There are times when you take a step back from the avalanche of noise which is the modern world and look at the big picture, it is in those moments that you experience a sense of despondency at humanity and the path it is taking. It is in those moments that you despair at if we as a species will ever rise above our petty hatreds and unify to become something better than the sum total of what we are currently, and historically.
The past year and a half certainly indicate that we are incapable of this as the hatreds that reside within us are allowed, and at times encouraged, to rise again.
I’m talking about anti-Semitism in part, and the nuances and activities that describe the modern global narrative overall.
We have learnt nothing from history as once again we march down the path of repeating the worst attributes of the history that records our passage through time.
The Jews as a race have a long history of being persecuted, perhaps going back 4000 years or more.
Hitler and his actions woke the world up to the horrors and atrocities that can, and do, happen when vilification of a race is allowed, and encouraged, to be normalised within society. Hitler and his cronies exterminated six million humans for no other reason than they were Jewish.
It doesn’t matter that in the aftermath of that world war that so many people claimed to be ignorant of the actions of their leaders, they were all complicit in the crimes of their leaders as they enabled a corrupt regime to enact these things. They, being the Nazis, exterminated gypsies, disabled, and mentally ill people also as they were considered to be Untermenschen.
Without delving into the social, political, and ideological factors behind anti-Semitism historically, as this is looking at the big picture and not becoming bogged down in the mire, this is simply going to highlight a couple of examples of the hypocrisy of humanity, particularly in recent times. The Jews have been demonised throughout recorded history. Now fast-forward to 2021.
Hamas decided to lob thousands of missiles at Israel in an unprovoked attack due to a shift in geopolitics as a result of the change in the American administration and the changes made to their foreign policies which are significantly different from the previous administration’s policies. Yet it was Israel who were overwhelmingly painted as the evil ones simply because they responded to defend their people, which any country would do when attacked. The Israelis are sick to death of defending what they have due to historical racism against them across many countries, and centuries.
Hamas openly declares that they want to wipe the Jews from the face of the Earth. The disputes and tensions are somewhat historical as they go back as far as the late 19th century and these tensions have seen many conflicts as a result. Hamas is different in that they have little to no morality in their actions, either for Jewish people or their own and they are unrelenting in their ambitions and for them the means justify the ends. Israel is also unrelenting in their stance, yet they operate with morality in their actions to spare civilian deaths on both sides, but they will never back down in protecting what they have.
A great many people of all ages support this vilification around the planet due to the narrative promoted currently, and the modern mindset which sees a weird and distorted view of right and wrong. This is sad as they are motivated by political and ideological exhortations and not historical context and facts. Not for a single moment do they consider that by endorsing such a thing as they ride on the current popular wave that they may be risking their own freedoms. Yet in 2021 the handing away of freedoms by populations has become a standard and not an exception.
Media support and promote these narratives in large part currently, and those that don’t are ridiculed or silenced. Politically those we elect remain the spineless cowards that they are as they reside in their hypocrisy as they tiptoe around uncomfortable subjects, as to take a firm stance one way or the other is political suicide, so they vacillate. Corporations are now so powerful that they can control narratives and the flow of information. All these entities fail to understand that the very things they encourage may well ultimately cause their demise.
Once more we have arrived at a crossroads as to moral and ethical choices. How pathetic is it that we as a species allow the hatreds of the past to colour the actions of the present? This is something that endorses and allows the actions of the current ideological passions as a precedent or excuse for exhorting their stances.
Yet we have allowed, and at times encouraged this perverse aspect of humanity to be enacted with little, or nothing, done at times as we moralise our positions. History is littered with the impacts of allowing this and there is not one instance that encouraging a mentality of hatred has had a positive result for the vast unwashed masses of humanity.
We are walking down the path to war and that path is littered with the debris of all the hatreds and fragilities that define the human condition. Ignore the noise of mainstream media and step back and look at the big picture to illustrate this. Humanity will go to war, and in that billions will suffer and perhaps die at the behest of the ruling elite as an agenda is exploited and promoted.
Right now, all those old hatreds, and some new hatreds, are rising in popularity and in certain segments of our global society are encouraged or normalised despite the views and wishes of populations that have to endure and adapt to a new reality. In many countries people are allowing themselves to be led like sheep by their leaders as they willingly give away their rights and freedoms.
People are being censored for their thoughts, words, and beliefs as they contradict the mainstream thought process. It matters little if you are right or wrong, or if you are supported by facts, what matters is if you are on the right side of the political and mainstream train of thought.
The question I ask is where this will end, for it is not going to end in the utopia that some fervently believe it will. This mindset is historical in context as it is the mass manipulation of human thought and action to follow a path that is exhorted as leading to some imagined utopia. Russia experienced this in 1917 and they most definitely experienced buyer’s remorse as that new ideology entrenched itself with brutality as they secured their power.
The question you should ask yourself is when you will come under the spotlight for the traits that define you. Will it be the colour of your skin, your religious beliefs, your political beliefs, or your sex? Depending on how events evolve will determine how you will be judged.
We are at a crossroad and it is sad to consider that we have encountered this crossroad so many times and yet have never learnt a single thing of consequence from our own history as we continue to take a familiar path. We follow this path comforted by the exhortations of those who have the loudest voices as they direct how we think and act. Those loud voices are usually the smallest group as they use a cacophony of noise over time to achieve their ambitions.
Modern times have allowed and enabled the masses to make choices that reflect the wishes of the many and not the desires of the few, yet so many are silent. Recent years have seen changing attitudes globally as narratives are relentlessly promoted to the point that dissension from what is promoted is erased rather than debated. The international bodies that were created to provide a global authority designed to prevent the horrors of the past are now viewed as either corrupt or useless as they appear impotent in their ability to do the job they are meant to. Instead they appear to bow down to the loud voices, or the machinations of countries that are determined to further their own causes and agendas. So many of our leaders are spineless as they prostrate themselves to the current favourite trend as they protect their power and wealth rather than represent and protect the populations and interests of the countries that they rule.
The question I ask you dear reader is do you stand with the sheep who are led down a path that is dictated by those who have an agenda, or do you stand alone in the courage of your convictions and the clarity of your thought. Evil is only defeated when people are resolute in their convictions and actions. Freedom is an illusion when people are not prepared to fight for freedom, the last world war showed what happens when tyranny is allowed to prosper just to avoid a confrontation.
What is your choice?
Aussie Essays 
Astounding train of thought!
I am also very impressed with the similarities you see between the past and modern society. Unfortunately, you’re very accurate in your presumptions, as you have asked me how modern germany is (i think the answer fits the most beneath this post):
We’re living in a time of doubt to our politics, a lot of people I see in the streets nowadays don’t even care to think about the bigger picture. Rather, they’d like to shut their mental windows closed, and stay with their opinion like: “I don’t understand anything of politics anyway, why should I go vote?” or even worse: “All I know is that I must not obey to any politician, because all the people around me say, that they do a pretty bad job”. (Last one may be true at some point, but there is a possibility to solve that issue, since we’re living in a… what was it… oh, right! Democracy!)
Their clarity of thought (referring to your question of choosing the path of a sheep or a shepard) isn’t that important to them, as they only seek sensual satisfaction, and even put more value on it than the actual truth, or their actual desires like freedom.
All of the freedom they get is their money, and not their job, and that is what spooks me.
The last point I want to point out is the hatred of certain minorites among society. While personally I am not experiencing any of it, the political right spectrum here in Germany rises creepily fast. That’s why I said, that you may be right with your presumption of repeating history… And I hope you ain’t right tbh.
Nice Job anyways, I like your style of writing!
Philosophical Greetings,
Ventusator
LikeLike
Thanks Ventusator.
Just like your essays, you provide a clarity of thought, honesty, and insight in your comments.
Sadly I think that history is repeating and the only difference are the actors in this play.
I have spent my time since being thrown on the scrapheap of life in 2019 to following one of my interests, being history. An excellent essay was written by John Glubb in the 1950’s titled, ‘Fate of Empires’ which examined recorded human history going back 4000 years. In that he found that humanity repeated history over and over due to the short sightedness of our species. It is interesting and worth a read just so long as you accept it for the era of the time it was written in. As I tell my son, ‘You cannot judge yesterday with todays standards’.
Your description on modern Germany is eerily similar to modern Australia. I also feel that this is the same for a great many countries currently.
The last year and a half has seen bucket loads of money thrown onto a problem in the belief that this alone will solve the problems. It is just kicking the can down the road, and as you rightly said most people simply love it as they believe this gives them freedom. Just as the sensual pursuits in western countries has led people down a path of being superficial. I call it the boobs and bums paradox, which is an entirely different conversation about when a thing is promoted as empowerment when it really is debasement.
I feel somewhat ashamed that I used Hitler’s Germany and the era of that time to illustrate a point, however it is a powerful example and one well known, unlike Pol Pot and what he did in Cambodia. For that I apologise if I caused you any offence.
Hatred is on the rise and divides on race, sex, and religion are clear examples. The blinkered and simplistic views of people who jump onto a bandwagon without inspection is what gives rise to hatreds. It is that herd mentality at work. I read recently that out of every hundred people only 13 are capable of independent thought. It is a fairly scathing description of humanity yet there is some truth in that. It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled. A quote attributed to Mark Twain but unproven apparently, regardless it is apt.
I spoke with an old work friend last year who is German. In conversation I asked him what he thought of the aggressive expansionist activities of China and the threat it presented. His response was that in Germany the real concern were the activities of Russia, which much of the world was ignoring. That gave me food for thought as he lives in Australia but obviously has deep connections with his homeland despite the decades he has lived here.
In closing, Michael Burry, the bloke who predicted the GFC, has come out and said this week that we are in the biggest share market bubble of all time. I reckon he is only partially correct and that it is more than that as so many factors are at work, including aggressive geopolitics. Never ending prosperity is an illusion in my view, and governments globally trying to avoid this are creating bigger problems that will have greater consequences. Something to think about.
LikeLike