The system is dying and rotting and feels fraudulent and we aren't sure where to direct our rage...
(I've truncated the quote, but my response is to your entire post.)
I get that a lot of people feel like this, but I don't agree. I think now is the best time it's every been to be alive, and the general trend continues to be up.
You mention the press being largely owned by a few powerful people, but this has always been the case. The fact that we're so aware of it now actually suggests progress on this front to me. And we have many robust non-profit, publicly funded, or independent sources. That's not to say there aren't massive structural issues in the news media, but I'm doubtful you could point to a time outside our lifetimes when the situation was any better.
I am concerned about the long term impacts of growing economic inequality, but it is important to remember that life has gotten better for almost every segment of western society over the last 100 years. One of the basic points that MMM makes is that the "bare minimum" middle class lifestyle in America is, in fact, an astonishing life of opulent luxury. The difference in what a "poverty line" lifestyle looked like in 1950 vs now is incredible. If nothing else, a person living in the modern world has access to the richest array of information and art ever available to any member of humanity.
That's not to say there aren't risks, or there aren't serious problems to be dealt with. But, in my opinion, a rational perspective should be based to the the understanding that we've had a huge number of successes on which we can build.
told myself i wouldn't comment but:
1983 - 90% of US media controlled by 50 companies, 2017 90% of US media controlled by 6 companies (per NY Times and Wiki, though apparently Free Press claims not that high)
https://billmoyers.com/story/media-consolidation-should-anyone-care/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_consolidationAlso Fairnes Doctrine, Equal time doctrine, Personal attack rule, Political editorial rule, all abandoned and not enforced. Their have been real changes in this any many industries like the media, but it is like the frog in the boiling water, you don't notice small changes over long periods of time. Getting rid of FCC rules (or EPA or labor or energy or education laws) does have an impact that's why they lobby to have them removed. No individual can keep up and battle against special interest, the money isn't in lobbyists for consumer interests and their aren't a tremendous amount of obscene paying corporate jobs to reward politicians that work in the public rather than special interests. As in Plato's Republic this is a problem, which is why he proposed the radical notion that the ruling class possessions were outlawed.
You asked a time when media wasn't as concentrated, 1983. Again erosion of government rules and regulations by special interests. We stopped enforcing antitrust laws, stopped being alarmed by concentration of wealth and power. There was a time before cable news, where media was more centrist... With cable news and then the internet, owners could argue this are different forms of media, not subject to the old rules meant to govern over air tv and radio, and again push to get rules removed, to the point you can have inflammatory fake stories...
Your right things are getting better for everyone, this is very true I'm glad to be alive now compared to 1215, or 1915 or 1955. Compared to the 50's our society is far more egalitarian, with greater luxuries, the world is getting better. As the Stoics and Mr Money Mustache point out appreciation of what we have, negative visualization, gratitude and perspective is tonic for hedonic adaptation, the continual boredom with what we have, mindless consumerism, etc...
However, our society got better when we pointed out inequality and started having public schools, social security, government protecting food and air quality, implementing child labor laws, banning discriminatory practices, trying to eliminate graft and corruption. The public is polarized over the flag or Kapernic or 'tribes' while the rich dismantle our government brick by brick, with people unsure who to focus anger at for things getting worse. Although the 'arc of history is long and bends towards justice' as well as bends towards progress and luxury, that doesn't mean we can't be alarmed at the direction our country is going or what is occurring with our democracy.
real wages have stagnated against inflation, growth in the economy is going to small proportion at the top and the policies they have bought from the government have exacerbated the trend. I believe it is this that is driving frustrations in the 1st world in a way that doesn't occur when everyones standard of living is on the rise from generation to generation. Nassiem Taleb's general search for Black Swans and feeling we undervalue risk is I believe informed by the devastation inflicted on Lebanon, going from the 'Paris of the Middle East' of his youth into civil war. Don't feel fully secure that things will go on forever without some vigilance. Even if the march of humanity is upward, it isn't inevitable without fighting for it, ie... civil rights movement, suffragette movement.
Numerous studies have show that legislators on both sides of the isle are much more polarized and less likely to vote with the other side, than now. Just because inequality was worse in the 1920's or our politics was more divided during the Reconstruction doesn't mean there isn't some cause for alarm.
Although I can be happy with the sunset, running water, indoor plumbing, my friends, family, health, the internet and phones, dazzling array of foods and beers or whatnot, when I step outside my stoic contentment I feel a duty to speak out against the wealthy dismantling our government. When I talk to younger people many seemed scared about the future in a way my generation didn't. The selling of our government has real consequences. I'm torn between acceptance of things outside my control, appreciation for life and splender and a feeling of duty towards truth our Country perhaps.
Just today current admin to stop rules about predatory payday loans, no one on this board will fall for them, so who cares right. Maybe another rule about pollution in streams but hey not in our middle class area, who cares right. Cut taxes further on the rich drive up the debt and talk about cutting social security, thats ok. Allow banks to eliminate various rules on investment to manipulate aluminum and copper, that's ok. High speed traders to jump in front of all trades and extract tiny toll, allow pharma companies to use Gov't block me buying medicine from Canada or Ireland (shouldn't free trade advocates be against this) thats fine. <this is fine meme>.
this is just anecdotal so I could be wrong, just a thought
/weak attempt to tie wall of text to original Off Topic - reasons for liberals vs conservatives increased polarization:
inequality pushes division and looking for someone to blame, rapid changes to culture accelerating with media and tech changes are hard for people to adjust to, gerrymandering makes districts ideologically safe and you can appeal more to your base, splintering in the media results in us living in filter bubbles of ideas we agree with, rise of special interests and increased campaign contributions/increasing role of money driving policy, lack of shared enemy or lack of shared national aspiration/end of Cold War, good and bad breakdown of nationalism/patriotism. Overall I like the idea of trying to find common ground and not vilify each other, on actual issues and policy most people can find reasonable compromises or points of agreement