OK, you asked but its kind of boring.
Regarding investments; I think that if the economic system crashes so hard that all paper assets (I assume that means stocks, bonds, the dollar, mutual funds, insurance) become worthless then nothing will be safe, including gold or real estate or my person or my family for that matter.. I don't think the next hard crash will unfold like that anyway. The world has been trading in assets represented by paper for something like 400 years and the system has had ups and down. A recession in the near future will not be the one that pushes us back into the barter and trade system.
The next recession will be triggered by something that I can't predict so I won't try to predict it. I think that people who say they know the next downturn will occur soon are either a wolf or about to be devoured by that wolf. I won't play that game. A diversified set of investments including real estate, broad based stock and bond funds and not gold have been robust to other downturns and recovered value afterward. I'll stick with 400 years of history to help me make my decision. Your ideas on investing in real services, real assets and real estated sound good too. I said it was boring.
Regarding the pendulum swinging back to the left, I'm not so sure that it has just yet.or even if there is a pendulum. As
@ttystikk pointed out, our political system is sick. The massive funds gathered into PACs and other groups that seek influence in our government has corrupted our system regardless whether Democrats or Republicans are in control. Also, our banking system has taken over control of the regulators and there is nothing to stop them from bringing about another economic crisis. The wealthy in our country did quite well out of the last one and I see them smacking their lips in anticipation of the next. With their influence and unimpeded funds directed towards corrupting government, the I see government continuing its path towards the left unless direct and severe action is taken to stop it.
If current trends towards erosion of strength of the middle class continues, one of two things will occur. One possibility is as it has in China, an oligarchy in the US will so thoroughly control our political and economic system that the working classes cease to have a voice. With a militarized and brutal police force, surveillance of all forms of communications and near complete control of the economy and military, the oligarchy will be in complete control. Our system will change forever.
Another possibility is that the middle and working classes band together and re-learn the lessons from the late 1800's and 1900's -- that the power of the working classes is in numbers and in concerted action. We have to put away our differences and focus on common interests. I think things will have to get much worse before this can happen with enough force to change our now corrupted system. The system will change quite a bit when this happens too, so who know if this will be a good thing or not. But I choose this over oligarchy.
These are just a "what if" scenarios. I don't claim to know anything. I don't even claim to think that what I just said is true. After all, I'm just a dog that has learned how to type.
What i don't think will happen is that everything will continue as they have forever. All that said, this dog is going to vote Democrat and for Bernie Sanders and I'll vote for Clinton if she's the nominee. I think we have a better chance with them than the other guys. Maybe we can avoid either of the dystopian futures that I laid out.