It seems that twenty years later, they did find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq after all.
They found fuel, glass bottles, rags and cigarette lighters.
All is justified in hindsight!
Is the average American okay with this? I was talking to one today over a coffee (who is a very good friend of mine and we can talk about anything) and he was pretty dumbfounded by the claim that Molotov Cocktails are now considered WMDs. And he was a semi-supporter of Trump who was hoping that real free speech would return to the US, rather than everything being somehow outlawed. In his words though, "it turns out Trump might be worse".
Everything is being called illegal and terrorism now.
Is this the America people voted for and are Trump supporters getting behind this? It seems antitheoretical to what was proposed to begin with. But, maybe the current government was expecting quite the pushback it is getting. Or perhaps, the conspiracy theorist in me thinks they are getting just the pushback they wanted, so they can start rewriting laws to increase their power and control for more decades to come.
Time to cut them free?
My friend was asked by his son what happens if the US is cut off from the global economy, and as I have stated here before, I think that the rest of the world will do fine in time, and the US would become like the USSR, before the collapse. A lot of people don't realise that the US economy is able to be the largest and they are able to consume the most, because they are essentially using what they extract from the rest of the world to buy with from externally.
Time to shed the US dollar as the major reserve currency now, isn't it?
Time to price commodities in something else.
While I do see things in the news and hear things from friends and acquaintances, I also feel that a lot of this crazy is being somehow brushed aside, as if none of this matters. Yet, because we are controlled by the economy and the legislation, we are definitely all going to be impacted. And while my friend and I were wandering around an electronics store at the time, I asked him,
Do you have security cameras?
Because while Finland is safe for now, I have a feeling that it is going to get pretty bad, pretty quick, if things keep heading down this path. As people feel more and more oppressed economically and socially, society tends to spiral out of control - accountability goes down, crime goes up.
Ready?
I'm not.
I feel old and just want an easy life, where I can spend the time with family, working at something that I don't completely hate, that gives me enough income to live life with an occasional small luxury, like a holiday away. I don't need much to really be happy, but if society isn't stable, it is very hard for anyone to really thrive. Sure, people might make money, but is that enough?
As long as we keep supporting power-hungry fools, we can't thrive.
That isn't theoretical.
They will keep pushing and pushing, competing and competing in a quest to be the most powerful, no matter who they trample along the way. Or perhaps that is Trumple along the way? We need to invest into new methods of governance that takes the power out of the hands of these kinds of people, no matter what side we might support currently. The security and morality of our governance, shouldn't be in the hands of a few, because as we know, power corrupts, no matter the original intention.
Eventually, they come for us all.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
I know for a fact you still have a large portion of the population over here who would not care no matter what happened. As he so aptly said in the past he could kill a guy in time square and no one would care. He is honestly doing far worse than that an no one is batting an eye or they are excusing it away with their own facts or by attacking any opposition. Trump seems to be the sort of person who can't handle criticism or the possibility that he could be wrong occasionally. Unfortunately, future generations seem to share some of those same traits, so I fear it will only get worse.
I am glad that you mentioned similar traits of the younger generations, because I see it too. They are thin-skinned, and vengeful - looking to score points against perceived enemies, no matter the cost.
Not only is the behavior there, they are also getting validation for it with the current administration. It's really politics in general, the current admin just grandstands it more.
What happened to good role models in society...
Long long gone. Probably longer ago than we realize, they just hid it a lot better before. Some of them anyway.
The "hiding it" is important I think. These days, people are celebrated for their celebrity, not for their skill. It takes the focus of what they actually do well, and puts it on their private lives.
I genuinely see some really great role models on social media... but the problem is that the algorithms boost the terrible role models because conflict generates engagement... and the terrible role models also make a lot of money from selling dubious products or have wealthy backers.
So the great role models simply struggle to be heard even if their messages are overwhelmingly positively received... because they'll never be as profitable to the platforms.
Unfortunately my friend, I think we mistimed getting old and relaxing into an easy life by a couple of decades.
I think that people forget that democracy can work well, but it needs to be continuously and rigorously defended constantly because there will always be humans who will ruthlessly pursue outsized influence over others. Democracy has huge flaws (it requires an educated population) but it's still going to be better than any other system of governance... but it needs to be defended every single day.
Trump is not the lesser of two evils, he is the result, I don't know, 70 years of religious extremists wanting to control others. Trump is absolutely worse than any other option because he clearly fears no consequences and doesn't care who his decisions hurt.
Free speech no longer exists in US, the actions against Rumeysa Ozturk perfectly prove that. I don't personally think the crazy is being brushed aside, I think, by design, there is so much crazy that its overwhelming all who would stand up to it.
My unhinged conspiracy theory is that the Trump Admin is deliberately trying to cause a global recession and tank both the stock market and USD, in order for the billionaires to pick up cheap assets... at which point tariffs will all disappear and they'll own a higher percentage of wealth than ever.
It's tragic and funny to me that the US has 900 billion guns or whatever, to be able to stand up to the government, and yet all those gun owners have been convinced that all the pain being caused now and in the future is in their best interests. It's both evil and genius.
And are too old for the next round.
Maybe this is what is needed. People often don't change until rock bottom, and we are definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel now.
I saw that today and watching it, the Gestapo came to mind - only, the Gestapo were better dressed in Hugo boss, and didn't cover their faces.
This is "all the shit in the air" - people are going to have to get dirty.
Another round of wealth extension. It is pretty amazing how far they are willing to go.
evil and genius maybe, but perhaps those gun owners aren't the smartest either. Or it could be that despite their words, they don't have the stomach for what is required either.
I don't disagree with any of your replies. I think it's a shame that people in general aren't willing to put in the work to save society before it hits rock bottom, but I also get it... life is hard enough day to day without also having to save society as well.
To be fair, having the stomach to do what might be required next is pretty hardcore... but I'm not sure that retiring to a little farm in the peaceful countryside is really on the cards for many of us anymore.
Come think of it that governance by AI might not be such a bad thing. Majority of the population in any country is not very bright and keep electing terrible leaders. So democracy is doomed by design.
Factor in who has the most children in most places, and you can see it is a race to the bottom.
An AI would likely make better decisions, even if utilitarian.
The old movie Idiocracy comes to mind when I think about this...
Situations can change, and the way we're working together will cause future generations to be overwhelmed by bigger problems.
"Be true to your ideals. Nothing and no one should change your values and ideals. Even though life isn't easy, and there may be adversities along the way, you must be true to your ideals. It's important to have dreams in life, because otherwise, it loses its excitement".
(The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quijote of La Mancha)
The problem with ideals these days is that everyone has a personal one that only considers themselves as important to cater for.
I suspect we are in the waning years of the unipolar American Empire era. The dollar has been a complete fraud for 50 years, and on shaky ground for decades before that. The perpetual wars and interventions have made the US a naked belligerent instead of a plausible peacemaker. Our economy has been corrupted by government intervention and corporate privilege at the expense of the everyman. I still think Trump was the lesser evil in 2024, but the lesser evil is still definitely evil. In his case, it's a gut instinct populism paired with a lot of dubious advisors and influences which could be steered to better the world, but so far is not trending well.
I think so too. Power goes to the collective head.
Perhaps, but it doesn't matter when choosing evil. Perhaps the saving grace of Trump is the speed of implosion? Like ripping off duct tap from skin.
It seems that a better world in their various visions, don't consider humanity a part of it.
We do leave in a world where reality is stranger than fiction. I give it 5 more years, then I may change the world in a better version, if needed. He he!
I wish someone would write a popular book on a working model - it seems people want to keep supporting what doesn't work.
Not only in the US, but also in some other countries, opponents are called to be terrorist. Democracy in the whole world has been going through difficult times.
And when it is seen in those other countries, the Americans say "that isn't right!" - but now it is looking as if the facade of the delusions of grandeur, are falling down.
Trump is probably doing something wrong with his trade wars. But I really need the bear market to continue and ETH below $1000, better below $400.
You think it will get that low?
Yes, I hope the bear market will be deep.
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Calling Molotovs WMDs is just another way to stretch the law for convenience. When definitions shift this easily, it’s never for the people’s benefit
The left used the changing of definition to undermine society - the right use it for the same purpose.
The same things regardless of the side. 🤦 Oh my God
I think Trumple, these people and associates, have already established plans to do the same to the electorate.