Do not think for a second that the stupidity and indifference of America stops at the Pacific and Atlantic shores. American stupidity has found kinship with the new populist movements in European countries like Italy, Poland, and Hungary. It looks like Putin’s gamble is starting to pay off — apply maximum economic pressure via restricting energy supply and causing other inflationary disruptions to Europe, and then watch the masses become uneasy and respond by voting in or supporting right-wing, Putin-friendly governments. Although, it could be that Putin’s timing is a bit off, for his military is flailing badly, and I’m not sure his mobilization efforts can hold off Ukrainian advancements long enough to prevent a Russian loss or the deterioration of the European alliance against Putin. Assuming he does not pull the nuclear card. Then all bets are off.
Nonetheless, The New York Times summed it up well, “‘These [right-wing] election [victories] are another sign that all is not well with mainstream parties,’ said Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and spell a complicated period for the European Union.” These are warning signs for governments, and voters, in particular, who don’t seem to care; they apparently prefer authoritarianism because democracy is hard. It is better to be stupid and lazy and be told what to do and how to think than it is to be intelligent and engaged in protecting democracy. It’s easier to live on bread and circus rather than sacrifice for the greater good, especially when authoritarianism is on the march in Europe. Idiots of the world have completely forgotten their history — if they ever learned it to begin with. We’ve all seen this movie before with rising faux populism and nationalism that turns into the next world war. Fan-f***ing-fatstic. I live in stupid hell, but I expected nothing less! Stupid America or stupid Europe. It’s all the same to me.