The year draws to an end and there is still so much wrong with the world. It may be a pessimistic outlook but sadly the human race seems to be defined by the crises that befall it. We are naturally cynical towards the good things in life. an uncorrupt government? a war to be won? Equality and universal acceptance? Not all of us would meet these statements with complete optimism. We believe in the weaknesses of the human race. We believe in the age old tome of our lives; 'perfection is impossible', 'nothing is and ever will be perfect' we keep telling ourselves. but are we so far away from perfection as we think? I do not know. But there is hope.
After that somewhat soppy start, let me list out the major crises/ happenings of 2008 that will define the following years as i see them off the top of my head. But pertaining to the cynical nature of the race on Earth, i have referred to any significant event as a 'crisis' so you may think it’s a good thing, but somebody somewhere will suffer because of it, perhaps owing to its imperfect nature.
The War - can it be won? how many of us are really dying in Killinocchi? why are they not allowing reporters in there of everything is going our way? What’s really going on.
The Economy - Both local and global. it shifted the world around. Having worked for a US bank involved specifically in the area of lending to subprime customers, I was privileged to see firsthand what was going on. although I left that place sometime before the crisis hit. Greed and capitalism deregulation and irresponsibility plunged the world into darknessssss...
Nigeria - Here is a country absolutely loaded with oil reserves, wealthy as the wealthiest country in the world potentially, whose people are still suffering without basic living conditions. Corruption has reached astronomical heights and practically all the petrodollars are going into the private coffers of government officials.
What’s sad to see is the international community does not do much about it. They're in cahoots with the government of course; it's all about pillage, plunder and take what you can. The less powerful and helpless the people, the better. Nobody cares about the Nigerian people as long as they can get the oil. They are terrorized. and terror begets terror. Therefore arises the MEND. and they are branded terrorist. Kind of like the
FARC - originally a bunch of helpless Columbian farmers, fighting the industrialization of their forests. The loss of their rivers due to the building of dams. The world tried to run over them and they fought back, and another terrorist group was born.
The Middle East - namely Palestine, I do not know if there have ever been a single race of people so downtrodden and treated unfairly as these. I mean the actually cut off electricity and food supplies to the whole nation because o a political fight. This can only occur when the powerful are so vain and corrupt as the forces that instigated the unfortunate humanitarian crisis in the name of 'democracy'. Ironically, it was in protest of Hamas, who gained rule of the Gaza strip in democratic elections as opposed to their opponents who were more friendly to the West.
Global Warming - It wages on and things seem to be improving really slowly. We are beginning to see a major movement emerge in popular culture in support of the environment. But a part of me is cynical, because there really doesn’t seem t be a significant change happening.
Africa - As opposed to the rest of the world, Africa alone as a continent seem to be going through a lot. Inflation in Zimbabwe is reaching unbelievable levels, one wonders why the economy has not simply crashed apart. Aids is spreading like wildfire, one advice to you i'll give, if you're in Africa, feeling horny, and want to get it on, don't. For the love of sweet life, don't.
Obama - The embodiment of change, an end to Bush who incidentally is probably the worse one man crisis to ever hit the world since Satan himself, Obama seems to embody everything opposite. but his rhetoric draws out the cynic inside, is he really all that? Well, we'll see, but don't expect fire crackers right away.
The Balance of Power - We are finally reaching a point where there are clear signs of the beginnings of decentralization in the world's power base. Russia, Iran and China are in the forefront of the challengers to the US followed by India, Brazil and Sri Lanka (not). But fifty years is a long time to build a power base and the US is still by far the most powerful country on Earth. interesting times ahead.
So thats my list of where the world stands in terms of significant happenings as at the end of 2008. Now I'm curious to hear about yours, and what events of the world impacted your view of this year and the years following immediately afterwards. So unfortunately im gonna tag a few of you thinkers out there to ensure your kind response :D sorry. Indi, Dean, Aufidius, My prerogative, Jack Point, Noorie, LD And the Mathawaada crew you're it.
Taxes and the Total State
1 hour ago
10 comments:
Meanie. >:I I'm going to write anyway.
Glo. warming - It's a crisis. I don't want my children to accuse me 15 years down the line. What the heck are we doing? The ice caps are melting. The trees are going. Hummers are a big deal in SL when green activists pelt then with eggs during green protests. SL is always late on these things. US points at china, being the biggest offenders on the planet. Time to look in and fix things.
The Fin crisis - it's unbelievable that even companies like GM needs bailouts. It's gonna be a dark day for employees around the world.
SL's turn on blind eyeing - We don't get a overall view. And it's sad that the masses belive everything they hear. This happy go lucky attitude is why most feel disconnected from what exactly is going on. One text - two dead - oh ok.
Make a decision dammit - the whole sluggish attitude of policy makers, i.e Petrol mayhem during Christmas. Decision makers taking their time over tea and red tape just inconveniences everyone!
The Us-You - The tamils are cunning, they’ll stick together. The English speaking crowd? conspires! They are taking over 'our' land! 'Our' land in the north east...ugh! Please. Survival of the fittest man! As if the majority of this country are blue blooded. We're all from India anyway. :P And believe me, LOTS of narrow viewed people think this way.
China - sucks. "Progress, who cares about pollution" irks me muchly. Then new rich have millions of new needs that are going to be hard to satisfy.
Ministers - with your damn convoys, good for nothing henchmen, live for today attitude, uneducated, short sighted losers. As someone said, there's NO ministry for nation building but THREE ministers prevail. Dude. That's my tax money! Bogollagama gallivants around the world in 1st class? fine. But at least bring some workable policies to Sl you idiot. We are so backward it's not funny.
Education - Fix it! i.e - the O/L math paper. It's falling apart and more money is just sucked out abroad.
Africa - How unfair are we to buy their diamonds and use their oil and watch as the cradle of humanity suffer?
Obama - Good news at last. So much of issues landed on his lap. I really hope he doesnt dash everyone's expectations. :S
Gad. i'm depressed.
good post. well we already know these, but its good to see it all summed up. everything going for a six and sl is leading at that. our damn goverment is screwing up sl...its just so sad. whats the point in even talking abt it.
Thanks for the tag mate,please see my blog.
Lol dee i was gonna put you up later when i remembered that in actual fact, you ARE quite a reflective thinker on broader matters but then, you had already commented :D
Hey,
only just saw your tag, hope 2009 turns out better than the 2008, will respond after I get a chance to read and think.
Well, I would say the truly 'Global Crises' were:
1. The economy - we are facing the biggest challenge since the Great Depression of 1929.
2. Palestine. Intractable problem that fuels many other wars Iraq, Afghanistan included.
3. Global warming.
Nigeria, FARC and our own problems in SL are fairly small and affect the immediate region.
I would rank Somalia (the most comprehensively failed state that is a haven for pirates and mercenaries in the Horn of Africa) as a serious regional problem that has the potential to engulf a wider area.
In Africa, the looming conflict between Rwanda and Congo is the biggest potential disaster, followed by Sudan and Kenya. Zimbabwe is a basket case that threatens to destabilise its immediate neighbours (SA and Botswana) but does not do much else. Nigeria is not such a big problem, in my view, at least compared to the rest.
In Asia the tottering regime of N. Korea, nuclear armed and potty to boot is a potential source of disaster to both China and S. Korea, either militarily or if the state implodes on the death of the dear leader.
Changes in global climate are perfectly normal. The planet has been through at least two ice ages in addition to many other large changes in climate. We are currently living in a (fairly rare) 10,000 year period of stability (in terms of climate), which has allowed man to flourish.
Change in climate is therefore inevitable (at least going by the past record of the planet) the only difference now is that man is making a fairly important contribution to it, which needs to stop, if existence is to be prolonged.
In the longer run, we are, as Keynes famously said, we are all dead. Just ask the dinosaurs.
apologies for taking up so much space, shall leave you with these happy thoughts, may 2009 be better than 2008.
Hmmm. Thank you Jack. I like your analysis. As for Keynes, yeah we're doomed as a civilization to grow and fall again and again i suppose. Just ask the Egyptians.
Not too sure about North Korea though, I think they are more harmless than the Americans would have us believe! Nigeria is a problem because it represents the extent to which corruption and oppression can spread under the watchful eye of 'responsible' nations who reap the oil. leading to show that in reality, everyone’s out to get their own. The same with Zimbabwe, and AIDS, casting a trend to the potential direction THIS particular phase of human civilization could head in.
Agree with you on the climate, i think all problems are interrelated and none of them will exist in a different world. There really can't be any isolated evil yeah? But your right, Somalia 'the state' is pretty much dustbinned right now.
Nigeria is an excellent example of how :
1. Corruption can ruin a nation.
2. The discovery of natural resources (oil etc) can lead to greater poverty or entrenched poverty.
However I would argue that while this is a terrible state to be in, the problems of Nigeria do not have much of an impact on the rest of the world, hence from a global point of view not such a serious problem.
This is also the case with Sri Lanka's problems: however bad they appear to us, they have only a limited impact on the world at large.
hey dude thnx for the tag.
Well i guess its true what jackpoint says on hw some issues doesn't affect much on the world theater even though its a huge deal internally.
But on the FARC issue though i think the existence of FARC and their continuous contribution as one of the largest cocaine producers,is causing significant impact on the world matters as well.
Another change i presume is the the new change that might happen in Cuba.. it seems Cuba is somewhat going through some significant changes under Raul Castro's...
We are yet to see if the life long battle between US and its tiny neighbor is drawing to an end..
Jack - Agreed, but its the rest of the world that has had an affect on Nigeria. And the whole of Africa. They have been ignored trampled upon and their vast natural resources exploited by the powerful countries. For me, this is the first sign of impending doom. It spells the way the world will go if we continue to do what we are doing right now. I.e. devide into nations and exploit the smaller countries. Prety soon, we'll eat ourselves up. Scary much? All events that are 'Issues' now could potentialy head the way of Africa. ignored, cast aside, not goven a shit about, when it was these same issues that caused things to be this way in the forst place.
And RSZ
FARC is also the result of the same. And the cocaine trade is one of the largest contributors to the wealth of Columbia and i dont believe it is being completely discouraged because of the money it brings in.
Post a Comment