If the society we live in continues to move in the direction it is going, there will be violence. This isn't something I wish for. Certainly a violent society will threaten my children and grandchildren, and that alone is good reason why I couldn't embrace it. In all probability I will be dead before the shooting starts.

But there are two knots in the fabric of our civilization which I think are astonishing, because they are so contrary to the future well being of us all, but which will not break, despite what seems to me to be clear evidence of an evil outcome. One of these is the hatred -- or at least the dislike and shunning -- by the white sector of our society (declining) toward the other sectors, black and brown (increasing) .

The second knot is the ever increasing dichotomy between the haves (whose resources are constantly increasing) and the middle class (whose resources are constantly decreasing.) Everything indicates that those with the money are increasingly running the show and building more and more barriers against the possible sharing of power with the less well-to-do. In the effort to free themselves of obligations such as taxes (lower estate taxes and lower capital gains taxes) and elections (more and more "safe" districts and less control of corruption in politics), the wealthy are building themselves a structure which gives them more privilege, while increasingly shutting out other people.

I wonder what can be done to avert a violent collision between the sides?