| Dear Friend, If I had to name a real-life prophet, a person with the elusive crystal ball, I would have to give historian and generational researcher Neil Howe—one of the headliners at the Virtual SIC 2020—my vote. In 1999, he and the late William Strauss wrote The Fourth Turning, the definitive and downright prophetic work on generational cycles in the United States. I highly recommend you read it. The Fourth Turning predicted that the fourth part of the current historical cycle, the Crisis, would be triggered by things like 9/11 and the financial crisis. It predicted the rise of populism, the polarizing Trump/Sanders standoff, and the end of globalization. It’s simply stunning, which is why I am such a huge fan of Neil’s, who is now the managing director of demography at Hedgeye Risk Management. In a recent essay, he talks about two rules of history we can observe: 1.“[A] genuine crisis... always and everywhere enhances the power of top-down authoritarian leadership.” 2.“In such crisis eras, leaders who have always favored a more authoritarian approach to governance will use this moment to strike.” Neil says that goes specifically for countries in South America and Eastern Europe—like Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Hungary—that are now drifting toward full-on dictatorship. However, says Neil, this was not caused by the recent pandemic. “It’s a generational trend that’s been with us for over a decade.” In the same paper, he also analyzes Joe Biden’s appeal to Millennials, the recent Netflix boom, the current drop in crime rates, and much more. Neil is the ultimate big-picture guy. The reason we should listen to him is that he provides ideas, blueprints, and strategies for how to plan for the post-crisis world... a skill that is priceless in this time of uncertainty. I can’t wait to hear what else he has to tell us at the Virtual SIC 2020. I hope you’ll join us to hear this too. If you order today, before the SIC starts, you can still get your Virtual SIC 2020 Pass for just $395. That’s a 50% savings off the regular ticket price. This will truly be not just the most important SIC ever, but also the SIC with the largest number of world-class presenters and panelists. I suggest you don’t wait. Click here for all the details and to order now. Your intrigued by what the future may bring analyst, John Mauldin
Co-Founder
Mauldin Economics | 