A Systems View:

Stupidity in High Places?

Bruce Buchanan

To avoid being caught off guard or �blind-sided� it may be vital to understand, as fully as possible, all the realities which

may bear on one�s objectives. Stock market commentary is concerned with little else. Unanticipated problems afflict economic forecasts, but the hazards are multiplied when forecasters are constrained by prejudice. The achievement of an adequate perspective is no easy task; the future will always harbour unknowns. Yet much of what happens may be foreseeable in general terms, even if not by those who choose to remain blind.

In a current best seller, �Stupid White Men,� Michael Moore1 has a field day in pointing out the ways in which political leaders of every kind in the United States have attempted to ignore and falsify many of the realities with which average citizens must deal. His account makes obvious the degree to which those with power to make policies have failed to use common sense; they tend of overlook the kinds of considerations which are part of popular knowledge and concern.

Moore makes his points tellingly by engaging in the broadest kind of satire, and his language is rather unrestrained. As �stupid white men� he points to the Bush family and corporate buddies, but he extends his diatribe to almost all politicians, whether Republican or Democrat. Indeed, Moore finds little in their actual behaviors to distinguish these two parties. He has more respect for Ralph Nader and his Green party (although disagreeing with Nader on matters of strategy). However the range and variety of Moore�s commentary provide many pointers to realities often overlooked. Of special interest is the fact that he has obviously struck a responsive chord in many readers.

My own very selective interpretation of Moore�s thrusts (not really a thesis!) runs as follows. The leadership of the most powerful nation on earth is essentially at a loss in dealing with problems of world peace, a shaky economy, energy, job security, health care, education and other societal needs in ways that are either fair or inspire confidence. The average citizen often finds that he or she does not count, that the

[email protected] - for drawing this to my attention.

PS6:� http://www.whatmatters.nu/wmemails/wmemails9.html#WM-50

PS7:� The International Forecaster is an international financial, economic, political and social commentary for paying subscribers, published and edited by Bob Chapman - [email protected]. I have drawn the excerpts from the financial website of Bill Murphy - Le Metropole Caf� - http://www.lemetropolecafe.com

PS8:� I have been told that the photograph at http://www.rotten.com/naked-people , which is without a caption, is of Enron employees who have lost their life savings, and I cannot imagine what other group of 5,000 American citizens would make such a public demonstration.

This What Matters E-letter is to be presented as an article at http://www.whatmatters.nu/nakedtruth.html . Feel free to forward the article to others, with due acknowledgement.

** The What Matters Programme is an initiative by Boudewijn Wegerif, to spread information about what is happening in the world today, and how things could be, given a schooling at all levels to free the self and the world from debt/guilt oppression and money madness - a schooling for love. The trustees of the What Matters Programme are the collegiate of Folkh�gskola V�rdinge By, an adult education residential college south of Stockholm.

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