The world we know is becoming weirder. The clock is ticking faster, as are the rates of bizarre behaviours, decisions, regulations, and societal norms. Many strange facts are happening practically simultaneously.
To begin, the Paris Olympic opening ceremony has been marred by controversy, except for Celine Dion's unforgettable and beautiful performance after enduring difficult years since being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome; everything else was odd.
The representation of the 'Last Supper' raises issues about the nature of the Olympics, its history, and its relationship with mythology. Christians from around the world have joined the French Bishops’ Conference in denouncing the Olympic opening ceremony’s depiction of the 'Last Supper'. The unconventional choreography has received condemnation, explanation, and admiration from people all around the world. Was it art, creativity, or an insult? People are coming out of their closets and showing their true colours.
The attempted assassination of the former president of the United States, Donald Trump, could have had far-reaching consequences for global politics. The FBI confirmed that a full bullet, or fragmented into smaller pieces, struck the former president’s ear.
Then there was the sight of US lawmakers giving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a standing ovation despite the war crimes committed in Gaza. His speech in the US Congress was very clear: a thank you to the American people and politicians for their support. He justified the war and outlined a post-war vision of total victory and possibly total territorial control. In such a context, killing innocent people and destroying infrastructure, schools, and hospitals was seen as moral and acceptable.
Furthermore, immigration is becoming a more divisive and contentious issue than ever before, with patriotism on the rise. Europe and the United States are facing thorny challenges, as are other countries!
The situation in Ukraine and Russia, which is gradually sliding down to becoming a footnote, is weighing down the global economy and undermining a larger European and Indo-Pacific security order. There is a lot at stake in this area.
It has recently been clear that military weaponry can be replaced by internet shutdowns, power outages, and cultural and religious aggressions, not forgetting the Covid pandemic, which affected everyone’s lives all over the world. It was a shared vulnerability.
It is appropriate to consider the Covid-19 pandemic in this current context given that people were pulled on all sides, locked down, and shackled. People throughout the world did as they were told. We now know that those who were deciding on types and doses of the vaccines had direct commercial interests. There is more to vaccine contract transparency than meets the eye. Hypocrisy and corruption are common characteristics of politics.
A software upgrade crashed approximately 8.5 million computers around the world just a few days ago, sparking the greatest digital crisis in history. Airlines, businesses, hospitals, and banking services were among the hardest hit. Large corporations are capturing both the economy and people’s lives. As with Covid, we are all vulnerable.
In a time of traditional and nontraditional threats, countries consider their economic interests first. Lips are tight, especially when it is not politically or economically appropriate to voice opinions. Behind the scenes and away from the spotlights, we can see maneuvers by countries inserting themselves as part of solutions to the unraveling of conventional geopolitics. Several countries that have historically been Western allies are increasingly seeking friendly relations with growing powers, such as China and Russia.
The world has become a vast theatre, with many actors pursuing their interests. Geopolitical morality shows a complex set of tradeoffs; we are reaching a point of a series of difficult choices.
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