently shut down. The worsening prospect of human life will be even more worse off by having to raise children in that increasingly bleak landscape. I suspect that the human population curve will level off soon, driven more by decreases in fertility than by increases in mortality. A big Bummer to all those Christian fundamentalists out there. “Too bad! So sad!” “Maybe you guys haven’t been praying hard enough to Jesus. Maybe He’s hard of hearing also.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/06/10/baby-bust-policy-failure-europe/
3-4-25 Declining Birth Rates – The story continues. It’s my conviction that women around the planet (and some of their husbands) are subconsciously sensing the Overshoot situation and responding by not having children. Now is not the time to precreate children and thrown them into the unfolding maelstrom. – https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/03/03/the-population-implosion
2-4-25 Declining Birth Rates – An interesting story about a couple of “Pronatalist” cult members, complete with “Handmaid’s Tale” hat, who claim they are determined to reverse the trend in declining fertility rates. They’re “happy” now, but let’s see what happens when it’s time to send 10 children off to college to get super expensive college degrees without the aid of Federal Student loans. Lots of data in the story about the global trend in declining human fertility – an unquestioning biological response to Overshoot – https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2025/02/01/malcolm-and-simone-collins-pronatalism/
1-23-25 Decreasing birth rates – Another story about the biologically triggered decline in birth rates. The US population may level off and start declining in 2033, according to the latest study. This will trigger a crisis in Medicare and Social Security, not to mention an ongoing decline in the economy. – https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2025/01/15/population-projections-congressional-budget-office/0a8df8c6-d357-11ef-9835-51843d9371d6_story.html
1-7-25 Political and cultural chaos – the genocide in Sudan is a preview of coming attractions. This is what the terminal stage of human civilization will look like soon. – https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/u-s-accuses-sudans-rebel-forces-of-committing-genocide
Decreasing birth rates – As the hunting gets harder, the pack gets more snarly. Also, the females have fewer pups: it’s harder to raise them. Biologically instinctive behavior that no patriarchal regime is going to be able to overcome – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/10/russia-population-demography-children-family/
Declining birth rates – Looks like Minnesota has its own demographic crisis that could be solved with (choke!) more immigration! – https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-baby-bust-concerning/601178380

Declining birth rates – Comment: it looks like we’re approaching the peak of the population curve in the Limits to Growth graph –

Declining birth rates – It appears that China’s population decline is on the verge of becoming irreversible – https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2024/chinas-population-decline-getting-close-irreversible

https://apnews.com/article/japan-population-decline-births-foreign-5de77bda9305476d0baf020889094a60#:~:text=World%20News-,Japan's%20population%20falls%20for%20a%2015th%20year%20with,births%20and%20record%20high%20deaths&text=TOKYO%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Japan's%20total,ages%20and%20births%20remain%20low.