gollum wrote:You have some valid points, I wonder if "slavery" will take some form of indentured servitude, or passing debt down generations? The wealthy seem to be getting a lot of mileage from blaming the poor and unemployed for the problems of this country.
I don't think that you should worry too much about passing debt down generations.
Such ideas would meet too much resistance and I also expect current edition of financial system to collapse by hyperinflation.
This should take peoples off the hook.
Enough of double standards was recently brought into system to make such trick not really viable IMO.
If such a risk ever appears, it may be a result of some new Draconian financial framework where all debts are reseted by bare necessity (general bankruptcy of nearly everything), but some substantial deterrents are legislated in to discourage future borrowers from repetition of current reckless behavior and also to restore confidence in new edition of currency.
However I still think that it would be a debtor only (and not his kids), who would risk slavery.
As per blaming poor for troubles and enslaving them.*If* societal collapse accelerated enough that zombie hordes are a real threat there must be some final stand of those who are still alive (not zombified).
Doing nothing would convert US into Haiti and Americans are by nature rather solution seekers than surrenders.
Zombie problems are intractable if substantial numbers of zombies are involved, unless something beyond current ethical status quo is attempted.
Ludi is completely deluding herself (pun not intended) if she believes that we would succeed in converting millions of zombies into sustainable gardeners in available time-frame and base on resources available for collapsing society.
The bottom line is that as society facing intractable ecological challenge we cannot handle tens of millions of idle hands and hungry mouth also enjoying free will to act.
Hence some mass enslavement of such individuals may be attempted, just to preserve remaining scraps of social order left.
Now there is all important question,
*of whom* might these zombie hordes consist.
Generally it is assumed that they will consist of current *poor*.
Partially true, partially not.
Many poor have and will preserve their marginal source of income, so they will be spared.
Many other are fit enough to do some physical work in emerging hand made economy of the future.
Not all but many.
I expect zombies to be formed out of current petty criminal element (usually poor) but also of countless members of middle class from sectors of economy which cease to exist or take a substantial hit.
So I also expect plenty of clerical staff of all sort, lawyers, insurance reps, IT sector workers, service economy workers etc to join zombie outbreaks.
IMO not only current poor will be affected.
Much of current middle class and rich are living in
phantom economy and we are going to find pretty soon that they are of no use really.
Of course most (but not all) of American super rich will manage through fine.