The Troubling State of Our World: Reflections on War, Veganism, Electronics, and Internet Safety

New version

I Feel Ashamed… Not because of who I am, but because of where we find ourselves today, collectively.

Fighting pervades our world, irrespective of continent—North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania—all have experienced various forms of strife. Although not every instance culminates in war or conflict, it is time to acknowledge that these occurrences deviate from what should be considered normal and acceptable.

At this juncture, it would be fitting to call ourselves collectively insane, despite how disconcerting that notion may be. What we must realize is that war and conflict are not innate necessities; they are peculiar to humans alone. Some may argue that animals engage in fights too, and they would be correct. However, their motivations differ vastly from our human fascination with killing. It almost seems as if those making decisions find pleasure in death and destruction. If that were not the case, wouldn’t they exhaust all possible means to avoid war and conflict?

Furthermore, there’s the matter of vegans, a subject that often stirs controversy.

“Oh no, Vadim, you shouldn’t say that!” some may exclaim.

But why should I refrain from expressing my thoughts? Veganism, in many instances, defies logic, except when considering a few select animals. People fail to realize that carnivorous behavior permeates the entire animal kingdom. Lions hunt gazelles, bears catch fish, and birds feast on worms. When viewed in this context, it becomes apparent that criticizing others for consuming animals reveals an abnormal mindset. In fact, it implies that the accuser is the one deviating from normalcy. However, this doesn’t mean we must consume animals when there is no genuine need to do so. Nevertheless, attacking others over their choices is unwarranted, and the accuser becomes the wrongdoer in such instances.

Nonetheless, the most pressing problem affects each and every one of us, regardless of our geographical location—electronics. Regrettably, few acknowledge this issue, despite its ubiquitous presence in our lives. Electronics not only fail to represent progress but also contribute to the problems we face.

Take automation, for example. It is rapidly eroding our economy, replacing jobs with machines. Yet, instead of recognizing this reality and adapting accordingly, we persist in our current trajectory. More people are forced into labor, social benefits are curtailed, and the divide between the affluent and the impoverished continues to widen. Those who find themselves unemployed or homeless are often unjustly labeled as lazy and urged to seek employment. How does one find a job when opportunities are scarce?

“But, Vadim, they could still do certain jobs,” some might argue.

Yes, that is true, but those jobs could also be done by those who are already affluent, including yourself. Rather than creating a society that uplifts all its members, we perpetuate a broken system that enriches the wealthy while further impoverishing the poor. Charitable acts by the rich, far from demonstrating empathy, merely perpetuate the cycle of work. We are oblivious to our own flawed ways.

However, the most alarming problem lies within the realm of the internet. It is, undoubtedly, the most unsafe place to exist in today’s world. The rising popularity of the dark web comes as no surprise, as it aligns with the original purpose of the internet—safety through privacy. We must accept that the internet functions as a parallel reality with its own set of rules. Honesty demands that we refrain from sharing everything.

It seems ironic that we often prioritize privacy on social media platforms, yet struggle to reconcile this notion with elements like verification badges. Moreover, the requirement to submit photos, ID cards, or even passports to regain access to our accounts violates our need for privacy. This erosion of privacy arises when we lose our passwords. Let’s be honest, everyone forgets their passwords at least once or twice, unless they deliberately use easily compromised combinations.

However, the primary issue concerning internet safety stems from the inability to enforce laws effectively. The pervasive availability of Wi-Fi renders enforcement measures such as banning individuals from the internet impractical. We have unwittingly sacrificed our own safety.

Politically, a balance of left-wing and right-wing ideologies would serve us well, provided we adopt a different approach than the current centrist stance. For instance, we should entrust individuals from the left-wing with matters like healthcare and foreign affairs, while reserving right-wing perspectives for issues such as productivity and justice within the country. By discarding the current system and appointing individuals based on merit, with a President overseeing the entire process, politics can emulate the workings of regular jobs. Similar to any other occupation, politics necessitates the best-suited individuals, rather than relying on connections alone.

But here’s the crux of the matter: Our concept of normality is askew, and the aspects we label as abnormal often reflect the true norm. I am deeply ashamed that the root of the problem lies within ourselves. Each one of us contributes to the predicament we find ourselves in.

Old version (I Am Ashamed…)

I am ashamed…
Not about who I am, but where I am, or rather, where we are.

Right now all around the world we can find fighting,
Whether we look at North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania, all continents experience fighting.
No, that does not always mean war, or conflict, but it might be time to realise that once we experience either one of those 2 things, we already have crossed the line of what is normal and just plain crazy.

The world is at a point were we could call all of us crazy, as hard and disturbing it is to hear.
What people should understand is that there never has been a need of war and conflict, it actually is only humans who has this, no other animal.
Now some will say that they do fight, and… they would be right.
However, not like us humans about basically a fun of killing…
As that how it seems by now to me, that those making decisions find it fun when people are killed, as otherwise, wouldn’t you do the best of your ability to avoid war and conflict by all means?

And of course we also have the weirdness of vegans…
“Oh no, Vadim, you should not say that!”
Why shouldn’t I actually?
The thing with veganism is that it doesn’t make sense, apart of a few animals.
As what people do not seem to realise is that this happens at all of the animal kingdom, animals eating other animals… Think of lions eating gazelles, bears eating fish, and bird eating worms.
It is not weird when we are truly honest, so calling others bad for eating other animals, rather shows that you are not acting normal, not the other way around.
Still, that doesn’t mean we have to eat animals, as there indeed is no true need to do so.
However, there is no correct way to attack others over it, the only one who is wrong at that moment, would be you…

Still, the most problematic part is something that is at everyone’s lives, no matter where you are at this world…
Close to no one recognises it, but, electronics show not our way of moving to the future, but rather how we are creating problems.

Think for example about automation, which is destroying our economy, as less and less jobs are available, as they are replaced with a way of automation.
Yet, instead of realising that this happens, and make changes according to this, we don’t…
Rather we see that more people are forced to work, benefits are removed, and the difference between rich and poor is not just increasing, it already is a massive difference…
And still, people will call those who are not working, and in some cases get homeless over it, as just being lazy, and needing to look for a job…
How is it possible to find a job when there are none?

“But, Vadim, they could still do certain jobs…”
Yes, that is true, but those jobs could also be done by you, or rather, by those who already have lots of money…
What we see instead is that our whole society is made of making the rich even more rich, and the poor, even more poor…
And, no, charities of rich people show no empathy, as the empathetic way is sharing, but instead, these charities tend to try and help people to work…
We are just keeping our broken ways ongoing, yet, we don’t even seem to notice it.

Yet, of course, the worst problem is the internet.
When we look at the internet as a place, it is the most unsafe place to be at.
It is no wonder that the dark-web is becoming more, and more popular, as that is the only place of the internet were it is understood what the internet should be about…
Which is in 1 phrase “Safety by privacy”
The thing is, the internet is kind of like a second world, as different rules apply.
Just be honest about it, and you would also realise that you shouldn’t be sharing everything.

It is kind of silly, but when we look at safety at social media, we do almost always say that privacy is the number one importance…
Yet, when we look at parts like verification signs, it already gets a hard one to say that is actually is true…
Still, even worse is the fact we need to supply photos, or even ID cards, or passports, when we would lose access to our accounts at social media.
The thing we should however realise is that this is destroying the realisation that we need privacy, as we are required to give it all up when we lose our passwords.
And let us be honest all, everyone will at least once or twice forget their passwords, unless you use passwords in a way you could be easily hacked…

However, the main problem when it comes to internet safety, is that laws are actually not able to be enforced…
This is caused by our need of having Wi-Fi everywhere, causing that enforcements like banishment of the internet, are unable to ever be a reality.
We actually took away our own ability to be safe.

In a political sense, we should be using both left-wing and right-wing politics, but differently then those at the centre currently do.
At politics you should have someone of the left-wing at things like medical care, and foreign affairs, while having right-wing at subjects like productivity, and justice, within the own country.
Getting rid of the current system, and rather choosing the right people for each position, and someone like the President as overseer, basically, like regular jobs work…
Like at a normal job, politics also requires the best people for a job, and not having a person because of their ties to something.

But, that is just it…
Our ways of normal are actually crazy, and the ways we call crazy, tend to be the normal ones…
And I am ashamed that the problem is not anyone else but ourselves, all of us are part of the problem…