Excellent points. I too see the world's elites manipulating the situation in a number of ways. Circling their wagons to protect their ill-begotten wealth and positions of privilege/power. More intense psychological warfare visited upon the masses, particularly narrative control through massive propaganda and censorship. And, the leveraging of some 'other' (especially the West's favourite bogeymen) to pin the blame upon for crises and rising austerity--rather than their engagement and championing of the gargantuan Ponzi scheme (the pursuit of the infinite growth chalice on a finite planet) we've all become caught within. We cannot claim we do not live in interesting times.