Is War the Norm?

It was Kafka who wrote "Germany declared war on Russia this morning, Went swimming in the afternoon." and whilst you may have found it strange, you're actually living it.

I saw something on social media about how this quote was odd, how could such a big historical event be coupled with something so normal? But it made me think about our lives now. I am writing this from the UK, after having a coffee and applying for jobs. But whilst my job hunt may be the biggest issue, it is a privileged issue. Ukraine is still fighting Russia. Palestine is fighting Israel. Other countries are getting involved and there are talks of the UK preparing for an all-out war.

And yet, what can the average person do? You can sign petitions, speak out against injustice, show support for the countries being oppressed. But what can you do day-to-day? The average person is unlikely to have sway in international politics, and has a day job (or hunt, in my case) to focus on. And so I see quite clearly how easy it is to observe these tensions and still go about your daily life, because what other choice do you have?

I think it is extremely frustrating. You can stress and spiral, but the tension will not resolve things. I remember the atmosphere in my household when Pakistan and India were on the brink of war a few months ago. You'd have thought we were living in the middle of it by the way we were worried. Of course, people will worry about international issues, especially when it affects their relatives. But at the end of the day, like Kafka, you will go swimming, wake up in the morning, share your thoughts with your friends.

I think we have become incredibly desensitised to world events. There is always conflict happening and because of that, people pay less attention to updates in the media. And with media, who can you trust in an era of fake news? Is war the norm? It seems so - for Kafka it was perhaps sudden - but for us, have we ever known a time without some kind of conflict?

My own interest has diminished because we're constantly being exposed to so many issues and opinions. And sometimes, you just want to exist, which is again a privilege compared to other countries.

Sometimes, all you can do is acknowledge how bad things are, and that it should get better. And we have to keep ourselves sane in a world that seems determined to drive out any voice of reason. Sometimes, it is best to have that coffee and go for a walk.

After all, it is the British motto to 'keep calm and carry on'.

The famous poster

#war #global #internationalpolitics