Whenever our leaders make a mess
they tell us we should welcome progress,
moving forward, embracing change,
though the world around us grows more strange.
Always the propaganda makes us
meekly follow where the machine takes us.
From recession to dotcom bubble
we knew the world was heading for trouble,
knew we ought to hedge our bets
buy the system said "increase your debts
and fuel and endless spiral of growth,
moving faster no room for sloth.
Work and spend and spend and borrow,
consuming like there’s no tomorrow.
Energy prices, sub – prime crisis,
all the time the pressure rises,
war on drugs, war in Iraq,
war on the poor, no turning back,
technology overload, obsession with youth,
the great divide between north and south.
Half the globe starving, half obese,
homeless people on the streets
while bankers all grow richer yet
buying and selling bundles of debt.
Forests burning, nature in retreat
corporations and nations must compete.
Carbon footprints in the sand,
everything available on demand.
People sick and dying of stress
and yet they tell us this is progress.