It certainly sometimes feels that way. In the last 72 hours, there has been two violent mass stabbings in Sydney, and we have seen the situation in the Middle East ramp up tensions another notch. The Russia-Ukraine war is three weeks away from hitting the 800 day mark, and the US continues to pile troops into the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, the usual suspects are having a terrible time, even by their low standards. Haiti, always one of the world’s poorest countries, is about to dip from failed state to pure anarchy, with a tyrannical, psychopathic gang leader known only as “Barbeque” on the brink of taking over. Sudan, another chronic underachiever, just marked the one year mark for their civil war. The US Travel Department has an extremely detailed warning for visiting the country, but it can be summed up in its conclusion: “Independent travel to Mogadishu will most likely result in your death.“
When you see all this news coming in, it can be easy to see the world in a dark light. But the world is a big place, and the vast majority of places have never been safer. Walking around Melbourne this afternoon was a seamless and safe experience, and I know it is similar for my readers in Sydney, Denver, London and beyond. Take care out there, and fingers crossed things get better.
Personally, I think the most worrying developments are occurring in the Middle East. A tit-for-tat build up looks like it could be brewing, and the possibility of a Hezbollah-Hamas-Iran war seems to grow by the day. I have a friend who is currently serving with the US Air Force in Egypt at the moment, and there is every possibility the US will be dragged into the fray.
We certainly live in interesting times.
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