-end of line- Max Weber and the Zombie Apocalypse

Professor Max Weber is widely regarded as the voice of modern sociology. His book:- "The protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism" (1909) is a landmark study, yet it is also contentious for the time it was written. This is due, in no uncertain terms, to the dark prophecy in its final conclusion: where he describes how rampant capitalism becomes an uncontrollable monster, as the society it attempts to keep together, begins to eat itself alive with chaotic consumerism. Now, over one hundred years since its publication, his dark prophecy is being finally fulfilled.The signs of it are seen everywhere: in the asset and free market economy and in our ever growing need to grab as much as we can, as quickly as we can; and despite ourselves, because we cannot help it, to have the best and most expensive items, at the expense of our own poor and disabled, while hundreds of millions die everyday in utter poverty that many of us in the "developed world" can barely imagine; and wouldn't want to face it if we did. It is also seen in mirror of the modern media: in the reality TV show and the celebrity culture that it espouses; where individuals attain a form of Godhood, though doing little, saying nothing, and getting paid disgusting amounts of money, in some cases for simply turning up to an event. Also as a backlash and perhaps equal to it, is the growing popularity of the zombie apocalypse industry: where the dead, consume the living, while the living are grateful that they are alive. killing the dead as they consume the living. -itself a rich metaphor for the modern world that Weber foresaw- In this new age of monstrous capitalism and austerity, the Zombie media franchise screams at us from the book, the TV and the cinema screen, yet, we don't seem to listen: we seem to walk blindly by tapping into our smart phone, texting our friends and walking in near silence of our fractured dystopean society, ruled by camera operators and unelected leaders, as we wander the Isles of malls wondering what it is we need next; and in doing so, we consume, consume, consume, despite the austerity, we consume until we can consume no more and our homes, filled with new gadgets, that are out of date by the time we bring them home, become broken shrines to a greed obsessed selfish world. One thing is certain: Weber saw it coming before we experienced it. At the time he was not taken seriously, and eventually had a mental breakdown. Why? well, I think that Weber was suffering from the classic symptoms of the Cassandra complex; which is the plight of prophets since biblical times, and now the words of Jesus " A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown." seem to resonate within me. Why? i don't really know at the moment, perhaps later today it will be made clear to me. But right now, when I think of this humble scholar from Germany, it is with a sense of awe. After all, he simply followed the pattern of his observations, which in turn, led him to this final conclusion. And this is something that we can all do, if we take the time to observe the world around us, and discuss what we see openly. By posting this perhaps I am being cynical, or posting the obvious, to the knowledgeable. But like Weber I see cycles; and this cycle will end. It has to. What follows it? Well I believe that is something that I think will be exiting; and that is something to live for. Is it going to be easy? No, but everything that has worth, is hard fought for and won at a cost; and that, in the end, is what is noble about humanity.-end of line-