Triumph of mediocrity in the US …… Irfan Larik

Like millions of people all over the world, I also watched Donald Trump’s live interview with Elon Musk on social media platform owned by the latter. From the very start of the interview, it felt as if Trump was given a wide berth to speak as he willed without interruption or any counter-questions from the interviewer to make the interview sound more objective. A lot more has been said in the media about the delay in getting the interview started on time, but it is irrelevant, and no conspiracy theories are needed to pay any heed to in this regard. The interview must have been an eye opener for all those who really care about the peaceful world, as all sorts of indications were dropped by both that the whole world is out to catch America on the wrong foot and is working against its national and global political, security and economic strategic interests, and that America should do all it can within its powers to counter those forces, no matter what cost the world in general has to pay for those actions and policies. There was no attempt made by either of them to mask their thoughts and real feelings about the things that seemed to matter most to both of them.

I do not know about others and how they processed the whole conversation in their minds. In all honesty, it was every bit scary to listen to the outlandish thoughts expressed by both during the course of the interview, which lasted for more than two hours. One shudders to think about the state of the world in case Trump gets elected in the upcoming US Presidential election and gets to implement his stated policies. They sounded like our Pakistani politicians when they were recalling the troubles faced by the ordinary Americans in terms of affording their everyday grocery items and how hurtful they felt about all this. In their logic and way of understanding, the poor and helpless illegal immigrants entering America from all over the world are at the root of all the economic hardships faced by the American at present. No attempt was made by either of them to state the underlying causes leading to this situation. It is true that illegal immigration for any country is a matter of grave concern, and should be addressed seriously by all the concerned states. However, things are not as simple, as both seemed to imply by quoting the various data points on the issue.

It seemed as if in their worldview, the US was being taken advantage of by all and gets nothing in return for all their contributions globally. Their apparent total disregard of the environmental and climate change issues goes against all the scientific consensus on the matter. For them it was just an ordinary issue, and the world should not get panic-stricken by the effects of climate change experienced all over the globe. There was no hint of any concern for the future generations and what kind of world they will get to live in if nothing is done now to mitigate the effects of climate change in short, medium and long terms by the end of this century. Their total disregard for this reveals their willingness to ignore the well-established scientific facts in order to pursue their narrow agenda of making it free for the few rich people to make money at the cost of everything else that ever matters for the environmental future of our coming generations.

They had nothing to say about the great moral dilemma of our times in Gaza where world in general is silently watching the modern day genocide taking place in Gaza and the so-called champions of human rights, freedom and justice in the Western world are actively assisting Israel in carrying out this genocide by providing every sort of financial, intelligence and military support. The brazen and naked American and Western world support for the state of Israel in all the previous and current crisis in Palestine is the reason that Israel is not willing to solve the problem festering for eight decades now, and has claimed so many innocent lives mainly on the Palestinian side. For them, the security of Israel was the only thing that mattered and everything else has to be seen in this context, and that there is no place and space for an opposite thought in the matter.

The only thing that I sensed most was the total lack of empathy on the part of both about all else except their own sense of victimhood. We are about to enter in uncertain and extremely dangerous times if this madman, supported by an equally eccentric and the richest person in the world, gets his way around and gets the opportunity to implement what they think serves the American interests. One hopes and indeed prays that American people will be able to see through their wrongly conceived and dangerous agenda and will not be fooled around by their rhetoric and false concern for the American people.

The world cannot afford to see four more years of Trump Presidency and his stupid ideas. It will be a disaster for both the US and the world in general and it will be victory of fear over hope. Everywhere we need leaders who believe in building bridges rather than walls. Suspicion and fear have to give way to hope and cooperation if we want to build a better and peaceful world for all.

Courtesy Express Tribune