TENSION of course can lead to a mighty snap, it can be all too much. That's why tension has to be managed.

A divided society, in the truest sense, is beyond tension- appeals to reason or moderation don’t work in those cases.

The very middle class that is the cornerstone of developed economies’ tax base, the very electorate and spine of 1st World civil society is under pressure. A middle class that is distinguished from the lower class by reaping few or no social benefits and entitlements, but is distinct from the wealthy in that it may be education-rich but relatively asset poor, where income is primarily from wages and not from asset appreciation and capital gains, is really feeling the crunch these days.