I remember when I was 8 years old there was this movie, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, starring Spencer Tracy and an all-star cast. The zany comedy, a rambling epoch of slapstick errors and twists, it’s a bit of vintage Americana now. Even still, watching the world unravel right before my very eyes, as imbeciles and crooks do their daily deeds, I know the 1% would as soon drop an “F bomb” on a normal person as to look at one. I also know Hollywood could not have scripted today better than the world’s leaders. Here’s my first of many top 10 indicators we could be screwed.
The Holy of Holies? Holy Cow!
A friend of mine on Facebook who’s a ton of experience not only in the military, but in the study of war and its effects, shared an interesting (nay haunting) image you see above. The picture of the Holy Father before a surreal backdrop akin to science fiction… Well, it reminded me of a scene from the Keanu Reaves film “The Devil’s Advocate,” from 1997. As you can see by a mashup I made from a scene in that film below, the creepiness that was a Hollywood blockbuster seems to be coming to life these days. This is the tippy top reason the world is feeling a bit too creepy for me.
A quote from the film suffices:
“You sharpen the human appetite to the point where it can split atoms with its desire; you build egos the size of cathedrals; fiber-optically connect the world to every eager impulse; grease even the dullest dreams with these dollar-green, gold-plated fantasies, until every human becomes an aspiring emperor, becomes his own God… and where can you go from there?” – Al Pacino as the Devil himself
The Power of a Presidential Fart
The second biggest reason I think the world has gone mad is news that Barack Obama and the Congress are in some kind of fight over the notorious Keystone Pipeline. The environmental catastrophe in a tube US energy Titans and their Washington mouth pieces have been bent on for some time. In the dog and pony show Washington D.C. has become, the idiot public is expected to swallow yet another shell game political pitch. Republicans are whining and moaning “Obama you fool!” Meanwhile the White House spokespersons play PR games with his assured veto of the pipeline legislation.
“Babylon, oh Babylon”…. Poppycock (Even CNBC says it does not matter). The American – Saudi oil war on Russia has dumped oil into the sewer price wise, fact is the Keystone project would deliver oil that costs more to produce than it brings. Last count it costs $85 and $110 to to such heavy oil out of the sands of Canada, and West Texas Intermediate crude oil is going for just over $76 bucks. What does this mean? It means the Washington follies you’ve all been watching are in Act III. Obama has a little over 695 days left, and there’s no sign Russia is going to wave the white flag over some lost energy billions. Obama will be long gone when the next president steps in to renew America’s desperate need for mucky thick Canada crude. I’m reminded of something Nikita Khrushchev once said:
“Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.”
Vladimir Putin the Reality Show
Forty years ago. Okay, forty five. If Vladimir Putin had been in the mainstream back then, first of all he’d have had to have pork chop sideburns. Second, he’d have had to wear Rhinestone studded , leather jump suits while riding his Harley to a Vegas performance. Back in the day the only figure larger than life or reality was Elvis. So, either “The King” is still alive in Vlad’s body, or our world is as crazy as a bat.
Today, when the news people in the west run out of Putin bullshit stories, editors simply publish any old story. Take the most recent one entitled; ‘Vladimir Putin is advised by ALIENS’ Councillor blames space reptiles for Ukraine crisis….. Readers of the Express have to be in awe, or staggering drunk. All I can say is, the tabloids of the 70’s won out over real journalism. Next Putin will be marrying Farah Fawcett, God rest her sweet soul. (only Boomers will get that one) Let’s face it folks, about the only thing Russia’s president has not done is to lay claim to owning Graceland. Everybody says Putin wants to be king. Hell, maybe he is.
Sanity Is Not Wasted On John McCain
John McCain is a simple man, a simple man with an extraordinary life that is. Like the little mouse Stewart Little, the former flyer, POW, and self proclaimed baby killer of Vietnam, he’s really out there now. “Ashamed” he is, of his country, his president, and even himself. When I read the headline I thought to myself; “Praise the Lord our God, he’s finally come clean on all those weapons deals!” Alas, the Senator from weapons systems Walmart (Arizona) only had another mental epiphany.
I hate to be hard on a veteran, especially from the Vietnam conflict. My brothers, friends and relatives served, some died there. McCain provokes crazy feelings though. Look at Ukraine! He joined a cast of baboons there that convinced decent people to slaughter one another over whether or not they live next to Russia. Now he’s mad as hell because those weapons orders aren’t streaming in. But his lunatic rantings are not the cause of my stir of madness. The fact anybody even listens to this psychopath any more, this is scaring the hell out of me. To frame what a lunatic is, let me offer a quote from John McCain on lunacy (Can you tell me WTF this even means?):
“The core political values of our free society are so deeply embedded in our collective consciousness that only a few malcontents, lunatics generally, ever dare to threaten them.”
Poor, Poor Poroshenko
The last time you applied for a decent paying job, were you asked what your qualifications were? Well, another huge reason I know Earth’s gone mad is Petro Poroshenko. Can anyone tell me what his qualifications were for running a country via what ammounted to a coup d’état? Worse still, what kind of madman would want to run the madhouse Ukraine was sure to become once Russia woke up to the NATO-EU reality? Somehow a chocolate billionaire as commander in chief of the Ukraine Armed Forces symbolizes the state of our existence now. Now, hot off of having his army destroyed by some cowboys, bikers and iron workers from the Donbass, he’s still out for blood.
News Poroshenko has sealed a deal to buy weapons from the United Arab Emirates is really mad, mad, mad. As if anybody does not know where the UAE gets their killing machines from!!! The US has figured a way to have a sort of NATO by proxy, now Ukraine will do the secret Boy Scout handshake, make blood brothers, and murder some more civilians in Donetsk. What’s craziest here is not the psychopathic numb headedness of these people, but the fact the fighters of Novorossiya will end up with even more weapons to beat Willy Wonka over the head with. Is it just me, or is this a Three Stooges reel we are watching? Ukraine shelling from a distance innocents in the Donbass, pulling a lie out to cover up a mountain of incompetencies, even a chocolate oligarch chief seems sane though, compared the the solemn fact…
UKRAINE HAS NO MONEY TO PAY THEIR GAS BILL, HOW CAN THEY BUY WEAPONS TO LOSE SOME MORE WITH!
There you are movie goers, five pretty clear reasons we are living in a mad, mad, mad, mad, mad world indeed.
in the US there are reasonable journalists. America is a country of contrasts
in the US there are reasonable journalists. America is a country of contrasts . thank you,Phillip
Awfully true.
Thanks for taking the time to read and to come here and comment Roemer.
Hah! I was shure what in USA all new say only what him tell Obama) Good and true news! Thx!
You are welcome Max, thx for taking your time to come here and comment.
i couldn`t even imagine, that someone in the US can tell the truth about the madness in this “poor poor world”. Thank you very much, Phillip
Hi George, Thx for your kind words. There are some in the US who are fighting this idiotic madness. The power of the sold out media there is immense though. I fear for my country.
Ну наконец-то! Отличная статья,спасибо! Между мудростью и юмором.
Американскую мутатень с центральных си читать не возможно,поэтому мы после второго абзаца тупо тролим.
Ещё раз спасибо автору.
Thx for taking the time to come and comment Yliya. Мир (Peace)
Борьба Добра и Зла по существу является вечной и глобальной по трем основным причинам:
Во-первых, у каждого из нас есть естественный и вечный вектор желаний – выбраться из Народа и стать Властителем или Героем. Из-за этих желаний на Земле среди людей идет постоянная борьба, с одной стороны, за свой статус и свои собственные интересы, с другой стороны, за свое Творчество и Искусство, свое лидерство в Народе. В результате этой борьбы положение людей в обществе и их личные интересы постоянно меняются, а социальная ситуация, в которой они находятся, постоянно обновляется. Таким образом, если сегодня кто-то был за Добро против Зла, то завтра они могут быть против Добра в угоду Зла. Отсюда исходит многообразие мнений в определении Добра и Зла, а значит и ценностей человеческой жизни.
В этой борьбе мы имеем две вечные противоположности борьбы Добра и Зла: маргинальная и меркантильная борьба в постоянно меняющемся Мире за возвышенный статус в обществе и личные интересы рождает Антигероев и разрушает единство людей за Справедливость, а Творчество и Искусство свободных людей способствует появлению Героев и восстанавливает единство людей за Справедливость;
Во-вторых, всякое Добро имеет свое Зло, а всякое Зло имеет свое Добро. Например, социальный бунт является Добром для большинства людей из Народа и Злом для его Властного меньшинства; Всякая война по существу является Злом, но в ней обязательно есть люди, которые защищают свое Добро в виде Правды, под которой подразумевают себя, свой дом, свой народ, свою Родину и свою Историю; В Творчестве и Искусстве созидающий вектор есть Добро, а разрушающий – Зло;
В-третьих, Дракон, как мистический символ воплощения человеческих грехов, в том или ином состоянии находится в каждом из нас. Его нельзя уничтожить. Он бессмертен!
Вывод:
Джон Маккейн – воинственная “обезьяна” – будет жить вечно! Его надо держать в клетке.
Порошенко “кукла”, которую дергают за ниточки США.
Господин Президент США и Господин Путин олицетворяют по очереди и прямопротивоположно Добро и Зло. Это противостояние вечно и глобально.
……………..
Может нам простым гражданам пойти навстречу друг другу.
Но как мы это можем осуществить?
Через выборы?
Навряд ли!
Есть ли другие пути?
Не поддерживать ИХ своими эмоциями, не попадать в волну ИХ психоза. Если ты отдаешь себе отчет, что человек безумен, то и относишься к нему, как к безумному.
Последние действия западных политиков приводят к мысли о том, что мир сошел с ума: “этот безумный, безумный, безумный….”
Обычно народы более здоровы, чем правители. Надежда на это.
We hope so too Elena
Thanks for your input on this Александр. And for taking your time to talk about this mess.
It all would be very funny if it were not so sad.
My feelings exactly programmer. As if the world did not have enough problems, we come out of a recession fighting. Jesus.
Thank you, Phil)) You help balance of the World))
Thank you Julia, you caught me at my purpose. I fear we are tipping over anyway though. Americans know little or nothing of the true story of Donbass, the Ukraine, or any other major crisis.
Thanks for one cup of true in big ocean of lie!
People need to know the truth about Ukraine…. Most journalists say about Russian propaganda but they see only one side of the medal, they don’t want to know opinion of Russia. They think, possibly with the help of authorities, that all what they say is – one single damn truth.
People in the West do not understand why we are so serious about the Nazi banners in Ukraine. They forgot about hard and bloody victory. Forgot, because it was not in their homes such many grief, murders, suffering and chaos. We are remember every nation that stood with us shoulder to shoulder and fought against the Nazi Hydra…
From Siberia!
Viva Siberia Andrew, many of us may be moving there soon if the war dogs do not stop. 🙂 Your analogy is apt, as I often feel like a drop of water in a huge ocean. Still, we have to try and balance things. Thanks for your kind words and for taking the time.
Greetings from Russia! I read a translation of the article in Russian (because English is not very well know) http://inosmi.ru/world/20150227/226504811.html … thanks to the author, once again convinced that war is necessary for politicians rather than ordinary people .
Hi Andrey and greetings from sunny Germany where the sheep mutter discontent only over their taxes and lower paychecks. 🙂
Phil, спасибо за интересную статью. Сравнение с классикой мирового кинематографа у Вас получилось очень забавным и точным. Смотрела на YouTube интервью с Техасом /”Разговор с ополченцем из Техаса (ДНР)”/, после которого хочется к Вашим словам добавить “Brazilian cowboys, American bikers and iron workers from the Donbass”.
YW Ev@, and yes the other groups of normal people fighting for Donbass are well noted. On the one hand you have trained killer snipers from Sweden recruited to be Nazis, and on the other old die hard Americans from Texas. It is an interesting demographic of revolt.
Phillip, i`d like to know your opinion. What do you (as a reasonable man) think, how soon is this mess going to stop, and what should happen to make it all finish? My version is – rebels take Kiev, though i don`t want it to happen, because it`s going to me a big war.
My best regards from Moscow.
Спасибо Фил !
Dear Mr. Butler,
Thank you for this article. It truly is a mad world.
I would like to bring your attention to a book that dovetails nicely with your conclusions called Political Ponerology, by Andrew Lobaczewski. You can find it here: http://www.ponerology.com. It was written by a Polish psychologist who lived under both Hitler and Stalin. A group of psychologists began a clandestine study of the leaders in the country, trying to figure out why those particular people were attracted by such a destructive ideology and supported it so enthusiastically. It cost many of them their lives. Dr. Lobaczewski was the last of the group. He had to reconstruct the research from memory after being expelled from Poland. His group’s findings are just as applicable today. ‘
I also posted this on your recent Op-ed for RT, but it didn’t seem to make it through. I hope you will have a look the book and the website. It will give you an overarching frame-work to view the current political situation.
Regards,
Sariade Gawain
Thanks for your diligence Sariade, I will go over this this evening and in the morning.