The end of the end of the history

"Russia is paranoid again"? I never noticed they'd stopped.

Wow, this the smartest and saddest thing Sister America has ever said.

This isn't the end, but the beginning. Remember: during WWI, many thought the same - they saw the other-wordly level of destruction and death and thought "We can't possibly come back from this." Yet, here we are. The scars are still there, but our ancestors found a way to move on. I think things will be tough for a while, but ultimately we'll find the way forward again.

@EndgameOnyx
I know the best parts of my countries have been destroyed by the two WW and the struggle we have comes in a very big part from the mistakes we made right after this war.

Yes the modern world is nice in a few parts, but don't forget that you are american and your country became one of the most powerful with the two world wars, in Europe my lovely country lost the leader place we always had to become soon bankrupted country, which lost its economy, its industry, its science, and the worst is loosing its culture and its History and we're falling more and more every year.

When I turned 18 I inherited of an overdebted country where nearly everything which could permit to keep it safe have been sold and closed. Trust me when you understand all the stupid stuff which have been done by our presidents, you definitely could repeat the History and behead a few politicians for treachery.

In the same time I'm still young but I see the traditional life of my country disappearing, existing only in a few dying villages. I see now the modern way of living and I often feel like I'm a 80 years old man looking at a world that I don't really want, paying for debts I never incurred. I often feel like I'm a roman during the fall of the Western Roman Empire. My country exists since the fifth century but it will probably cese to exist while I'm alive and with it its people will follow. It's a very common feel here in Europe, the "authorian" movement we have for ~20 years is only a consequence of the massive unwanted changes we have here.

Never forget something : a begin is the end of what was before, and what we name the progress can also be the development of a bad idea.

@EndgameOnyx preach!

I would say that the golden age, for all the fears of an emperor [Soviet style] in Russia or China doing something very stupid, really started in ~1950, for the west at least. Then you saw the development of parts of E Asia especially but also other sections of the world. The stupid idea of the "end of history" after the collapse of the Soviet empire and with China looking like it might liberalise was always a delusion - as there are always going to be competition and conflict.

To me the rot really started in ~1979-80 with the rise of hard right [by the standards of the time] governments in Britain and the US and with the Iranian revolution being high-jacked by reactionary Islam and the following Sunni reaction. But then that's when my young dreams of progress and success for Britain started to fade so possibly that's a point which occurs for many people when they reach that age?

@stevep59
Is it our similar age, Steve. But I find myself in your story. Unfortunately, no reason to rejoice.

@Daru

Agreed, although as a romantic idealist I still hope that younger generations can overcome the challenges my generation failed in facing up to.

Steve

@stevep59 Well I believe 1980 was a turning point for most countries. Even in France, when we elected a supposedly leftist government (a coalition of both french socialist and communist parties, I mean you shouldn't really be able to go much more left than that) in 1981, they ended up doing just what america and england were already doing : liberalisation (which is definitely a dick move when you call yourself "socialist"). Though they didn't go as fast with the liberal reforms as Thatcher or Reagan.

@Isdaril

Sorry I think I missed this yesterday. Agree that there was a strong swing to the right economically which much of the west is yet to recover from. Far too much transfer of power and wealth to oligarchies from ordinary people. Which has not only been bad socially but also probably a factor in the degree of relative economic decline of the west over recent decades.

Its probably best summed up by the film Wall Street. In that Gorden Gekko was defeated and a more responsible economic policy emerged rather than naked asset stripping for the quick gains of the few. In real life unfortunately the Gekko's won and have continued to do so.

I think we all deluded ourselves over thinking the Cold War was over...

@wingweaver84
indeed.

Another bit of global warming !

How does sister America's boobs keep switching which one has the blue and stars? Lol

@Doodleword notice which way she is facing. She turns from left to right with her body and head then right again? Its not magic or a error on the artist. Its to show she is looking around. Do we really have to explain this?

@Doodleword they arent

Indeed.



Sadly, Russia was always xenophobic. I think it's one of their most successful cultural exports.

Is "authorian" supposed to be "authoritarian"?

.....Sister America really needs to stop watching Jordan B. Peterson videos :P