Thought of the day. It does a lot to explain the World Wars of the 20th century. But people a century ago had fewer channels for their energy. It was natural that they'd see nationalism, war, and revolution as escapes from the problem of boredom and dissatisfaction, and jump at the chance to escape the boredom of everyday life.
In recent years, the masses have had more and been distracted by affluence - consumerism, entertainment, sports, travel, drugs. I don't say that to put "the masses" down. People who find channels for their energies in peaceful activities are less dangerous and threatening than those who need confrontation or violence to feel alive. That we find ourselves talking so often about a coming civil war, though, is definitely not a good sign.
I think the advent of the 24 hour news cycle and instant, portable media have done a lot to make the people that care about politics and culture over-estimate the number of people that care like about it like they do. Maybe it also makes the ones that do care are more intense about it too or something. If things are now so dire, and it was this vital matter to so many, seems to me we would see more people deigning to vote about it before they would choose the hardship that would come with choosing civil unrest.
Freegards