Power in the hands of too few?

I’ve finished my grieving over Brexit and have started my soul searching.  In looking for a glimmer of hope the only one I can see is if I believe that it was not a vote to put Britain first and that we can do it better than if we didn’t have all those pesky European neighbours of ours coming over eating our food and meddling in our business, but if I believe that it was an actually an outcry against the powers that be. If it was in fact the masses saying no, listen to us for once.

Unfortunately I don’t think the masses have voted for something that is in fact in their best interests, but that they have been forced to take the only opportunity they can to show their dissent.  I’ve been flip-flopping in the last few days about wether the outcome of this referendum means other forms of democracy which give the public more direct involvement in democracy, such as liquid democracy, are in fact a good thing.  One the one hand it seems to show that the general public can be swayed by inflammatory advertising and emotional triggers, which can yet still be controlled by those few in power, but on the other side this does make them widely unpredictable and in turn harder to control.  Unfortunately in the case of Brexit I doubt the reaction will be a general uprising but rather a clamp down and a short return to the status quo, those in power don’t actually want the financial system to fail nor actually to change and whether we are officially part of the European union or not will no doubt have little effective difference. 

The one hope in fact lies in the shock of the middle class. Those not in power but baffled by the irrationality of the majority.  If we ask ourselves why they acted this way, perhaps we’ll see the system for what it is, power in the hands of too few.

What world is this?

I feel deeply saddened to wake to the world today. To a world that I thought I understood but to which I realise I don’t.  Today the majority of Britain voted to leave the EU. 

I’m not worried about the financial ramifications. The outcome has already caused havoc in the markets this morning. But I’ve learnt, having lived through the financial crisis, financial markets have short memories. You only have to look to Iceland, who despite being bailed out and voting not to pay back the money still continues to thrive.  Or the sub-prime mortgages, which despite being at the root of the speculation on which the crisis was built, begin to appear again. No I’m not worried about that. I have no doubt that those in power wish to remain that way and will figure it out. 

Nor am I worried that my dream of being 1.5 years away from attaining freedom to live anywhere in Europe will be dashed. It’s a freedom that is very dear to my heart, having had it threatened to be taken away from me in 2009 in the last crisis, I know first hand the stress it causes. The lack of freedom to make decisions about your life is soul destroying. Living since then with that burden on my shoulder I will celebrate with great vigour the day that monkey is off my back. But no this doesn’t worry me either. Britain needs immigrants as much as immigrants need Britain and I doubt they will make that move. 

What worries me is the sentiment. The sentiment to separate, point our differences and build walls. That deeply saddens me, and feels like a major setback. 

Those people are not taking your stuff, they are not chaining you to their rules. That is our stuff, that is our responsibility to figure it out. This is our world. Everyone’s.

I hope some day you’ll join us and the world will be as one!