Today America announced their new president - Donald Trump. And with that we have concluded yet another one of the infinite cycles. See, I believe that we as human beings struggle tremendously to move forward in a linear path towards progress. We love looping back on our own path and regress. Sometimes these circles are very big, but they are still there.
I am not into politics but for a long time we have been moving forward in general with STEM. Since STEM is pretty fundamental to our way of life now, that is a good thing. However, what happened in America is not unlike what has happened in 1994 in South Africa.
Back then the white government reigned and pushed the country forward from a STEM point of view. A minority of the people voted to keep this state of affairs going - it was illegal for blacks to vote at all. Clearly biased and unfair, but that is how it was. In 1994 voting was opened for everyone, and so the people cast their votes. The ANC won the election, elected by almost exclusively the blue collar workers. Most of these people were uneducated, illiterate, earned perhaps $20 per month and completely ignorant to anything politically related. They just wanted change as they were made promises by the ANC that played to their needs.
So for the past 22 years South Africa is led by the ANC at the head of its government. STEM has been stunted mostly, mass emigration of white collar workers ensued, and right now South Africa has major, major problems - such as a lack of water and electricity due to poor planning, lack of funding into STEM and poor management of resources.
America has just elected a president that clearly shows great disregard for honesty, integrity and STEM. He does not believe in global warming. He does not understand technology at all. Yet he promised things that made most of the blue collared workers excited - big walls to keep the Mexicans out, renewed efforts in engaging in war against all muslims (not just ISIS any longer), and so on. The people that voted for him clearly are the blue collared workers - look at the election map from google. All the states where you'd expect to find white collared workers have voted for the democratic party. All the red - that is mostly your rural, country people. Silicon Valley is all blue - but none of that matters with Trump now having the presidency and senate and US house.
Are we in for 22 years of darkness? Will America become known as "Dark America"? Only time will tell - but I just know that we as humans have just lost at least 4 years of progress - most probably a lot more.