OVERWHELMED BY WORLD EVENTS

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downnotout

I might be way out of my depth here and this might not be the right place to put this on but here goes .
I have watched news from ‘abroad’,(I’m in Scotland but have travelled) from a ‘comfortable distance’ and been upset, shocked, very sad about the state of the world, be it wars, acts of god etc.
I am in my 60s now. Yes I did not live through the Second or First World Wars as my parents and grandparents did. I have only seen this reproduced very articulately in many films and heard stories. Yes we have lived through a Covid pandemic - many compared it to the Spanish Flue epidemic of 1918 killing over 215,000. And then of course, after that, the War. But I have never been so, not just touched, but devastated by the last few years of actually living through and acknowledging how dispicable men who crave war can be. And yes, I think it is indeed men. What do they crave? Land? Why? Power over reserves? Why? Power over people? Why?
Why are men so hell-bent on distructing? I am not a ‘reverse-misogynist’ but it is men who seem to have to always instigate and therefore manifest this un-harmony in the world. It is men who send our sons and their own to war to give up their lives.
I have travelled - not all over the world - but everywhere - everywhere- I have gone I have respected every country I have visited - their rules, their culture - and I have connected with so many lovely people from all walks of life just living their lives and happy to talk openly, to chat, to discuss different countries and ways of living, to laugh at the same things, talk about family, friends and even to be able to laugh at ourselves and our own countries eccentricities.
I am so saddened and appalled at what is happening now. Am I being unreasonable in thinking this? Does no one remember banter and laughter?

Yes it seems a very hard part of getting older is realizing the world is still so full of violence, greed and traumas. When we are young we anticipate that we can change things and or that surely things will get better. Or we think maybe as we learn more we will it will make sense. Then later in life we realize none of that is true. I think it causes depression for many. I know for me, finding a spiritual outlook is the only thing that keeps me from being overwhelmed by it all. And from there doing what I can to lift up those around me. It doesn't make the kaos of the world any less sad, but it helps me to go on with a sense of purpose. You are not alone. Hug to you.

….And took the milk away from school kids
freya I m well aware why she took us to war, was it worth it ? why shouldn’t Argentine have that bit of land on their doorstep why should we ‘own’ it ?? I have no understanding of why lives should be lost and ruined for a small island on the other side of the world, we should have given it to them in good grace 3500 population, descendants from a variety of European countries Really ….

For Downnotout, well, tribes and later countries have picked on their neighbours for thousands of years, sometimes travelled long distances to explore and conquer.

Sometimes it's just been greed, but at various times in the last 1000 years or so, religion has thrown its hat in the ring. Islam means 'Peace', and Christianity has 'Shalt Not Kill', 'Turn the other cheek', and 'Love thy neighbour'. Oh, and don't covet thy neighbour's anything.

Hasn't stopped Muslims and Christians killing huge numbers of each other, and opposing factions within each one. There is nothing you personally can do about the problems in the Middle East (don't forget that Iran is provoking a war in Yemen as well as Israel) -- Putin's invasions, terrorists round most of Africa, plus the Muslim/Buddhist (maybe Hindu as well?) conflict in what used to be Burma, and the Chines persecution of Uighurs. And I must have omitted some, there are websites detailing all the planet's major and minor spats, very depressing. But you can do nothing about them.

For Henetha - and "Mrs T was absolutely right to defend the Falklands". Well, several historians have analysed that, and concluded that in fact that spat was engineered, by US, as her popularity was going down the toilet already in her reign. A nice war, and she became a hero, got quite a few more years out of it.

She IS the woman who gave us the present privatised trains concept (criticised before, and ever since it happened), devastated the industry of the Midlands & North (still hated in much of them), and of course the Poll Tax, resulting in riots. Oh, nearly forgot, SHE started the housing crisis (never fixed) by selling off council houses and having no plan for replacement social housing.

It's not about gender though, is it? In the same way, we cannot blame all Italians or French, or ....well you get the idea. Just before the US and Britain were going in to create the Iraq war, I spoke online (within a UK group) and so many of them turned on me, with things like "my son's in that military...." and so on. Some years later, one of those "ladys" contacted me to apologize (Btw, I got thrown out of the group because of it). So, yes after she learned the WOMD was not real and they went in simply to avenge the Twin Towers horror, she came back to apologize. The sad part of our lives today, for me is knowing that anybody can go online, get themselves a picket and say just about anything. Talk is cheap, it ruins lives and makes the innocent guilty. If only we would do our research and find out the details of a situation, rather than continuing to run with it and spread that wrong news. As an example: The history of the so-called 'Palestinian Conflict" is not what it appears. The Britain Sir Arthur Balfour supporting the Zionists actually began the slaughter of the country of Palestine and time and time again, the laws have been ignored by Israel. It's all power play and profit. It's about the billions made from the sale of weapons that is big business and perpetuate wars. I suggest everyone should look at the stories of those living in Hebron. At least, now, others are starting to educate themselves about the truth of this sad, sad story. Cheers btw. Cheer up!

MerylStreep

Secondwind

All the whispers into Thatcher’s ears were from men, no doubt…

You obviously missed the series on R4 with her ministers talking about their time with her.
Nobody whispered in Thatcher’s ear. Love her or loath her she was her own woman.

Yes, as if she was a waverer!!

"You turn if you want to. The lady's not for turning!"

Secondwind

All the whispers into Thatcher’s ears were from men, no doubt…

You obviously missed the series on R4 with her ministers talking about their time with her.
Nobody whispered in Thatcher’s ear. Love her or loath her she was her own woman.

BlueBelle

Well Margaret Thatcher managed to take us into one!!

I think you'll remember that it was Argentina invading British territory , threatening British lives, that caused that one.

Callistemon21

Dickens

I also agree with Franbern regarding the corrosive nature of religion. Many of these atrocities would not occur if it were not for people following often outdated "rules", rather than using their own sense of what is right and what is wrong to determine how they behave towards others.

I'm an atheist - but I think the 'corrosion' is due not so much to the religion - but those who have hijacked it and interpreted it for their own agenda.

Very true Dickens

No God would want to see such hatred, war and killings.
It is the way it has been interpreted by mankind.

Quite.

It has to be remembered also that 'religion' has been a cause for kindness and compassion in others.

Not only that, but it's also allowed people to endure... it has brought comfort to many during times of trouble and stress.

As an atheist I don't believe in a God - but I do believe in "Godliness" if that makes sense.

Dickens

^I also agree with Franbern regarding the corrosive nature of religion. Many of these atrocities would not occur if it were not for people following often outdated "rules", rather than using their own sense of what is right and what is wrong to determine how they behave towards others.^

I'm an atheist - but I think the 'corrosion' is due not so much to the religion - but those who have hijacked it and interpreted it for their own agenda.

Well said, Dickens.

Dickens

^I also agree with Franbern regarding the corrosive nature of religion. Many of these atrocities would not occur if it were not for people following often outdated "rules", rather than using their own sense of what is right and what is wrong to determine how they behave towards others.^

I'm an atheist - but I think the 'corrosion' is due not so much to the religion - but those who have hijacked it and interpreted it for their own agenda.

Very true Dickens

No God would want to see such hatred, war and killings.
It is the way it has been interpreted by mankind.

I also agree with Franbern regarding the corrosive nature of religion. Many of these atrocities would not occur if it were not for people following often outdated "rules", rather than using their own sense of what is right and what is wrong to determine how they behave towards others.

I'm an atheist - but I think the 'corrosion' is due not so much to the religion - but those who have hijacked it and interpreted it for their own agenda.

I'm not sure that it's entirely about gender, except in the sense that girls are often brought up to be kind, caring and considerate of others feelings and the "boys will be boys" idea seems not to encompass these qualities very much. Girls are often expected to be polite, humble and uncomplaining - that can be to their disadvantage sometimes though.

Thatcher wasn't a particularly caring or sensitive person, and didn't seem very concerned about the deaths caused on both sides in the Falklands War. Golda Meir, again did not seem to instill the ideals of care and compassion, and neither did Indira Ghandi. I therefore think it's more about people who are driven by a number of goals which often include: power, influence, money, success, a need for admiration and unquestioning respect, etc. etc. These qualities are more often tolerated (or even encouraged) in boys but some girls are also encouraged to acquire them.

I can quite understand anyone feeling totally overwhelmed by the terrible things that are happening around the world. It's not just Israel and Gaza (though the inhumanity on both sides is almost too awful to contemplate) - and it's not just man made tragedies - so many earthquakes, floods, fires, etc, etc. I don't know how we should deal with these dreadful tragedies. Some say turn the TV off, don't read the papers, etc. etc. but I feel it is important that we are aware of what is going on round the world. Perhaps rationing how much we watch and read is the only answer.

On the Israel Gaza question, this has been an issue ignored for many years. Isn't the United Nations meant to try and bring parties together and bring Israel to account regarding encroaching on land that is not theirs?

I also agree with Franbern regarding the corrosive nature of religion. Many of these atrocities would not occur if it were not for people following often outdated "rules", rather than using their own sense of what is right and what is wrong to determine how they behave towards others.

Anniel

This video shows what happened in London at the weekend. The Police seem powerless and my neighbours in Golders Green now live in fear. Is this the future in our capital,city? I hope this works as I am technically incompetent!

twitter.com/Emily8275/status/1712435095733514657/video/1

It works and terrifying to see…..😳

Annie’s - I’ve only just managed to play your link. Thank you. Does anyone else feel our tv news is sanitising what we see

Back in the 90s I worked closely with a pharmaceutical marketing company that was a relative 'newbie' in the 'information' technology world. They were about to merge with our own company to then 'go public'. I was heavily involved in this IPO and got to know the two company owners quite well.

The remarkable thing is that one owner was a Jew and the other a Muslim. They worked together, socialised with each other and each other's family, to an extent, also.

I know it's simplistic to view this unusual set of circumstances as a metaphor for 'peaceful co-existence'... but getting to know them did highlight the utter futility of such wars.

Then there's the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra, founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian-American academic Edward Said. The orchestra consist of musicians from backgrounds in Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, etc.

As Barenboim said...

"The Divan is not a love story, and it is not a peace story. It has very flatteringly been described as a project for peace. It isn't. It's not going to bring peace, whether you play well or not so well. The Divan was conceived as a project against ignorance. A project against the fact that it is absolutely essential for people to get to know the other, to understand what the other thinks and feels, without necessarily agreeing with it. I'm not trying to convert the Arab members of the Divan to the Israeli point of view, and not trying to convince the Israelis to the Arab point of view. But I want to – and unfortunately I am alone in this now that Edward died a few years ago – ...create a platform where the two sides can disagree and not resort to knives."

And, as he said later, "either we share what there is to share, or we continue to kill each other".

TanaMa

Why do some people criticise Margaret Thatcher and the Falkland war ( on behalf of people who considered themselves part of UK) but do not do the same to Tony Blair who took the country into a war based in false propagander. He was a real warmonger!!

I don't criticise Margaret Thatcher because she was defending a British sovereign territory which had been invaded by a foreign power. We know people who fought in the Falklands War and they believe it was the right thing to do.

Tony Blair, however, did take us into a war which was based on false information; it was nothing to do with a British overseas territory but more to do with oil.

Every time countries meddle in the Middle East on the pretext of bringing democracy to the region, it causes more destabilisation.

Anniel

GrannyGravy,
Lots of people are asking that question. I think the police were outnumbered and whoever was directing operations was worried thst arresting the ringleaders would cause too much unrest. The Jewish community in Golders Green and other NW London suburbs are really worried. It is just a bus ride up the Finchley Road from where I have lived since 1984 and there has never been anything like this before. There was a bus driven along the Main Street shouting threatening messages to Jews who have businesses there. It is unbelievable.

I tried to post your link on the thread (Israel, Hamas and now Hezbollah) under News & Politics, but couldn’t manage to get it to turn blue could you please repost it there, as I think it’s relevant to that thread.

It feels like the whole world is imploding right now.

I’ve always felt as long as there is politics and religion (a powder keg of a situation!) there will be strife, genocide and war in this world. Somewhere.

This recent Middle East incident has lit antisemitism to a new level, unseen since pre-WWII.

It makes me ill. It makes me scared that (individual) people will take matters into their own hands - locally, nationally, internationally and make things worse.

We need very wise, moral and strong leaders now. Who will they be? I don’t think we know yet.
USA Gundy

TanaMa - Thatcher is criticised because people died. Some of our military still suffer physical or psychological injuries because of that war.
I’ve no time for Thatcher but I do understand the sovereignty issue and don’t believe she’d any choice but fight back.

Blair is constantly criticised by left-right-no political allegiance for joining Bush in Iraq. I was one of many who marched against the war and left the Labour Party because of the invasion. It isn’t about tribal politics, it’s about morality, ethics and defence

GrannyGravy,
Lots of people are asking that question. I think the police were outnumbered and whoever was directing operations was worried thst arresting the ringleaders would cause too much unrest. The Jewish community in Golders Green and other NW London suburbs are really worried. It is just a bus ride up the Finchley Road from where I have lived since 1984 and there has never been anything like this before. There was a bus driven along the Main Street shouting threatening messages to Jews who have businesses there. It is unbelievable.

All the whispers into Thatcher’s ears were from men, no doubt…

Anniel

This video shows what happened in London at the weekend. The Police seem powerless and my neighbours in Golders Green now live in fear. Is this the future in our capital,city? I hope this works as I am technically incompetent!

twitter.com/Emily8275/status/1712435095733514657/video/1

That is extremely chilling.

Why did the police not stop or arrest them, surely they committed multiple hate crimes?

BlueBelle

Well Margaret Thatcher managed to take us into one!!

And the Falkland Islanders thank God daily that she did!