Thursday and Friday ended up being a little different for me. Different from the last few weeks, that is. Instead of working at least 12 hours if not 16, looking for new work, etc, etc I actually took the time to travel a bit, albeit on business, go on walks, relax, etc. And this did give me a bit of a different perspective - or at least a different set of impressions.
When you are locked on a particular objective, it seems like everything outside of that objective becomes a bit abstract. Meanwhile, the world outside still exists. You visit places that you haven't seen in awhile. Some look the same, others have changed. You see posters and political signage in the streets. You meet dogs and humans who walk them (yes, there will be pictures, of course). The life goes on, and while fundamental changes may be happening in the world, that doesn't show in the streets - or at least not drastically.
Yesterday, I had a meeting with someone who proclaimed herself to be a liberal. Yet she was definitely someone thinking for herself, a very intelligent person, agreed with me on far more things I'd ever expect her to, and she is terrified by the "woke culture" and aggressive politically correct paradigm taking over the society. And I couldn't help thinking that those willing to think and engage with reality are likely immunized from unrealistic thinking. But it is too bad that, sadly, masses of people can be convinced to effectively deactivate their analytical abilities. And the results of that are Mariupol, or Auschwitz, or the Rwandan genocide.
But actually looking at the reality around me I am getting more and more optimistic. There is just too much information available for people to consume - and no censorship arrangement is capable of suppressing it all. No, not everyone is willing to consume that information and to gain real knowledge - but as long as there is a critical mass og thinking people the world is not doomed.
I wonder if the term "information war" is not an overloaded metaphor but rather an accurate description of our reality. After all, physical war is just too expensive in today's world. It may be that information war may dominate the conflicts to come. And if so - all we can do is propagate truth, knowledge and reason, while being fully aware that war is always murky and uncertain and victory is never a given.
So I guess it helped to take a break. And I needed it, too.
I think that information war will replace physical war in the future.
I think largely it already has.
The war in Ukraine is showing that large scale physical war is something no one can afford these days.