FUTURE
«We Don’t Care»
A note from the author, March 31. 2022: This almost four-year-old story may today seem more relevant than in a long time. That’s why I republish it here on ILLUMINATION.
Country after country is turning towards authoritarianism. Russia has given itself a “strong” man to be president for life. The same has China. Turkey is on its way too. As is also Hungary. And America has left the path of democracy, ruining lives, taking children from their parents, and putting them in prison camps. The world seems to derail. So we must ask:
What is happening?
What is our duty?
Can it happen again?
Can it happen here?
Can we see what’s happening? History is repeating itself. Like many times before — history is always repeating itself. Not in exactly the same way, but in a slightly different manner.
There is a pattern. A pattern that everyone who is willing to see can observe.
There is a battle going on. Hidden combat between the two main forces. The Good and the Evil.
It can sound like a dark fairytale. And it is precisely that. A dark and sad tale about how mankind now is stumbling blindly toward another precipice.
What is happening exactly?
To see the pattern we can go back in history, 70 or 80 years back. Almost 73 years, to be exact. At the end of World War II, the atomic bombings Aug 6th and 9th 1945 of the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Second World War was a major disastrous event for hundreds of millions of people all over the world.
Large amounts of physical capital were destroyed through six years of ground battles and bombing. … Periods of hunger became more common even in relatively prosperous Western Europe. Families were separated for long periods of time, and many children lost their fathers. Many, including young children, would personally witness the horrors of war as battles and bombing took place in the very areas where they lived. Horrendous crimes against humanity were committed. (The Effects of World War II on Economic and Health Outcomes across Europe, by Iris Kesternich, Bettina Siflinger, James P. Smith, and Joachim K. Winter)
Between 40,000,000 and 50,000,000 human lives were lost in World War II. Whole countries all over the world and millions of people had their existence threatened. Because of the madness of one man and the people he managed to seduce.
How it started? To become big and powerful in the world Hitler needed an enemy. Or enemies. He chose the Jews. And the western societies. He seduced a whole people, the German people, with his lies and his distorted representation of reality. And he used antagonistic forces to build his power.
Hitler lost the battle. He lost the war. Thanks to allied efforts and at huge costs.
After the end of the war, the world’s nations started a long and trustful process of reconstruction. Legislative institutions and economic structures were built up. International collaboration bodies were created. There was optimism and hope on the horizon.
But there were also shadows. The antagonistic forces of the Good and the Evil came again to the surface, in the names of Capitalism and Communism. What was the Good, what was the Evil? Capitalism or Communism? The answer depended on where the individual had her standing point. And on if she or he was a strong Believer, a Fanatic.
The opposite powers of America and the Soviet Union stood against each other for some decades, until the Soviet Union’s political, ethical, and economic platform collapsed. This opened the way for new political power and a new political direction in the same country. The Soviet Union became Russia, still standing in opposition to Capitalism, but now dressed in new habits.
Meanwhile, Capitalism could live on and develop in its own ways. And it did. When Capitalism’s main adversary was off the scene, Capitalism could evolve secretly and peacefully, fine-tuning its propaganda and lies, now that Communism unofficially had died.
In the last decade, we have seen a fundamental change in the world, especially in the USA. A change, similar to what happened in the 1930s — a collapse, economic stagnation, the middle-class suffering, increasing inequality, a society without safety nets, good functioning public sectors. Today, as in the 1930s — people in many places living at the edge, feeling insecure, unsafe, threatened. A culture of cruelty, a society living at the edge of social collapse.
In Russia Putin became President for life, in China, there is a leader who will exercise the power for his whole lifetime. Turkey and Hungary have turned toward authoritarian leaders. In America, the President is acting as if he were above the law and above the rules of democracy.
We can today witness the effects of what Reagan in Jan 1981 declared in his Inaugural Address: “Government IS the problem!” Reagan taught that the government is something separate from the people, not by and for them but opposed to them. Reagan ended the understanding based on Lincoln’s declaration that the government of the people must be “by the people and for the people.” This is what governs America today. Reagan’s lesson has become an integrated part of American conscience and the very core of the present President’s political practice.
Where are we heading?
There is no simple answer.
The hidden pattern is difficult to screen.
There are some basic facts that can help understand the picture. Where is the hidden power seated? Where is the big money placed? Who holds the treads? Who owns the fortunes? Who profits from capitalism? Who manipulates us?
We are brought up to believe that our society is built upon some fundamental values, like justice, equal rights, trust. This is only partially true. The full and plain truth is however that the social and economic order — both nationally and internationally — is built on untruthfulness, on huge lies.
No woman or man can see the full extent of it. But there are facts that reveal more than enough — facts that tell us about the incredible injustice that characterizes the world of today:
- The rise of authoritarianism in Russia, China, Turkey, Hungary, and now also in the USA
- The USA is seeking collaboration and alliances with former enemies: Russia, North-Corea
- The USA turning away from its former allies, Europe, Canada, Australia, and others.
- The rhetoric of hatred is on the front scene from the American president, insulting and despising former friends and allies
- Predatory capitalism is more visible than ever in America, and
- World wide 1% of the world’s population owns half the world’s wealth.
Our duty
predatory capitalism does not allow us any time, room, energy, or freedom of any kind, really, to do our duty to one another — it makes the sole end of life profit. (umair haque)
I believe there is still hope, despite these dark perspectives. We must stand up together, restore democracy, depict our alternatives, rebuild and develop a society based on justice and empathy, where there is a place to live and space to act for everyone.
We all have our duty in this matter. We must read and inform ourselves, increase awareness, come together and support the resistance against injustice. We must talk, write, and reach those we are able to reach.
And never give up. Never say or think: we don’t care. Because that can never be the case: we care for our dear ones, our children, and their future. We care for our society, we want to contribute and make small steps forwards for a better world!
Thank you for reading!
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Øivind H. Solheim is a novel author and a nature photographer from Norway who loves writing fiction, poetry, essays, and articles helping others understand life, other humans, and themselves. He has published six novels, two non-fiction books, and a poetry book.
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