Everywhere you look, echoes of trouble lurk from one end of the world to another. From the war in Ukraine with Russia to skirmishes between Taiwan and China, and other hotspots with potential eruptions cropping up all over the world. And so, I ask, what the hell is going on in the world today? What are our leaders doing?
The chaos we see today is to a great extent, in my view, due to a lack of proper leadership on the part of the world leaders.
We’ve allowed ego to dominate how we relate to others. We believe and trust that our overwhelming technological superiority will tilt the balance of power in our favor should a military conflict arise. Leaders end up dictating rather than negotiating with pure intent to arrive at a settlement. A case in point is the Russia-Ukraine conflict. With sound negotiation, this war could have been avoided – albeit temporarily.
The problem
The problem with this view is that everyone thinks the same way – that their military superiority will give them an edge in any potential conflict. All the major powers hold this view. China is rising and rising fast with the intent to go to war with Taiwan, and possibly with the United States. Russia is in the heat of war and clamoring for more escalation. And of course, the United States is ready if need be for war. Other nations, including North Korea, are salivating for military conflict. It’s as if the world is about to explode. The irony is that each country believes it will emerge victorious. But at what cost?
Where has peace gone to?
Suddenly, peace has disappeared. Peace is nowhere to be found. Nobody is even talking about peace. Peace is not mentioned in the mouths of world leaders, certainly not at the United Nations, world governmental agencies, parastatals, or political or private organizations. Notably, influential private citizens who could make a difference are also missing in action when it comes to finding peace. Can someone please rally the world to talk about bringing peace back on the world stage? Can Russia, China, and the United States develop a trustworthy mutual peaceful relationship that respects one another? Since our time here on earth is finite, why can’t we make a reasonable and conscious effort to enjoy this planet to the fullest? Why are we in such a haste to leave it?