How did we get here?

Sometimes I look at where we are, and I honestly wonder how we got to this absolute mess. Im not just talking about the last few years either. I remember a quote going round a while back, and im paraphrasing here, that “9/11 happened and then nothing got any better” and you know what? That’s not too far off.

9/11 happened and reignited a conflict that, lets be honest, will never actually end at this point, as it has rapidly become a self-sustaining inferno, destabilizing so many nations with its knock-on effects. All in the name of a “war on terror” which ironically seems to have caused more terror than anything else. Then we had 7/7 in London, Charlie Hebdo stabbings, Bataclan shootings, the rise of ISIS, schools, busses, homes all being targeted in every country, not just the western ones I mentioned above, I have a western perspective as this is where I reside, but even in my blinkered and censored view I can see it happening everywhere. Its not getting any better.

Then we had not one, but two “once in a lifetime” financial crashes, that destroyed livelihoods, left thousands of people without homes, food, or anything essential. Both due to irresponsible financial management and greed of those who were *already billionaires*, the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis dragged the world economy back decades and was dragged back again with the sovereign debt crisis. Both events were bad enough, but here we are again on the cusp of a third “once in a lifetime” financial crisis, caused again by the exact same reasons as 2008. A worldwide pandemic knocks the economy on its ass, so stockbrokers decide to try and kill businesses that relied on people going to these businesses for their operation. So, they tied up billions in these schemes, because for some reason they seemed to think we would what? Be locked down forever? They also seemed to think that killing these businesses would then have no further effect? But here we are, again the gambled with our money, with your friends and families’ pensions, with the very currency we use that we think is “safe” in our banks. Then what happened? The stock market crashed. Twice. In three days. Because nothing has changed, nothing has gotten any better. This is all happening for the same reason.

And let’s talk about the pandemic. Again, we are living through a *worldwide pandemic*, isn’t that mad? The bulk of us have essentially had the past 2 years of our lives put on hold. We have lost friends and family, who have died alone in isolation wards, we have attended funerals via zoom or whatever webcast service people are using. We keep getting hit by new variant after new variant because this virus is so damn mutable. Again, and again our government holds us in contempt, by showing its one rule for them, and one rule for us. Flaunting their own restrictions so they can “test their eyes” by going and looking at a castle. Or ignoring restrictions because they were worried about their children, implying that the rest of the country who *obeyed* these restrictions when they were worried about their children were basically shit parents. That was awful, but did it get better? No, it got worse. Now here we are, after the health secretary resigned for having an affair and breaching covid rules while he was doing so, with another travesty over a Christmas party. A Christmas party that didn’t happen, allegedly. Despite the fact a video has come to light showing several senior ministerial aides joking about a “fictional” party mere days after this event never occurred. Making jokes about it being fine if it involved “cheese and wine” and was a “business meeting” no its not a smoking gun by any means, but it is very suspicious. Now this is all being denied by the man in charger who, let’s not forget, has been sacked from previous jobs for lying. Twice. Is it any surprise trusting him is, shall we say “difficult?” We know they are lying; they know we know they are lying, and they are still lying. Did it get any better? Of course, it didn’t.

We can now add to this Christmas of bullshit and infamy, a nice chance of an armed conflict not seen in the last 80 odd years. With Russia set to invade Ukraine amidst a backdrop of sanctions, crumbling economies and mass apathy. I feel like whatever the next thing is that makes this all worse, and by this point im sure something will, that it just doesn’t surprise me. But still, there is the small part of me, in the back of my mind that is just screaming at the insanity of the last 21 years. Is hope a thing anymore? Or are we literally just locked in the self-perpetuating dystopian hellscape forever? I don’t know what the answer is, hell I don’t even know why I’m typing up this stream of inane thoughts.

Is it going to get better? I honestly don’t know anymore.