I just came back from the Banksy Exhibition in Singapore today – The Art of Banksy Singapore: “Without Limits” – and I always feel inspired enjoying his work, along with many other artists. But it also left me wondering – are we really paying attention? Or do we just love how he’s sticking it to the man while not fundamentally getting the depth of what he’s saying?
Banksy challenges war, mass consumption, greed, corporate greed in particular, corruption, lack of human dignity for all, colonialism, and so much more. It’s a beautiful experience to spend time in his mind, and yet, I look at the world right now, and we are going into a VERY dark place. The messengers, like Banksy, have been screaming for years, but it feels like no one is really listening. We appear to only want to be entertained.
Why are we such a stupid species, making the same mistakes time and time and time again? Why will we never get it? And why do we continue to elect and empower people who are guaranteed to take us in the worst possible direction?
Nothing happening right now is surprising. It’s definitely not pretty, but it is NOT surprising. So many of us could see this coming a long time ago, what happened to everyone else?
This is a time we must unite as a global society to confront the greatest risk man has ever faced, and we’re giving that a big Yeah Nah! War, power, greed… it’s going to be a Golden Age apparently. Tell ‘em they’re dreaming please!!
Maybe too many of us just got too comfortable for too long, and this is where comfort takes us. We let them buy and consume our attention to the point we were so distracted by shiny things we missed the real intentions all along.
Great read for understanding how it happens, as well as how to live in dark times – Do Not Be Afraid of the Dark: A Guide to the Dark Mode Shift.
I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand why young men (in particular) are voting for the far right. There are many reasons, but equally, is our history so ignored that they don’t realize it is they who will be the meat for the meat grinder, as many Russian men have been these last three years? This is how it goes, and when you look at the eugenics messaging coming through the Whitehouse, that outcome is an absolute certainty. It won’t be the rich and powerful, no, it will be the poor and uneducated. It always is and they voted for this. That makes me sad.
An article from Germany – Why more young men in Germany are turning to the far-right. Fingers crossed for their elections.
We are in perilous times my friends. The US military leadership is being filled with loyalists to Trump, but it’s not just the top dogs we should be worried about (although that is worrying), the judge advocates general of the three service branches were fired too – you know, the ones who follow the law and make the call on the legality of military actions…
I mean it’s old news now but Trump energy chief says there are upsides to ecological collapse. Bonza!
Trump calling Zelensky a dictator and deciding to ally the US with Russia is old news now too, although you know the risk of that is finally being understood when the very calm and considered Fareed Zakaria appears a bit stunned… Maybe the ‘Krasnov’ story isn’t so far-fetched after-all, considering what’s happened this week? Regardless, I’m keeping a keen eye on the EU now. What will this collection of nations do next?
Read: Opinion | With Trump’s Prostration to Putin, Expect a More Dangerous World – The New York Times
Here’s a good interview from different spokespeople across the EU – worth a watch: The death of NATO? Europe in crisis over Trump-Putin talks – The Debate
Do check out this interview with Historian Quinn Slobodian. This is the challenge we’re facing, something I discussed a few weeks back in the reads.
You can read his article here: What is DOGE? | Quinn Slobodian | The New York Review of Books
The issue that I keep seeing is, when you listen to mainstream media, they’re still not getting it. Rachel Maddow got close here, but still, the story is so much bigger than Trump. Of course he’s mostly “decorative.”
Talking of figure heads, did you see this? It came from the Whitehouse!!! Maybe they’re all just having a big laugh?
And a final point on Musk and the whole Tesla stock thing… doesn’t everyone realise that it doesn’t matter to him? There are many more riches to be made and he’s already making them. We need to think bigger and stop limiting our imagination on where this is really going. I know it’s a dark journey, but if we don’t face it, we won’t do anything about it before it’s too late, and this week shows us how close we are to being too late!
Although hats off to ABP for taking serious action – Dutch pension fund ABP sells all Alphabet and Meta shares, CEO tells newspaper FD.
Meanwhile…
- US delegation pulled from key UN climate science meeting in China
- Climate change: World’s glaciers melting faster than ever recorded
- From Fire to Floods: Is LA Even Livable Anymore? Businesses FLEE!
- The housing developments being approved in notorious flood zones | ABC News
- Immense Methane Leaks in Antarctica: A Hidden Climate Threat Unveiled
- Noaa imposes limits on scientists, sparking concerns over global forecasts
- Large areas of WA’s Ningaloo corals could die in ‘weeks ahead’ after widespread bleaching documented
- More than 80% of new California properties are in high fire-risk areas
- Mapped: How extreme weather is destroying crops around the world
- US braces for ‘life-threatening cold’ as polar vortex brings extreme weather after deadly floods
- Snow Follows Severe Flooding In Kentucky
- Global Warming Has Accelerated. Why? What Are the Consequences?
- Nuclear energy isn’t a safe bet in a warming world – here’s why
- Trump Ends Climate Work Inside Agency That Responds to Disasters
- Brazil faces unprecedented heatwave, poor neighborhoods suffer the most
- Smoke Billows From Bushfires in Tasmania
- As War Halts, the Environmental Devastation in Gaza Runs Deep – Yale E360
- Half a degree rise in global warming will triple area of Earth that is ‘too hot for humans’
When all else fails, just watch Pie. He always nails it (warning, don’t watch if you don’t like swearing). It’s a shit time, but we can and must rise now. No screaming from the sidelines anymore, it’s time to get into the action. Action is the only path out of fear and despair.
Favorite visual or meme
This was a great share this week, and got lots of attention
Maya Angelou is never wrong
We’re probably going to need a Winston Churchill character again. Strap in, it’s going to be a very bumpy ride!
My content and my pals
It was awesome to have Jessica Figueras on The Know Show this week. Always insightful and a great perspective from the UK and Europe to add to the news. If you haven’t listened, check it out.
Failure of imagination… are we waking up yet?
Dig into the news
Plenty more to read, listen to or watch, so do click through to the reads at the image below, and a reminder, this platform has articles going back weeks, so have a scan and read/watch/listen to whatever jumps out at you.
Let me know what caught your attention? Or share with me what has your attention now? There’s a lot going on, which means none of us can cover everything. Besides, it’s always great to get feedback so I know I’m delivering something of value.
Cheers
Andrea
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