We spent basically the entire period since the Middle Ages, you know, with ups and downs,

moving towards a society where if you worked hard and you developed a decent number of skills,

you could live a modest middle class lifestyle and you could afford to raise a family,

and you could afford maybe to have a little backyard or a nice flat.

That was what we had achieved. We, by 1970, Western societies, Japan as well,

had achieved that goal and now we're moving exactly away from it.

And if you think that you can do that without there being major social disruption, I think you're home.

Hello, and welcome to Trigonometry. I'm Francis Foster. I'm Constantin Kissen. And this is the show for you

if you want honest conversations with fascinating people. Our brilliant guest today is a Geographer

and the author, a number of books, the latest of which is the coming of new feudalism,

a warning to the global middle class. Joel Cockkin, welcome to Trigonometry.

It's my pleasure. It's really great to have you on. Can't wait to discuss your book and other things

that you've written about recently. Before we do, though, tell everybody, who are you?

How are you, where you are? What has been the journey through life that leads you to be sitting here talking to us?

Well, I'm basically, I was born in Germany. My father was in the army. I grew up in New York.

My family's been in New York since about 1900. So I have roots there. I moved to California, went to the University of California

at Berkeley in the early 70s, which was interesting. And then I've been a journalist, basically, all my life.

I've had university, think, and affiliations. But my mindset is that of a writer of the journalist.

And one of the things that's missing today is, as we keep trying to find specialties.

So people write about this and write about that, but they don't write about the big picture.

You know, it's like Sorokin wrote many years ago that we know more and more about less and less.

And I think that's where we're, you know, where we've headed.

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