This week: the absurdity of believing billionaires Trump and Musk will solve wealth inequality; an update on my writing; The Spike-related links; and when the White Stripes channelled Citizen Kane.
the_wrong_solution
Part of me hates to do this, but this week I have to write about Trump, Musk, and the USA’s descent into fascism.
Let me start by saying I understand the desire to see the establishment torn down. For too long, they have enabled the enrichment of the few to the detriment of the many. They have allowed the wealthy to do whatever they want, without consequence, and in some cases deliberately legislated to keep the poor, poor, and the rich, rich.
Emboldened, billionaires are increasingly deciding to control things directly instead of from the shadows – witness them all sat behind Trump at his inauguration. (For anyone who didn’t notice, you might want to note that, between them, they control every major social media platform, and are manoeuvring to take control of TikTok too. This is not an accident. Controlling the message is page 1 of the fascist playbook).
However, voting to put billionaires in charge makes no sense to me. They haven’t accrued their obscene wealth by being considerate of anyone else. Just focussing on Trump and Musk, there are boundless examples of their heinous acts – I could write a loooong list here but I won’t because most people are probably vaguely aware of most of them.
The problem is, somehow, they’ve convinced at least half the voters that their immoral and, in some cases, illegal acts are unimportant.
Even more incredible, they’ve successfully sold the idea that illegal immigrants, who are unable to claim benefits, are taking more money from the normal working person than they are.
“It’s no trick to make a lot of money if all you want is to make a lot of money.” – Mr Bernstein in Citizen Kane
As reported this week by Oxfam, billionaire wealth surged by $2 trillion in 2024, three times faster than the year before, while the number of people living in poverty has barely changed since 1990.
- Oxfam predicts there will be at least five trillionaires a decade from now.
- 204 new billionaires were minted in 2024, nearly four every week.
- Sixty percent of billionaire wealth is now derived from inheritance, monopoly power or crony connections, as Oxfam argues that “extreme billionaire wealth is largely unmerited.”
- Richest 1 percent in the Global North extracted $30 million an hour from the Global South through the financial system in 2023.
- Oxfam urges governments to tax the richest to reduce inequality, end extreme wealth, and dismantle the new aristocracy. Former colonial powers must address past harms with reparations.
As Richard Murphy (a political economist, chartered accountant, and professor in political economy, accounting and sustainability with over 40 years experience) points out, the hording of wealth by billionaires hurts the global economy. When a poorer person gets money, they spend it, which stimulates growth. When a billionaire gets money, it goes into their bank account and earns them the interest they live off.
Does anyone believe Trump and Musk would introduce a wealth tax? Or do anything in any way to reduce their own wealth and more fairly distribute it to the people?
I’m not sure even their supporters would say yes. Yet most will not accept anything negative about their “saviours”. They refuse to even listen.
I agree with their desire to bring about change. But believing Trump and/or Musk are the answer is either ignorant or deluded in a way that could prove epically disastrous.
As we can see from Trump’s first few days and the executive orders he’s been throwing out like a dictator, it’s a perilous situation, and I don’t have an answer. It should be clear to anyone prepared to be honest with themselves that this isn’t it.
progress_report
Not much progress to report this week, my day job has been just horrible. I did at least keep up my record of doing something, no matter how small, every day, now up to 232 consecutive days.
Next week is likely to be similarly painful, before hopefully things will begin to calm down a little and my focus can return to the work I prefer.
status.vol2
The Spike Volume 2 will contain three separate books from the perspective of seven characters.
Part 1 – draft 2 complete; further chapters to add.
Part 2 – draft 2 complete!
Part 3 – draft 2 written up to chapter 20; forty-six chapters to go.
The intention is to complete draft 2 of part 3 by the end of February.
Part 1 is currently much shorter than the others, and I want them to be closer in length, so I will need to decide how to tighten parts 2 and 3 slightly, and add more to part 1 – I have some exciting ideas to expand it.
Then a readthrough of all parts will determine how much revision is required.
The ultimate aim is to have Volume 2 finished by the end of 2025 for publication early 2026.
connecting_links
The Spike is set in our world, incorporating real events; the links below are relevant to the themes and overarching storyline, and may or may not provide clues to the direction of the series.
I do not necessarily agree with or endorse any of the views within.
UK Ministry of Defence enlists sci-fi writers to prepare for dystopian futures
The wonder material which could hold the key to near-limitless energy
‘Dark oxygen’ mission takes aim at other worlds
Decentralized Social Media Is the Only Alternative to the Tech Oligarchy
Beam me to the stars: Scientists propose wild new interstellar travel tech
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, with that quote from Citizen Kane above fresh in my mind, I was reminded of the White Stripes track “The Union Forever”.
It was a track I had always enjoyed whilst listening to their album “White Blood Cells”, but I gained a new respect for it when I watched Citizen Kane. I quickly recognised a line from the film as being in the song. Then another. And another!
Every line in the song is taken from the movie, which is such a clever and creative idea. I’m sure there aren’t many films where that could work at all, never mind this well, but it’s a tribute to both Jack White and Citizen Kane that the result is fantastic.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 