Nothing Can Stop This Train

The modern world is a complex, interconnected system driven by overlapping forces—finance, energy, politics, and technology—that shape the lives of billions. In recent years, these systems have shown signs of strain, raising questions about their sustainability and the trajectory of global society. From skyrocketing public debt and shifting energy dynamics to the rise of surveillance technologies and political dysfunction, we are on a train hurtling toward an uncertain future. The systemic forces at play have historical roots, with ramifications for individuals navigating an increasingly unstable world.

The Financial Train: Debt, Energy, and Fiscal Dominance

Money, debt, and finance are the lifeblood of modern economies, yet their intricacies remain opaque to most. Lyn Alden, in her discussion with Nate Hagens on The Great Simplification (July 30, 2025), offers a systems perspective on our financial predicament. She highlights how rising government debt, surging interest rates, and energy constraints are colliding to create a volatile economic landscape. Historically, periods of unsustainable public debt, such as the Roman Empire’s debasement of currency or the Weimar Republic’s hyperinflation, have led to systemic resets, often with devastating consequences. Today, global debt levels exceed $300 trillion, with the U.S. alone carrying over $33 trillion in federal debt, a figure that grows by nearly $1 trillion annually due to interest payments and deficits.

Alden critiques economic theories like Keynesianism, which advocates for deficit spending to stimulate growth, and Modern Monetary Theory, which posits that governments can print money without consequence as long as inflation remains controlled. These frameworks, she argues, fail to account for energy dynamics and the limits of resource extraction. Energy is the foundation of economic activity—without affordable oil, coal, or natural gas, industrial economies grind to a halt. As global oil production plateaus and renewable energy struggles to scale, the cost of energy inputs rises, squeezing margins and fueling inflation. This dynamic exacerbates fiscal dominance, where central banks are pressured to monetize government debt, eroding currency value and purchasing power.

For developed nations, persistent inflation and rising interest rates could erode savings and pensions, while developing countries face currency devaluation and import shortages. Alden points to recent trends in Bitcoin and stablecoins as potential hedges for individuals, though their volatility and regulatory uncertainty limit their accessibility. Artificial intelligence, meanwhile, could amplify economic disparities by automating jobs while concentrating wealth in tech giants.

For the average person, understanding these dynamics is crucial for preparing for a future of economic turbulence. Historical lessons suggest diversification, into tangible assets, skills, and community networks, as a strategy for resilience. Somehow, the complexity of crypocurrencies, plus a lack of financial assets on the part of the 99%, precludes their understanding of and financial preparation for a future of economic turbulence, unless that means, when one’s income cannot cover expenses and one is not underwater (as in credit-card hell or something), moving in with wealthier friends or relatives, or moving to an intentional community with a farm.

The Political Mirage: Power, Promises, and Betrayal

Parallel to the financial system’s unraveling is a political landscape marked by distrust and dysfunction. The 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, particularly Trump’s re-election, illustrates this vividly. Trump and his allies, including J.D. Vance, promised transparency, notably the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious activities. Yet, post-election, these promises have been sidelined, replaced by backpedaling and distractions. Trump’s dismissal of the Epstein issue as a “Democrat hoax” and his administration’s reliance on figureheads like Pete Hegseth and RFK Jr.—who appear to lack real authority—suggest a deeper issue: a disconnect between public rhetoric and actual power structures.

This phenomenon is not new but reflects a broader trend of political theater masking entrenched interests. The Epstein case, with its ties to global elites, intelligence networks, and organized crime, exemplifies this. Epstein’s “black book,” leaked by his former butler Alfredo Rodriguez in 2015, named figures like Trump, Flavio Briatori, Alan Dershowitz, and Leslie Wexner as potential co-conspirators or witnesses. Speculation abounds about Epstein’s connections to Israeli intelligence and the U.S. FBI, with some theorizing that his network facilitated kompromat to influence policy, particularly U.S. support for Israel. Whether through blackmail or shared interests, the overlap between Epstein’s benefactors and Trump’s political allies—such as Peter Thiel, who funded J.D. Vance’s rise—raises questions about who truly holds power.

Historically, such networks are not unprecedented. The essay references Roy Cohn, Trump’s mentor, whose ties to organized crime, the CIA, and political elites like the Bronfman family trace back to the post-WWII era. The Jewish-American mob, in collaboration with the OSS (CIA precursor), played a role in arming paramilitary groups during Israel’s founding in 1948. These transnational power structures, built on “favor banks” and backroom deals, persist today, undermining democratic accountability. For individuals, this suggests a need for skepticism toward political promises and a focus on local, community-driven solutions to counter centralized power.

The Surveillance Web: Israel’s Spy Tech and Global Civil Liberties

Compounding these financial and political challenges is the rise of a surveillance state powered by advanced technologies, many of which originate in Israel. Nate Bear’s article (July 29, 2025) details how Israeli spy tech firms, staffed by former Unit 8200 intelligence officers, dominate the global market for surveillance tools. Companies like NSO Group, Cellebrite, Cobwebs Technologies, and Corsight AI provide governments with capabilities ranging from zero-click phone hacks to facial recognition and geofencing. These tools, honed in Israel’s occupation of Palestine, are now used by Western democracies to monitor dissidents, journalists, and protesters.

The scale is staggering. Cellebrite, for instance, has contracts worth millions with U.S. agencies like ICE, the FBI, and the Navy, as well as UK police forces and Australian authorities. Cobwebs Technologies’ WebLoc tool tracks mobile phones in real-time, while Corsight AI’s facial recognition software, tested in Gaza, is deployed in cities like São Paulo and Bogotá. These technologies, Bear argues, are not merely tools for law enforcement but enablers of a “21c fascism” that fuses authoritarian control with cutting-edge tech. Israel’s impunity, rooted in its military culture and apartheid policies, allows it to export these tools without significant oversight, threatening global civil liberties.

This surveillance web has historical parallels in the Cold War era, when intelligence agencies like the CIA and KGB developed extensive monitoring systems. Today, however, the scale and precision of digital surveillance, enabled by AI and big data, far surpass past capabilities. For individuals, this underscores the importance of digital hygiene: using encrypted communication, minimizing data footprints, and supporting privacy advocacy. Bear’s call to “de-Zionise” the world highlights the need to challenge Israel’s role in this ecosystem, though broader systemic reform is required to curb surveillance capitalism.

The Left’s Dilemma: A Fractured Path Forward

Amid these challenges, the American left struggles to articulate a coherent response. Social Democrats lament the decline of traditional organizing models. The shift from an industrial to a financialized, service-based economy has fragmented the working class, rendering mass workplace movements obsolete. The Democratic Party, rather than embracing figures like Zohran Mamdani, often opposes leftist challengers, reinforcing a two-party system that stifles dissent. The gerontocracy’s hold on power, coupled with a baked-in next generation of centrist leaders, leaves little room for short-term progress.

This predicament reflects a broader crisis of agency in democratic systems. As financial, political, and surveillance structures consolidate power, grassroots movements face structural barriers. Historical socialist movements, like the Bolsheviks or the New Deal coalition, leveraged moments of crisis to enact change, but today’s left lacks a unifying strategy. Honesty about the system’s flaws is a starting point, but actionable steps—such as building alternative institutions, supporting local candidates, or fostering mutual aid networks—require long-term commitment in a time of urgency.

Navigating the Unstoppable Train

The metaphor of an “unstoppable train” captures the momentum of these converging crises. Financially, the interplay of debt, energy, and fiscal policy threatens economic stability. Politically, the gap between public promises and hidden power structures erodes trust. Technologically, the spread of surveillance tools risks a dystopian future of zero dissent. Socially, the left’s fragmentation limits collective resistance. Yet, history offers lessons for resilience. During the Great Depression, communities formed cooperatives; during the Cold War, dissidents used samizdat to share ideas. Today, individuals can cultivate resilience through:

• Economic Preparedness: Diversify assets, learn practical skills, and build local economies to buffer against inflation and supply chain disruptions.

• Political Skepticism: Question narratives, support transparent leaders, and engage in community governance to counter centralized power.

• Digital Defense: Adopt privacy tools (e.g., Signal, VPNs), reduce social media exposure, and advocate for data rights.

• Social Solidarity: Join or form mutual aid groups, support local organizing, and foster intergenerational dialogue to rebuild collective agency.

Hagens’ Earth Day presentation (referenced in The Great Simplification) emphasizes nine paths for resilience—intellectual, ecological, spiritual, and psychological. These “scout teams” of individuals and communities can experiment with solutions, laying the groundwork for a cultural transition away from infinite growth. While the train may be unstoppable, its passengers can prepare for the journey ahead by understanding the systems at play and acting with intention, maybe even finding a good time and place to get off the train and go “off-grid” to some degree.

The world’s financial, political, and technological systems are intertwined, each amplifying the others’ vulnerabilities. Lyn Alden’s analysis reveals a financial system strained by debt and energy limits. The Epstein saga and Trump’s administration expose a political system where power operates behind a veneer of populism. Nate Bear’s investigation into Israeli spy tech warns of a surveillance state eroding freedoms. "The Left,” along with everyone else who’s not part of the global authoritarian takeover, is struggling to adapt to a new reality. Together, these perspectives paint a picture of a civilization at a crossroads, driven by forces that feel unstoppable, if not yet inevitable.

Individuals cannot halt the train, but they can organize, in-person and/or online, find mutual support and solidarity, and maybe achieve victories as part of a movement. Win or lose, though, it’s not healthy to merely watch, isolated, as a nation’s last shred of cosmopolitan benevolence devolves to ethno-fascist theocracy (as is trending now, around the world), and the future appears ever more bleak. Better to find meaning with those who would make the world a more inclusive, harmonious, sustainable place to live. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_Search_for_Meaning

By learning from history, embracing resilience, and fostering community and support systems, people can prepare for the challenges ahead. The future is uncertain, but agency lies in our ability to understand, adapt, and act together.