How dangerous is it to think only in fixed terms of absolute good & evil when at the point in a conflict where the stakes grow so high as to threaten all humanity? Potentially terminally dangerous no?
In think tanks, elite conferences, symposiums and behind the closed doors of innumerable government consultations is it possible that only certain views are allowed? Are anti-Russian perspectives framing the leadership and authorities of Russia as irredeemably evil the only ones heard, encouraged and avidly promoted? Is every variation upon this them concerned with containing, weakening and ultimate breaking up and destruction of Russia and of course how to use Ukraine to effect these goals? It appears so from reports heard.
One discussion topic that does not feature at all is the single area that might provide a little hope in the present atmosphere of gloom and doom. That topic concerns the possibility of talks being held between the warring sides with the goal in sight of ceasing hostilities and however tentatively, moving toward a peaceful resolution of their differences. It appears not one word on this topic dare be spoken. All voices raised are for more war, an increase of weapon supplies and a greatly speeded up mobilisation of Ukrainians into the army for sending quickly to the line of contact.
Those attending such events and who advocate most forcefully for unlimited war consist of the most powerful and influential group of men and women in the western world. Including the world leaders of the West such as Macron and those within the West’s orbit of influence in the Baltic States are leading the charge toward outright, full scale war against Russia bolstered by the group thought consensus found in all such gatherings as those listed above. Each individual speaks in agreement with all others reinforcing prejudices and entire mindsets building a juggernaut of opinion that, unless halted, will lead directly to Armageddon.
What is happening here is well known in the field of psychology. Mentioned above it is known as ‘Groupthink’.
From Wikipedia:
‘Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Cohesiveness, or the desire for cohesiveness, in a group may produce a tendency among its members to agree at all costs. This causes the group to minimise conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation.’
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Groupthink in this context melds perfectly with the ‘war mode’ mentality of enforced unity found when a nation is at war. Critical thinking is rendered suspect, those daring to think holistically and without emotional prejudices are at best shunned and at worse jailed or even disappeared. The enemy is to be given a permanent status of all-encompassing evil whereas allies are to be lauded as courageous, totally innocent and good in all respects. Any who dare to contradict these narratives are to be rubbished and ostracised. They are never to appear on any form of media. An objective view is simply unacceptable within the ‘war mode’ regimen.
With all this in mind let us look at what is seen as at stake in these high-level conferences and meetings. Nothing less than the geopolitical reality of the past hundred and more years where the western powers saw themselves as world guardians. These powers acted as the ultimate executive influence worldwide. They acted as our world’s judges, juries and, where they deemed it appropriate, as executioners. The entire world was their domain. They were the superior and exceptional players of ‘The Great Game’. Enormous wealth, status, power and influence came with the position they held and have held for generations.
Imagine all of the above is now in peril. Imagine you were among these elites some decades ago when they were told that their influence was waning and that of the east and south was rising and that if nothing changed they would lose all the perks of dominance listed above. Imagine you are one of these elites and had become completely used to those perks to a degree that being without them was completely unimaginable. Being an integral part of this elite who had developed hard and fast myths to justify their every act you would be a singularly brave and single-minded person to not go along with the plan agreed to offset the coming dangers to their generations-long status.
If the above loss of dominance, power, wealth and influence was not enough of a threat to motivate these elites to fight back, then there were the events of 9/11 to put rocket boosters under their will to win out and destroy all “enemies” across the planet. These were seen as “enemies” but in large part were merely nations engaging in normal, everyday activities to do with trade and building their nation’s wealth. But to the elites of the western world even this was a threat and cause enough to call them enemies if they were not bound within the western camp.
Vladimir Putin’s “mistake” in 2007 was to state with utmost clarity that Russia would be no one’s bitch, Russia would have its own sovereign policies, both internal and external and would not be commanded by any other nation or group of nations. He made it clear that Russia would gladly work with all other nations on areas of common interest such as nuclear proliferation and international terrorism but would otherwise remain an independent, growing power subservient to no one. He and Russia became the West’s number one combined target from that point onward.
The western leaders now in power (with only one or two exceptions) will pursue their agreed policy of confronting their “enemies” without the slightest recourse to meaningful diplomacy. Escalation of invective and threat alongside the dual weapons of sanctions and military intervention are to be used without any upper limit. The goal of establishing their total dominance includes no plan B, no reverse gears and certainly no appeasement of the “evil” enemy by way of useless, merely time-consuming diplomatic engagement. They contemplate no negotiations at any point over Ukraine. It will not matter how great and comprehensive the coming Russian victory will be. They will NEVER relent and come to terms with any reality that does not mirror their own.
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