Originally Posted by alamostation

I've read a tremendous amount of biographies and histories during the past year. Most concern the 20th Century.

Internationally, there has been no period of calm. If you are US or UK oriented there have been a few short periods of calm

1900-1914 Following the Japanese defeat of Russia, in 1904-05, there is a revolution in Russia that is brutally put down by the czar. In the US, political division is so bad, there was a viable third party. In the UK, the supremacy of the empire is being challenge by Germany. Everyone is angry.

1914-1918 WW1 Everyone is angry

1918-1929 The only happy countries are the US and Japan.

1929-1939 International depression. Everyone is angry.

1939-1945 WW2 Everyone is angry

1946-1991 The Cold War. Everyone is angry.

1992 to 2001 Probably the happiest times for everyone other than Russia, Japan, Cambodia, the Balkans and a few African countries.

2001 to present everyone is angry and it is getting worse.

US oriented: the government, no matter which party, wants to kick the can down the road. The politicians posture all they want, but don't have the balls to do what needs to be done. The US needs a tax overhaul (like a VAT to replace income tax), a cut in entitlement spending and an isolationist attitude. Amazingly, the isolationists today are Democrats when 70 years ago they were hardline Republicans. Everyone is angry.

UK oriented: The loss of the empire, the imigration of Muslims, the low birth rate of native Britains has spurred a rise amongst radical right wingers. Everyone is angry.

In my opinion, the problem is the media. From 1945 to 1990, the media was fairly centrist and united. In the 1950's it was rightist, in the 60's it drifted left. In the 90's, there was a split. Network TV went centralist left. Radio programs went centralist right. Both accused the other of being extremist. Instead of each moving towards the middle, they saw their target audiences on the extreme, since compromise and agreement is boring.

Everytime you look at comments on the internet, you only find extremist.