Covid-19 and the 'Great Reset'....

[DustyBin]

I'm going to raise my head above the parapet here and risk ridicule. Before I go any further, I don't wear a tinfoil hat and I don't believe Covid-19 has anything to do with 5G or Bill Gates wanting to microchip the world's population....

I came across this article through a link on my bank's website (yes really, and I was looking to reset my password incase you're wondering!):

Now is the time for a 'great reset'

The changes we have already seen in response to COVID-19 prove that a reset of our economic model is possible. Professor Klaus Schwab outlines how to achieve it.

www.weforum.org

COVID-19 lockdowns may be gradually easing, but anxiety about the world’s social and economic prospects is only intensifying. There is good reason to worry: a sharp economic downturn has already begun, and we could be facing the worst depression since the 1930s. But, while this outcome is likely, it is not unavoidable.

To achieve a better outcome, the world must act jointly and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. In short, we need a “Great Reset” of capitalism.

Like many people I'm struggling to make sense of the governments response to Covid-19, and whilst I'm generally a believer in the mantra of "never ascribe to conspiracy that which is adequately explained by incompetence", it would take a staggering level of incompetence to get us into the mess we're in. So, is it really that irrational to consider the possibility that there is more going on than we've been led to believe?

I was quite taken aback when I saw the link to the article on my bank's website to be honest, it just seems unusual for such an organisation to associate itself with a conspiracy theory, accepting that they aren't neccessarily giving it credence. The World Economic Forum exists I think we can all agree on that, so the question is, does it have any influence over government policy?

For what it's worth, I'm a lot more 'comfortable' with the incompetence explanation, so please feel free to tell me why I shouldn't worry and that this is indeed just another crazy conspiracy theory....

 

[Bletchleyite]

Which bank is that?

If it's Barclays I'd be surprised. If it's something like Monzo, less so.

 

[DustyBin]

Which bank is that?

If it's Barclays I'd be surprised. If it's something like Monzo, less so.

It was Santander.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It was Santander.

Now that is surprising. Do you have a link to their website to give some context?

 

[DustyBin]

Now that is surprising. Do you have a link to their website to give some context?

This is the link, it doesn't express a view but I find it strange regardless.

Capitalism reset and new social contract post covid-19 crisis

In this article Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of World Economic Forum, argues that the long term economic consequences of the pandemic will exacerbate the climate and social crises that were already underway and this will make more urgent the “great reset” of our economic and...

www.santander.com

Capitalism reset and new social contract post covid-19 crisis

In this article Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of World Economic Forum, argues that the long term economic consequences of the pandemic will exacerbate the climate and social crises that were already underway and this will make more urgent the “great reset” of our economic and social systems.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks. In a section which is headed:

Insights

A section featuring views from well-known organisations, economists and experts

I wouldn't suggest that Santander in any way agreed with it.

 

[birchesgreen]

Yes its probably just content that gets added automatically.

 

[philosopher]

I'm going to raise my head above the parapet here and risk ridicule. Before I go any further, I don't wear a tinfoil hat and I don't believe Covid-19 has anything to do with 5G or Bill Gates wanting to microchip the world's population....

I came across this article through a link on my bank's website (yes really, and I was looking to reset my password incase you're wondering!):

Now is the time for a 'great reset'

The changes we have already seen in response to COVID-19 prove that a reset of our economic model is possible. Professor Klaus Schwab outlines how to achieve it.

www.weforum.org

Like many people I'm struggling to make sense of the governments response to Covid-19, and whilst I'm generally a believer in the mantra of "never ascribe to conspiracy that which is adequately explained by incompetence", it would take a staggering level of incompetence to get us into the mess we're in. So, is it really that irrational to consider the possibility that there is more going on than we've been led to believe?

I can see your thinking. I think one issue from this is that for a lot of corporations and businesses I just cannot see how they would benefit from a ‘Great Reset’. If the Great Reset involves a lot more online shopping and home work, for commercial property landowners, who are often quite wealthy and therefore should have a lot influence, they would lose out considerably. Therefore they probably would not be too keen.

 

[brad465]

Like it or not, Capitalism will have to die for the human race to continue. It works on the grounds of infinite consumption, which on a finite planet is impossible, which is why so much destruction of nature is happening and why human population continues to rise rapidly, because the whole system is an effective ponzi scheme to keep the super rich 1% being fed more money.

I don't know what the best alternative system is, maybe it's one that isn't practised anywhere right now and never has been, but the current system is unsustainable.

 

[DustyBin]

Thanks. In a section which is headed:



I wouldn't suggest that Santander in any way agreed with it.

Quite correct, they're in no way agreeing with it or expressing an opinion. I'm just suprised they included such a controversial article under the current circumstances to be honest.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2020 ==

Like it or not, Capitalism will have to die for the human race to continue. It works on the grounds of infinite consumption, which on a finite planet is impossible, which is why so much destruction of nature is happening and why human population continues to rise rapidly, because the whole system is an effective ponzi scheme to keep the super rich 1% being fed more money.

I don't know what the best alternative system is, maybe it's one that isn't practised anywhere right now and never has been, but the current system is unsustainable.

I'm a capitalist through and through, I do however recognise the problems we're facing so I don't entirely disagree with what you're saying believe it or not. Like you I've no idea what the alternative is though. Going back to the article, is this the opportunity to force a change, which populations wouldn't otherwise accept?

 

[WelshBluebird]

it would take a staggering level of incompetence to get us into the mess we're in

Not that difficult when the two people in charge of two of the more important world nations have no idea what they are doing!

 

[MikeWM]

Going back to the article, is this the opportunity to force a change, which populations wouldn't otherwise accept?

Of course, that much is obvious.

Whether those pushing such changes are simply taking advantage of the situation, or are in part responsible for the situation to begin with, is for the reader to decide.

 

[Tetchytyke]

If the Great Reset involves a lot more online shopping and home work, for commercial property landowners, who are often quite wealthy and therefore should have a lot influence, they would lose out considerably.

Any recession is rich pickings for people who are already wealthy. They get to Hoover up assets on the cheap. We saw that with the "credit crunch" and resultant inflation, the richest people in the UK are significantly more wealthy than they were before. It's the rest of us who've had a decade of below-inflation wage rises.

So I'm wary of any talk of a "great reset" because, as often as not, it's meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Look at Jeff Bezos, now well on his way to becoming the world's first dollar trillionaire.

Many of Boris Johnson's biggest backers are well placed to exploit a recession, put it that way. It's why so many are pushing for a chaotic Brexit.

 

[Dent]

The whole idea of unilaterally imposing a completely new social structure is rather dystopian. It has taken centuries of evolution to get to a society which works as well as it does, the notion that anyone can come up with something which works better for everyone overnight is completely unrealistic.

 

[DustyBin]

Any recession is rich pickings for people who are already wealthy. They get to Hoover up assets on the cheap. We saw that with the "credit crunch" and resultant inflation, the richest people in the UK are significantly more wealthy than they were before. It's the rest of us who've had a decade of below-inflation wage rises.

So I'm wary of any talk of a "great reset" because, as often as not, it's meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Look at Jeff Bezos, now well on his way to becoming the world's first dollar trillionaire.

Many of Boris Johnson's biggest backers are well placed to exploit a recession, put it that way. It's why so many are pushing for a chaotic Brexit.

The article reads very much like a sales pitch, I'm not convinced that the reality would be particularly 'great' for the likes of us so I agree with you there!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2020 ==

The whole idea of unilaterally imposing a completely new social structure is rather dystopian. It has taken centuries of evolution to get to a society which works as well as it does, the notion that anyone can come up with something which works better for everyone overnight is completely unrealistic.

I agree with that too, it doesn't mean they wouldn't attempt it though.

 

[kristiang85]

I don't know what the best alternative system is, maybe it's one that isn't practised anywhere right now and never has been, but the current system is unsustainable.

The future will probably be based around Universal Basic Income for all. Quite how we get there though, I don't know - but it will need to involve the corporations being taxed, or even indeed taking over part of the public sector effectively helping to run countries. A slightly scary thought, but given Amazon is already worth more than the GDP of many nations, it's not too fathomable a jump.

 

[MikeWM]

The future will probably be based around Universal Basic Income for all.

Which has some potential plus points, but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this would greatly increase government control over our lives, with all the problems that brings.

It would then be rather trivial to make vaccination effectively mandatory for example. See Australia and 'no jab, no pay'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Jab,_No_Pay

 

[birchesgreen]

I thought the Great Reset was just the covid conspiracy theory nonsense du jour.

 

[87electric]

At some point the penny will drop with everyone . Stop trying to figure out Government's illogical decisions about our current state. They are transforming the whole world. It's no big secret or a conspiracy.
This article from the World Economic Forum, dated June 2020, has Prince Charles outlining the need for a Great Reset.
And "The Great Reset” will be the theme of a unique twin summit in January 2021, convened by the World Economic Forum.
Whether you believe in a pandemic or not, it has certainly accelerated the demise of capitalism.

The Great Reset: A Unique Twin Summit to Begin 2021

“The Great Reset” will be the theme of a unique twin summit to be convened by the World Economic Forum in January 2021. The 51st World Economic Forum Annual Meeting will bring together global leaders from government, business and civil society, and stakeholders from around the world in a unique...

www.weforum.org

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The whole idea of unilaterally imposing a completely new social structure is rather dystopian. It has taken centuries of evolution to get to a society which works as well as it does, the notion that anyone can come up with something which works better for everyone overnight is completely unrealistic.

Indeed. A friend of mine in the UK says the world needs total anarchy. The problem with this is, it could lead to extinction by a huge World War. Even if NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) was NOT used there would be devastation everywhere and societies break down everywhere. Then what would happen? Well if history and evolution have taught us anything it is this. The strong will survive. Leaders will arise. They will get the women and plenty (or men if you are a strong female leader) and they will pass on their genes and the weak will get exploited and within 500 years we will be back where we are.

How often do we even get the 5 Permanent members of the UN Security council never mind the whole world to agree on anything - not often.

 

[brad465]

At some point the penny will drop with everyone . Stop trying to figure out Government's illogical decisions about our current state. They are transforming the whole world. It's no big secret or a conspiracy.
This article from the World Economic Forum, dated June 2020, has Prince Charles outlining the need for a Great Reset.
And "The Great Reset” will be the theme of a unique twin summit in January 2021, convened by the World Economic Forum.
Whether you believe in a pandemic or not, it has certainly accelerated the demise of capitalism.

While it was 700 years ago, there is of course a precedent of a pandemic hastening the decline of an economic system, where the Black Death helped finish off Feudalism. While it took several decades to take effect then, world connectivity and the speed of events now is much quicker, although I suspect any great reset will still need at least this whole decade to take effect.

 

[DustyBin]

I thought the Great Reset was just the covid conspiracy theory nonsense du jour.

A couple of months ago I'd probably have agreed with you, however I am now starting to wonder....

 

[brad465]

I thought the Great Reset was just the covid conspiracy theory nonsense du jour.

A couple of months ago I'd probably have agreed with you, however I am now starting to wonder....

A quick search online doesn't bring up much about the term "Great reset" being linked to a conspiracy theory, with plenty of other sites talking about either the discussion on it next year at the World Economic Forum, and/or a 2010 book on the subject. I wonder if you/we are mixing it up with a different conspiracy theory like the "New World Order" one, which proposes the hypothesis of one dictatorship ruling the whole world.

 

[birchesgreen]

Might be mixing it up with Agenda 21 perhaps. I've seen conspiracy tweets mentioning Great Reset though.

 

[KevinTurvey]

Yes the great reset is something that keeps cropping up now, I never really noticed it until my attention was drawn to it. Maybe this is linked to the other stuff like Agenda 21, Agenda 2030, ID 2020 and even Event 201.

Also the Conservative Party seems to be using the same election slogan as Joe Biden - Build Back Better.

 

[brad465]

Might be mixing it up with Agenda 21 perhaps. I've seen conspiracy tweets mentioning Great Reset though.

Agenda 21 was of course a legitimate UN sustainability plan from 1992, but the conspiracy theory is linked to the New World Order concept. From what I've seen this year the term is just being hitched onto other conspiracy theories like the New World order or the Bill Gates vaccine conspiracies.

My thinking with these conspiracy theories is that the Great Reset or Agenda 21 are genuine plans to try and improve the world, but because their success is dependant on super rich entities making significant sacrifices they might be (or have insiders hired to) peddling such theories to ensure such plans don't go ahead so they keep getting richer.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I've never understood these conspiracy theories about Covid. As with anything in life there needs to be means, motive, and opportunity.

What would a New World Order stand to gain from a scamdemic? The hyper-rich already have money and power, how is Bill Gates going to gain more power than he already has as the purveyor of computer systems that pretty much every computer in the world is dependent on? The Queen is literally above the law already.

And how would they get everyone to say the same thing and not let it slip? Boris Johnson can't even adequately lie about how many children he's got and, whilst a New World Order will be above a Prime Minister's pay grade, it won't be that much higher.

 

[birchesgreen]

Conspiracy theories arn't supposed to make sense! In fact the nuttier they are the better!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I've never understood these conspiracy theories about-------

------anything really. Me neither.
Obama wasn't born in the USA. 9/11 was an inside job. Man did not land on the moon - and now Covid. Crazy.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Conspiracy theories arn't supposed to make sense! In fact the nuttier they are the better!

I still think Interflora bumped off Princess Di.