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- Palki Sharma’s Column The Events Happening In The World Teach Us Some Important Lessons
21 hours ago
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Palki Sharma Managing Editor FirstPost
Iran and Israel launched direct attacks on each other, Donald Trump won the election for the second time, Narendra Modi came to power for the third time, South Korea almost came under martial law, NASA astronauts stuck in space, France spent 12 months. India saw four governments, the Assad family’s 50-year rule in Syria ended, Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh and Xi Jinping faced the limits of his power.
So many dramatic moments happened last year that no single one of them could be called the most special. The year began with an earthquake in Japan and continued with seismic shifts in global politics. You could say that this was the year when anarchy was accepted as the ‘new-normal’.
War and armed conflict were the biggest causes of this anarchy. The West Asia conflict expanded, with Israel escalating the war from Gaza to Lebanon, Iran and now Yemen. It eliminated the top leadership of Hamas and Hezbollah and has now opened a front against the Houthis.
In Syria, a new regime has been established after Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power. The outbreak of fighting in the Red Sea disrupted global shipping. The Americans continued to provide deadly weapons to Israel and also dropped food aid into Gaza. No sanctions were imposed on Netanyahu.
The lesson is that in politics tilak is done by looking at the face, it depends on whose friends you are. But not all friends stay together forever. Ask Ukraine. Its support base is melting faster than the polar ice. And its enemy Russia—which occupies one-fifth of its territory—may emerge victorious in the end. This war is going on since February 2022. But the frontline remains the same.
Soon the American aid given to Kiev will also stop. Trump wants to end the war. Europe is putting pressure on Zelensky for peace efforts. Europe’s two largest powers—Germany and France—are facing economic recession and political turmoil. They no longer intend to help Ukraine. At the same time, Russia’s economy has outperformed the economies of some of Zelensky’s Western friends. Putin was neither isolated nor defeated.
The lesson is that in modern wars, if you are completely dependent on your allies, you will always be subject to their changing priorities. Taiwan should pay attention to this. Last year, more than half the world’s population voted. Elections were held in more than 70 countries and in most cases the existing governments were defeated.
In such a situation, Modi’s third term in India is like a miracle. The last few years have been difficult for the entire world. First the pandemic and then the crisis of livelihood showed its impact. Therefore, when people went to vote, they expressed their anger towards the governments.
Political analysts were surprised. There were talks about a setback to democracy. But the lesson was clear – if the government’s policies could not improve the lives of the common people and provide livelihood, then the people would show the way out.
Trump has already come in full form in America. They want to dominate Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal. They want to impose tariffs on neighbors, allies, and enemies. They want to punish BRICS countries. They support cryptocurrencies. He is the darling of Silicon Valley but not a darling of NATO. With the support of Elon Musk, Trump is set to take America and the world on a political roller-coaster.
The lesson is to never cancel a politician. There is always a chance for them to make a comeback. It was fitting that 2024 ended with the United Nations celebrating ‘World Meditation Day’ for the first time. This is a gift given by India to the world.
Meditation can be a powerful tool for inner peace and well-being. At the speed with which our lives are getting shaken off their axis, meditation is also a skill to survive. Now that you have entered 2025, concentrate your mind and take a deep breath. You have managed to survive a chaotic year, you will be successful this year too.
Happy New Year! (These are the author’s own views)
