Summary in Plain Language
This article directly shatters the self-deception of many people over the past few years: What we are experiencing is not just a temporary “abnormality” caused by the pandemic or the trade war, but the complete collapse of the old global order dominated by the United States, which had lasted for nearly 80 years since World War II. We are now in a profound period of transition where the old rules no longer apply, and new rules have not yet been established. The vast majority of people either haven’t realized this or are unwilling to accept it, continuing to pretend that things will return to “normal” in 2019. However, in all historical periods of power transition, those who refuse to adapt and cling to old logic end up paying a heavy price. The real preparation for a chaotic world does not involve hoarding gold or obtaining passports; it requires abandoning the illusion of waiting for rescue or the return of the old order and instead creating multiple pathways to survival that are not tied to any single set of rules.
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Point-by-Point Explanation
1. Stop deceiving yourself—the old order is truly dead
Many people think that the current chaos is temporary and will pass in a couple of years, but there are clear signs that the old order is irreversible:
- Since World War II, the number of armed conflicts this year has reached the highest level in 80 years, with 65 incidents. In the past, large countries could easily overwhelm smaller ones; now, a civilian drone costing a few thousand dollars can consume millions of the enemy’s missiles, and the U.S. has already depleted a significant portion of its ammunition supplies.
- The U.S. government’s debt has exceeded $40 trillion, and all nuclear arms control treaties from the Cold War have been invalidated. The “doomsday clock” created by scientists who developed the atomic bomb now shows only 85 seconds until midnight, which is more critical than during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Ironically, the United States, which once built this old order, is now dismantling it: it is imposing taxes on its allies like Canada and Europe and has openly expressed interest in purchasing Greenland, even threatening military action. It no longer acts as the “property manager” of the global order; instead of maintaining order or resolving disputes, it is stealing from its former partners.
- This is not about a “world in disarray”; rather, the “property manager” has left, and the residents are struggling to establish new rules on their own without any guidance.
2. The current chaos is not without structure; it’s a silent shift between old and new players
Many people think the world is in chaos, but two opposing forces have already come into conflict:
- The vested interests of the old order (the United States) have given up trying to maintain order and rely solely on money to generate profits: printing dollars, collecting royalties for patents, and exploiting the global payment system. They are essentially selling “paper” (dollars, bonds, patent certificates) for profit.
- The new players, on the other hand, are focused on tangible assets: building ships, laying out power grids, manufacturing batteries, and developing physical supply chains. They are creating wealth through tangible products.
- During the Cold War, boundaries were clearly defined through treaties like the Yalta Agreement; now, no one sits down to negotiate. Whoever takes control of a territory does so without any rules or guarantees. It’s like the bosses of old companies sitting back while their employees set up new businesses elsewhere. The new company systems have not yet been established, so whoever occupies the market first will have the say in the future.
3. Why do so many intelligent people pretend nothing is wrong when they see the chaos?
Historically, when old orders were dying, most people pretended everything was normal. It’s not that they were stupid; the benefits of continuing with the old ways were too great:
- Before the French Revolution, King Louis XVI thought his country was stable despite being bankrupt; before World War I, Tsar Nicholas II believed his people loved him despite widespread discontent; the elites of the Weimar Republic released Hitler, thinking they could control him. These people didn’t ignore the crisis; their wealth, power, and status were all tied to the old order. Acknowledging a change would have meant losing their gains. Similarly, for us, the mortgages we’ve paid off, the homes we’ve bought, the skills we’ve acquired, and the career paths we’ve planned are all based on the assumption that the old order would always continue. Admitting a change would mean starting over, and the cost is too high, so everyone pretends that everything will return to normal.
4. 90% of what you thought were preparations for a chaotic world are ineffective
Many people think they are prepared for turmoil by hoarding gold, obtaining overseas passports, or building shelters in the suburbs, but these actions are based on the old order’s logic. Their value comes from that order. If the rules change, those assets will become useless. True preparation involves developing skills that are independent of the old system—for example, being able to repair solar panels that everyone needs, writing open-source code that is widely used, and having connections in multiple industries. This way, your wealth and identity are not tied to a single set of rules, similar to Leonardo da Vinci, who was a painter, engineer, and anatomist, and no one could completely control him.
5. No superhero will come to the rescue; those who wait for help will starve
In the past, there was always someone to step in to restore order: the United States or the United Nations. But this logic no longer applies. Recently, when disasters like mudslides occurred in Nepal and Tibet, no major country sent aid; everyone was busy competing for territory. There is no “global hero” to step in.
Don’t wait for a new president, a peace agreement, or an economic rebound to 2019 levels. Those who survive are not the ones who stay at home waiting for help. They either give up some of their interests to avoid revolution, like the British nobility; they diversify their resources, like Canada; or they create their own paths. History never announces changes in advance; the survivors are those who prepared early by adapting to new circumstances.