An Uncertain World
I consider myself to be a grounded, rational individual. I am not excessively emotional. I like facts, data and reason as opposed to hyperbole, rhetoric and bluster. That being said, I am aware that the world is an imperfect place. Opinions are often not based upon empirical fact but personal perspective. Hence many people experience reality differently to me. They are driven by their feelings and other factors. However, despite these differences in philosophy, for most of my life the world has remained functional and over time slowly improved in subtle ways. Deference to expertise, a sense of community and basic pragmatism meant that people broadly pulled in the same direction. Of course there has always been dissent but it has been within a stable system. However, of late I feel that this era is now finally over. Things are no longer stable. We live in an uncertain world.
Looking back at my youth, the seventies were economically and socially challenging. Not only here in the UK but across the western world. The energy crisis, war in the Middle East and the threat of nuclear attack were pressing concerns on top of the demands of day-to-day life. However, there was always the hope that cool heads would prevail. Changes in government meant that people with plans would strive to tackle and solve pressing issues. People broadly believed that public institutions were ultimately run by those who were suitably skilled. There was faith that the state worked and a degree of consensus regarding national aspiration. It wasn’t perfect by any means but the nation functioned and gave citizens a sense of stability. Democracy worked because people believed in it and understood their role. They also remembered the carnage of World War II and when democracy failed.
Today, I look around the UK and see a nation that is far from united. Politics, social debate and general interaction has become petty, nasty and ignorant. The cult of the individual rules and life is refracted through the prism of “what’s in it for me”. Everyone wants the benefits of first class public services but no one wants to pay for it. People no longer have any real grasp of how things work, be it the state or more tangible things like the internet. Critical thinking is in decline, as are attention spans. The world is becoming infantilised. People want change but lack the skills and patience to seek and implement any. Then there is the matter of wealth and power becoming further entrenched with an ever diminishing group of individuals. Inequality is rife, yet we still allow the wealthy to convince us that it is the most vulnerable in the world that are our enemy.
Such a state of affairs is worrying. I am no longer confident that the best of us will intercede and address the world’s problems. I believe that we’ll keep putting those who just make cheap promises in charge and they’ll just make things worse. This will then feed further decline. If certain politicians fail in the next 5 to 10 years, I can see the public giving up on democracy. Furthermore, I believe that a substantial percentage of the population are simply intellectually and emotionally unequipped to deal with any serious disruption to their normal life that may potentially occur. Trade wars, collapse of the global supply chain and terrorisms are all potential threats. Civil unrest is another possibility. Shortages, travel restrictions and disruptions to power and internet services would not be well received. As for the idea of ordnance being dropped on civilian targets, it would be beyond the comprehension of many.
I am not a blind optimist but I usually see the value in maintaining some sense of positive and practical hope that things will get better. Sadly, when 2025 arrived a few weeks ago I looked around and simply couldn’t see any sources of inspiration. In political terms the right is in ascendance across the western hemisphere and the centre ground and left are in retreat. I see no possibility of any sort of social or political reconciliation. We live in an age where everyone hates someone. History and reality demonstrate that populists seldom get anything done that is universally beneficial and they tend to break social and political institutions, making it very difficult for their successors to repair things. It pains me to say it but things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better, assuming that that is even a possibility at a later date.
Depressing isn’t it. As for the question “what are you going to do about it”, the answer is precious little. There is always activism, protest and lobbying but I suspect that such things are going to get a lot harder to do in the immediate future. For a lot of people, the current geopolitical situation is a mandatory train ride to the terminus, whether you like it or not. In the meantime you determine who you can trust, then keep your head down and try to get by. All of the various post war generations have been cosseted to a greater or lesser degree and it would be wise for them to adjust their expectations accordingly. As for hope, you must look for it in unexpected places and maintain your own personal morale the best you can. Take comfort in the fact that tyrants, fools and bullies are all mortal and eventually die. The darkness is not forever but it may be your children that see the dawn, not you.
