I think a good way to see the thing is that the upkeep of a system requires some degree of media control, so one of the best things that can be done is to build a system where people are part and the focus of the system. So socialism is still preferable, because the focus of the media control is to prevent CIA poisoned information, and others like it, not to gag the population into compliance.
I think the sub par seems likely, although the NATO falls apart bit seems wonderful