The New Dark Ages

The tea parties might be the last gasp for liberty for another 1000 years, during which time human numbers and mobility might drop sufficiently that another small group of rebels could found a new republic on some isolated continent, based on Classical Liberalism, which will again over a couple of centuries grow, thrive, prosper and flame out.

It's weird... animals and other constantly changing natural conditions drive species to extinction all the time. But when we humans do it, it's somehow different. I'm not saying that we should deliberately set out to drive species to extinction (although we have, and failed: anopheles mosquitoes, smallpox virus...). Many species boom and bust, and humans are no exception. We may think we're invincible with all our technology, but we're not so great. We're just having a bloom. The irony is we might bring about our own demise in the name of sustainability. I’m convinced that it is no exaggeration to say that if successful, the watermelons will usher in a new dark age.