This year wasn’t very particular in one way or another.
Personally, I hit 45 this year. It seems like a lot to me: just think of it, I’m now a forty-five-year old dude… I don’t feel though the ‘weight of years’ on my shoulders. I feel probably smarter, more qualified and in a better shape than when I was 25 or even 35.
Understanding of it gets me high in a way. I mean, I’m still kicking.
What happened in the world? Nothing special, really. Hated-by-so-many Donald Trump has achieved a decisive victory over his opponents. Bob Mueller’s investigation went bust. The impeachment brew will be dead on arrival in the Senate. His approval ratings are up and CNN’s are down. It may sound weird to some but Trump’s achievements as President already overshadow those of Obama.
These odd body movements would in no way help the Democrats win in November 2020. Yes, they will tell their voters: ‘We fought for our principles to the very end’. The thing is that these principles/fight looked like a nice try to overrun the U.S. Constitution. Yep, if we only take out all the pathetic and high-spirited words and also some words like ‘idiot’. Who looks like an idiot in the end? Move away from the far-left and you’ll have a good chance in 2024.
In the UK Boris Johnson has gotten the biggest majority since 1987. This effectively says that the British people, for the second time, voted for Brexit. Period. Whether you like it or not. I might be wrong but I think that the UK has never been a part of the EU anyway (the currency, the visas, the spirit itself) so in the long run it would be better off. The EU would see some transformations; not sure where would it lead the Union from its current shape. It doesn’t seem to work now, again, in the long term.
In Russia we’re on the way to solving Vlad Putin’s biggest problem: ‘what shall I do after 2024?’ Some nice retirement? Or becoming a dictator in one way or another, like the Mighty King of United Russia and Belorussia? The dude has ruled us since 2000: he beat Brezhnev’s record and now is on the way to Stalin’s achievement: almost 30 years in office. Good luck. Personally, I’m just wondering: will he be buried in the Kremlin wall, like some of his beloved predecessors, after he finally rises up to the Land of Eternal Hunt?
So, let’s embrace 2020: I think we’ll see an exciting adventure on Mars by the NASA mission rover that is going to specifically search for life. That will be fun. We might expect the Biggest News of the Century. Or even Millenia. Whoops! Not in 2020: it will touchdown on Mars in February 2021. No problem; we’ll have time to get enough Coke and popcorn supplies!
2019 – What a year….
On a personal level, it was one of the best-ever years, with a first great-grandson, a brand new grand-daughter, and both health and happiness in good measure.
Turning onto Britain, a very, very different story. What a pathetic start, back in January. The then prime minister Theresa May, who had spent the best part of her premiership negotiating an exit deal with the European Union, saw her deal absolutely torn apart in the House of Commons, with even her own backbenchers voting against it by three to one.
Fast forward to an unusually-timed general election in December, an almost invisible, poorly led, pathetic main opposition party allowed the buffoon Boris Trump to win a huge majority, meaning that the known liar, cheat, misogynist, racist prat can now cheat and lie to his heart’s content, knowing whatever crazy-pot scheme he comes up with will pass through parliament.
Like so many before him, he is in fact your archetypal power-hungry member of the British ruling elite, who is happy to dismally gamble with his country’s future, and that of the poor tax-paying commoners who are unlucky enough to live there. (Yes, I know there are far worse places on this planet, but I consider myself extremely lucky not to live there anymore.)
Forget his “Get Brexit Done” challenge – we all know full well that he is perfectly capable of changing his mind, and dropping plans to leave the EU, if he thought it would be personally advantageous.
It’s been an awful year for Britain, with the word “Brexit” dominating almost every news bulletin throughout the twelve months. Even the Queen, in her annual Christmas Day speech, talked about a bumpy ride. Was she referring to her family, or her realm? – probably both.
And you know the worse thing about all this? A country that is now totally divided, a country where hate crimes are on the increase, and tolerance shown the back door, this country now relies on bloody reality TV shows to give many of its inhabitants a comfort zone – somewhere and sometime, for instance, where they won’t hear the word Brexit mentioned. Gentle escapism with programmes like “The Great British Baking Show” – think about it, you are watching people make a cake. Or maybe worse – “Gogglebox”, where you will watch people watching television.
My country has so much for which to answer.
2018 – Part II
2019 was 2018, part two. The rise of nationalism continues worldwide. All the world’s major nations today are being molded by an old, new worldview.
The Donald uses nationalism and patriotism interchangeably. Personally, I think patriotism is a positive personality trait: Pride in the accomplishments of your people and where you come from is a good thing. Believing that your culture sets high standards can drive you to reach higher and accomplish more.
Like all good things, too much patriotism can be bad for you; not only are you a good person, you’re better than they are. Superior. Moreover, those greasy brown people need to go back to their shithole counties. And we need to stop Muslims from even coming until we can figure out the “problem”.
So, I’ll argue that 2019 was little more than 2018, part two. More of the same anger; unfocused, lashing out in any direction on a whim. And it continues to seethe, waiting for… something.
As economic inequality grows worldwide, we will continue to become more unstable. If you are in the one percent, the world’s your oyster (because you own half of it) and things just keep getting better. After all, you earned it. But if you happen to be in the bottom third, you’re almost certainly angry, lashing out at them, and who they are can change from month to month.
Here is a partial list of them in my home country:
- The Libtard Democrats
- The Press – except Fox; we like those guys.
- Some girl named Greta Thunberg – she said something to somebody at the UN
- All Immigrants – except for those 65 white people from Norway (no really)
- Ukraine for rigging the 2016 election
- The United States Government… the whole thing, except the military.
- Godless Muslims – because they are all terrorists.
Sometimes, when you get on the list, you stay. Sometimes you can get back off; just ask Lyin’ Ted Cruze. There’s a bunch more people but you get the idea. It’s unfocused, changing, and… waiting.
It seems to be much the same world over.