Category: democracy

Posted on

“More of the Same”: The Non-solution is Human… or: War is not an Option – Neither are Threats

Photo of peacock's feathers presented like a pattern of a cloth
Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Anyone watching the scenes that are public and published can state it that way: “More of the same.” It’s interesting to see that people behave the same way everywhere, just as Paul Watzlawick in his famous book called it:
“More of the same.”

He is a leading figure in communication science and has written standard works for the field.
The well-known, bestselling “The Situation is Hopeless but not Serious – The Pursuit of Unhappiness” was written with tongue in cheek, so it is the reverse of what you would expect. A tutorial how to do it right…to be happier. It’s revealing the patterns people repeat making themselves unhappy that way.

The patterns are there, not just in the book but in life – and in politics. Especially surprising it might seem as regards the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza.

Hellooo?

We do not need to repeat the ideas, statements and threats of the past 2 and 7 decades, respectively.

It is about dropping the ‘attitude’:
“Me (us) – always right.” and getting down to brass tacks. To the real thing. To negotiating instead of making a lot of noise. Or expecting the other, the person across from us to change just as by magic – because we suddenly decided that it would be the best way:
Just ‘let’ them give in…

It’s indeed almost as if people had taken some of the bad movies and fairy stories too seriously – and forgotten to consider the other person.

When you meet people in life they don’t behave according to your wishes – just because you tell them so.

No king will get that – and no dictator.

What you can do is: Learn!

Learn about humans, about the universal truths and the actual real things that make life fine – not bragging and boasting and ‘making it an act’.

But about community and the bigger picture, peace and – eventually kindness of hearts.

Because: That’s what real happiness is about. Sense of community – and kindness.

The great kings of the past still considered to be great were not the ones to make a lot of noise and war.
They were the ones to understand about people, that is, their subjects – and about life’s essentials.

Posted on

Social Media – Faked Images and Mobbing – Politics … and People’s Reputations

Image of a room in a cave with a comfortable bed, jungle plants and sand as well as wooden planks on the floor, clearly being made up by digital tools
Suggestiveness… – Image by ALEX from Pixabay

The other day I came across another rather shocking fact in a documentary: The faked and montaged images of a female reporter who was close to exposing damaging truths about a politician: Even before AI, putting a face with any image of a body found online or offline in a photograph, was not uncommon – or unheard of.

These days politicians such as somebody like Brazil’s former president Bolsonaro – who is close to other right-wing politicians such as Trump – are frequently turning to smear campaigns with falsified evidence that mean to destroy credibility or reputation of the targeted person.

I think too – rumour, legend and truth should actually be differentiated with care.
Just as in former times, when printed tabloids, or even earlier ballads were sung on street corners, supported by huge drawings, made for sensationalism.

In this digital age it’s easy and fast to ‘make it up’… in every sense.

Don’t underestimate people’s suggestiveness in regard to ‘sensations’.

And if you would be interested in the truth: Check the facts and your sources – carefully.

Posted on

When Politicians Start Behaving Like Immature Boys in a Sandbox: USA, Ukraine, Russia and the ‘Pride’ of Males

When men start ‘impressing’… (Images licensed via Adobe CC)

When you look at children playing they already repeat the sometimes age-old patterns of the patriarchal societies we live in: “When you start touching my sandcastle, I’ll kick yours…!”

“Why? Because…!”

It’s that thing about boasting, bragging and hitting the chest, just as apes do…

Whenever in history was it helpful or really effective to use threats of war? Usually it will just end in war!

How ridiculous can you get these days? Especially someone like Trump, who was raised in a place that calls itself a military school, not to say an academy, West Point…

I beg your pardon, ‘dude’, but if you didn’t get what tactics should have taught you, you are wrong for that job anyway!

Do you really and truly believe that you will get Putin to relent this way?

Or is this one step into yet another ‘deal’ to sell more weapons?

That is Putin and Trump, as per precedence (s.a. 2016 elections, where Putin had them manipulated in favour of Trump)* getting together behind the scenes – and having a ‘ball’ at our expense…?

Well, there’s a thought: Do not buy into their wars.
This strange entity called Trump is known for and even proud of making ‘deals’ that way: He creates a background of scares and fear and threats – and then tries to move in. But then, apparently he suffers from ADHD anyway…

Unfortunately Putin in Russia for reasons of his own would not be where he is today if he was ‘got’ that easily – assuming that what we see in front of cameras is not just a …

Big stage performance…

 

*Note: Since then the Washington Post has been acquired by Jeff Bezos, founder of amazon and has become completely unreliable.

Posted on

Put the Pressure On… – The USA and the Selling of Weapons… “Money, Money, Money”…

Why would you try and negotiate properly…? As the present president Trump has already got them almost where he wants them: With threats and scare tactics regarding tariffs and weapon deliveries, especially to refuse proper negotiations with the opponent, Putin, he has pressured the NATO and the EU into practically crawling at his feet…including Ukraine.

It’s unbelievable, to think that a region like the EU – or, just as much the NATO – lets itself being blackmailed by someone like Trump into basically ‘jumping through hoops’ at his command…the ‘wonderful’ summit the other day with NATO leaders, him included was the perfect stage to ‘butter him up’.

Who knows, he will probably one day manage to do to the US what Putin is doing to Russia: Make it a dictatorship. The Supreme Court Justices already do his bidding as well…

What a spectacle…

When it’s so obvious that the US are just as dependent on others as others are on them…

What would he be without the NATO – or the EU – or Russia, especially?

Is that all?

Of course, it’s been put into so many words ever since mankind has started to use money instead of exchanging goods…

Contrary to the song’s (apparent) message above, I am proud enough to rather starve than to make myself depend on anyone rich… but, not everyone is the same.
Mr Trump apparently depends on his money to buy and bully himself the respect and attention he craves sooo much…

The song really is pure sarcasm, of course…

When you look at research at the time, and contacts in between, between Trump and Putin, that is – when you look at the articles of the New York Times – since sadly the Washington Post has been acquired already by Jeff Bezos, amazon founder, and is not dependable anymore – it seems rather obvious: The rich and wealthy (the oligarchs* behind people such as Putin) are starting to divide it between them: The oil, the gas – and ultimate profits, namely those by war and weapons.

One thing is true too: When you’ve bombed them back into the stone age you can waltz in later and again make money on repairs and rebuilding…

Who cares? I do. Still.

The Swedish pop group ABBA put it into these apt words in 1976, rather revealing, really…

* “oligarchy, government by the few, especially despotic power exercised by a small and privileged group for corrupt or selfish purposes. Oligarchies in which members of the ruling group are wealthy or exercise their power through their wealth are known as plutocracies.” (Encyclopaedia Britannica Online)

* Oligarch: “one of the people in an oligarchy (= a government or society controlled by a small group of very powerful people)” (Cambridge Dictionary Online)

Posted on

Thinking it Through from the End – Or: Where Do You Want to Go? – Or: Nothing in This Life Worth Having Comes Easy…

Collage of four images that show a person traveling, a finish and a start line and a pin pricked into a map someplace
Images licensed via Adobe CC

The principle is as old as mankind itself: When you want to get somewhere, you need to know two things, basically: Your finish line – and your starting point.

PEACE is some goal…

When it is a problem to be solved it is important to not just get a hazy idea of some problem or issue… a clear idea of the true problem is vital. Since, trying to find a solution without the clearly identified problem is pointless and a waste of time.

In other words: To get a clear picture of reasons for people doing something – or a system failing, you would look into history: Because it can help to find similar situations you can learn from.

And: Nothing in this life worth having comes easy…but that’s no reason to despair, but: “Keep at it – and remember about the breaks.”

We have come quite some way, in general!

In the past, people for centuries actually found it a great pastime to visit public torture and public hangings!
That has stopped.
In most countries around the world the death penalty has been abolished!

The most simple principle in that respect I have mentioned too, already:
Whatever you colour, creed, or conviction, you are not supposed to either kill, torture or bother other people. Period.

So, again, our goal as societies that have learned a thing or two about communities and responsibility – most, if not all of us yearn for peace: For peaceful coexistence. For more mutual understanding.

People in power these days once more seem, at the moment at least, have begun to realize that they are not just powerful for their own fun – or into the bargain; but that they carry the responsibility for exactly that kind of thing with them, each and every day:

    • Keep the goal, the ultimate finish line, in focus.
    • Start thinking it through from the end.
    • Get proper counselling.

Remember that you are not alone on this planet and that your ‘powerful’ existence as such would be pretty pointless without all the others around….

Posted on

The Supreme Court: ‘UNsupreme’ — A Dictator in the Making — Nero Burning Rome… When Silliness Meets Power

Montage of Supreme Court building USA, being on fire.
Images licensed via Adobe CC, my graphics. The building is the Supreme Court in the USA. — NOTE: This a fake image I created on purpose to make my point. There was no recent fire — if any — to the Supreme Court.

They say, I mentioned this a while ago, that the emperor Nero of ancient Rome was supposed to be silly; not to say — mad. He was suspected for ages to have set fire to Rome in order to watch it go under in ‘supreme’ flames… and to play the lute as accompaniment.

I wonder, if he was… more recent findings seem to indicate that he couldn’t have burned a whole city because it would have meant literally hundreds of helpers, who would have been too hard to find…even in those times.

Whichever the case was exactly:
Facts are: Rome burnt that day.

And Trump is on his way to do the same. Just a little more modern and true to dictators’ forms: He has bought himself some followers and supporters.

And during his first time in office he already replaced four of the total of nine Supreme Court Justices. So he also has bought himself some justices…
Which makes for ‘smooth sailing’ now.

Another win (‘surprise surprise surprise’…) in front of it: Although he already is a convicted felon on 34 counts ruled guilty in front of a yet existent and legal court of law of the United States of America he not only has been voted (even if it was indeed a very close shave) for the office of president.

He also does everything he can to heap atrocity on outrage, one after another: Supporting people like Netanyahu in Israel who has set Gaza strip and West Bank ‘on fire’. Torturing and killing people on the pretense that it is the terrorists of the Hamas he is trying to hit…

Being on best terms with Putin in Russia, although claiming the contrary.

Power corrupts, apparently. Money does too, some people at least.

Trump knows how to wield terror and use his money to extort and blackmail and bully – true to form. It’s his life’s story. I wonder how dreadfully empty inside he must feel at times – forcing people around him to lie and lick his boots.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray”, by Oscar Wilde, comes to mind.

It even appears that at the moment the threat of Putin to the EU has done what nothing else could more effectively do, so they both get what they want:

Via Trump Putin gets Ukraine.
Via Putin’s apparent threats NATO and EU lick Trump’s boots who can pose as the saviour, and on the side is ‘making the weapon industry’ heaps of money.
Lo and behold: There are still horror stories out there…
‘Denver Clan’ and ‘Dallas’ revisited…

Would that person called Trump be really pitiful, because a half-wit, unable to grasp facts, or actually disturbed in mind, that would be different.
But he is perfectly capable to see the ‘light’ of sense and clear thought. And refuses to do so… And that is his own doing and his own fault.
He is not to be pitied.

In ancient times there was a story of a king, who was cruel, selfish and lawless. Who had a virgin brought to his bedside every night, to revenge himself — from disappointed love, on all womankind — and had each of them killed the next morning.

Scheherazade one day made her father bring her to the throne and started to tell stories to the king. Each she left unfinished so he would be curious for the next night and the ending of that story. When she started another one. After 1001 nights and 1000 stories he let her stay alive and married her, being a more wise and kind king than any before him.

The story not only makes it clear that ‘love’s way to a man’s heart actually is not through the stomach’ — but his mind. As true love always is.

It also and in vivid colours shows that true understanding, grace and wisdom comes from education and empathy.
By the knowledge that no man or woman is alone or actually can exist on their own on this planet. And that we should at some point learn where true calm and serenity and thus happiness lies:
In self-respect which in turn generates respect and even liking for your fellow man — as well as woman.

Posted on

Money, US-presidential Madness, Power and Propaganda in Times of War

image of a map of Iran
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

To think that Iran should take all of this ‘lying down’, is practically a child’s vision… People, anyone in governments of NATO, UN, EU and others, what did you expect???

Iran had agreed to contracts for the control of Uranium enrichment after 10 years of negotiation. I wrote about that.

Now, starting to attack the private areas of a country that has suffered so much from international meddling.
At the same time when you look at its history you will realize that pride and resilience always made it stay the course – till the end.

They will defend their country with all that is given them.

ANYONE who knows enough about the history and the particular culture – independent of recent governments – would be able to explain:
THIS is no way to proceed!

President Trump of dollar graces has cancelled the contracts himself a few years ago.

It’s so obvious it’s like a bad dream to look at news broadcastings.

Mr Friedrich Merz, German chancellor, it is clear that talks to president Trump had been based on the usual endeavour to stay ‘in tune’

If anyone really cares – start thinking and get proper counselling. This is the wrong way!
This could end in a third world war.

The foolishness of such a president to the USA and prime minister Netanyahu in Israel cannot be believed. Netanyahu for years had escalated the actions against people in Gaza. In Israel itself Netanyahu has almost no support in the Knesset, where some time ago he won by 2 votes only. The link opens a post on LinkedIn by an Israeli citizen.

For decades such a result was known to be natural should one try and force anyone in that region, Arab or Persian, into a corner.

Start thinking! It’s high time!

Author’s Note:
I am a German born and bred. I was married to a Persian man of peaceful and politically left-wing character. He had official refugee status in Germany until he died.
I have studied culture,  history and language of Iran and received an M.A.
I have followed the ideas, the news and the background information for well over thirty years closely. I know that there are more people who know the facts. Well-educated and knowledgeable. Involve them!
I was raised and always of the opinion that one should try and provide justice to all concerned.
In times of war the truth and its implications often become warped.
PEACE is reached by negotiations. War always results from failure to negotiate properly – with deep insights and patience.

2nd Author’s Note (8:35 p.m., local time, UTC+1):
Omid Nouripour, vice president to the German Bundestag a few minutes ago reacted very wise, camly and with a fine background understanding on German TV. He is one of those people to include in consultations.

Posted on

The First Thing to Die in a War is the Truth – Or: Propaganda or Facts

Image of a mother holding her dead son
Image free license courtesy pixabay.com

Looking at news in regard to wars – any war – it’s like normal life: People will tell you what they think makes them right. The idea they had in the first place why they were right to start it. The war. The heated argument and possible fist fight.

Yet, too often it is overlooked in wars we deal with long-term interests, such as money – or business. In a general sense: “Where does the money come from – and go?” is an old journalistic principle.

Even older is the Latin phrase that makes it clear as daylight: “Cui bono?” – “Who benefits?”

This conflict between Israel and Iran is not new.  And when we listen to the news or read about them, in most cases it becomes clear that in the West people have a lop-sided view: They will report about the bad Iran regime and the good Israel government.

That is a view on matters without any consideration for facts. Often enough in everyday life too the whole truth, the bigger picture, becomes warped with ideas and perspectives; with defense arguments why person A was right and person B was not.

The truth is not always simple: Not in war, not in normal life.

Look closely, at the history and also the main actors of this drama: They have hidden agendas usually to do with money and power.

So dreadfully cruel internally the present Iranian government rules the country – so true is the fact that Iran as a whole has every reason to protect itself from greedy potentates.

Its history is full, I mentioned that more than once, of all those ‘super-powers’ meddling with its politics just because Iran has huge natural resources of gas and oil as well as rich soils beckoning to anyone just interested to make even more money.

Or as is the case with the US, be in dire need of cheap petrol. They have been for decades, if not centuries.

This war was not started for honourable reasons – it is not conducted for honourable reasons – and there is no honourable justification for it.

Practically any war you may take care to review in history, had long periods of time before actual military actions – to develop from conflicts that were not properly negotiated.

Iran had already agreed to contracts to control Uranium enrichment there. Contracts signed on all sides after almost a decade of negotiations. Trump was the one to cancel them during his first stay in office. No one in their right minds can actually want war!

It destroys, kills and leaves people in desperate situations. But then, are people who already have been corrupted by their own power really in ‘their right mind’? Corruption being too deeply set in, would be my guess. To say the least.

The only people who benefit from wars are those companies supplying goods to armies… Is that what we want?

Posted on

US-American Politics are Policies… Science — or Not…?

shadow shape of bird of prey, a vulture
Bird of prey – eagle? – vulture – Image free license courtesy freepik.com

These days the next step in destabilizing a democracy of sorts is being executed:
Famous universities are not only denied the government funds they have a right to — they also are severely pressured by hollow statements and threats:

That Israel’s hardliners, most prominent Netanyahu, are driving a cruel and hard ‘bargain’ in order to cover up their dwindling support among voters is clear to all who have studied matters for some time.

That other people protest openly against the Gaza politics is only to be expected. To put that in one with anti-Semitism is ridiculous.
Whatever your creed, colour or conviction, you are not to kill, harass or torture other people. Period.

The present criminal holding the office of president in the US, called Trump, has together with his ‘consort’, of course, prepared this for years.

What it amounts to is this: Destabilizing the legal, the administrative and the scientific pillars of a democracy are in keeping with his complaints of alleged ‘fake news’ whenever media report facts about him that are diminishing to his image as a hero — when in fact he is a convicted criminal.

Do not let them — or him — fool you: He is neither stupid nor insane: Just true to his past and ‘consorts’: incredibly greedy and selfish.

Posted on

Cruelty and Violence, the ‘dreadful Sisters’ — Remedy: Real Values: Other than Unlimited Wealth

Image of a father teaching his children by reading books with them - and 2nd image of an open book with two pages shaped into a heart
(Images licensed via Adobe CC, my graphics)

The founding myth of a society such as the US-American one is simple and as follows: Work hard or even harder to get rich — that way proving to all and God that you are favourable to God. Since the rich are God’s favourites.

That value is probably the most damaging and destroying one ever to be posed throughout the history of mankind:
All is fair — that is any means to that end: becoming rich — is good and even fair in God’s eyes.

Religion in general is one way of posing understandable values and rules for a society to live by.
It also fulfils the human need for transcendence, so the philosopher Fromm tells us.

When we are lucky, those rules are not just about limiting everything to a bare minimum — but about the real health and joy human life has to offer:

Combining heart, soul and body in ways that make you smile, like yourself — and thus enable you to like others (more).

And interact with a sense of community so the welfare of all is at the back of people’s minds.

Privacy Proudly powered by WordPress