13th April 2016

...2008 was not only a significant year for me.  It was also a significant year for the world.  Huge world events happened that year that make me wonder whether the Mayans were a bit off on their dates and in fact 2008 was the real portal of change into the new age. 

One of these huge world events was the inauguration of Barack Obama, which was celebrated world-wide to be a huge leap of progress. 
However, after the disaster of the Bush Administration I was highly skeptical of the American Government and was pretty sure that other shadowy figures were in charge of the proceedings rather than the faces we saw on TV.  When Obama came in to power I didn't suddenly change my mind unlike a lot of social-activists in my circle.  In fact, if I was a criminal Mastermind Leader of the World I would most likely choose a seemly progressive president to lead the most despotic and controlling country in the western world.  The fact that his name was also uncannily close to Osama Bin Laden also tickled my conspiracy bone no end. 

The enthusiasm for Obama, it seemed, was ironically based upon the colour of his skin, even though, culturally, he was estranged from his black father and grew up in a white privileged family (he went to a private prep school then to Harvard university), America was applauded for finally overcoming its deep rooted racism.  Now if Michele Obama had become president - hers is a real 'working class black girl does good' story - that would have been a different matter.

However, skepticism aside, looking back, its undeniable that the choice of president - whether by the public or by private interests - was a clear indication that change was afoot.  In fact his whole campaign was about 'being the change'.  Things seemed to be shifting in the right direction and grass root efforts were finally being encouraged. 

That conspiracy bone still tickles me however.

When the young people of society are teetering on the cliff edge of revolution could a new elite tactic be to give us what we want in the form of political leaders?
For example, is it a coincidence that as civil unrest has been rising - especially in the UK after last years election results- socialist lefty saviours have appeared on both sides of the pond? 
I would argue that offering the public a 'socialist-saviour' figure such as Jeremy Corbyn or Bernie Grant is a safe valve where the political system, so important to the elite interests, remains while giving the angry mobs some hope of change.

It also divert attention away from important questions like: what the hell is politics anyway?  And who decided that a political system is the best way to run a country or a community in the first place.
At the moment, our 'political system' seems like a giant Eton Boys club where very immature human beings, who have been sheltered from most material hardships (although I'm sure growing up in their world is full of emotional hardships and traumas), are then left with the decision making for an entire country. 
Right now it doesn't seem to be working and all the Corbyns in the world may not change that.


N.B.  If the very real possibility of Donald Trump becoming president of the US doesn't indicate the end of the world then I don't know what does...