Homo sapiens population crosses 8billion

Planet Earth today crossed the burden of carrying 8billion people. Next year India will overtake China as world’s most populous country. Millions of people exist in appalling conditions with dwindling resources. Some may have seen the pictures of hellholes in major cities across the world, but staying in these hellholes in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata etc. is different matter and calling it home is where desperation begins. The scene gets bleaker by the day. Meanwhile population increase is seen by politicians as voters, religion as followers, while market see only consumers and liberal posers see controversy -they are stuck in extreme narration of 21^st century that sought to eliminate vulnerable sections in the garb of population control. We have well passed all these, ofcourse that doesn’t mean past narration of authoritative control and elimination is being supported but those contexts and dynamics have changed in last century. It is therefore mischievous to use semantics of irrelevant (but learning lessons) contexts of last century to define and control contemporary realities and challenges. It is also an attempt to control narration by devious few to play benign arbitrators at the expense of millions of people, vanishing species and dwindling resources. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, identifies global population growth as one of the two biggest drivers of growing CO₂ emissions, “globally, GDP per capita and population growth remained the strongest drivers of CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion in the last decade”. It also warned that if population continues to grow, “it will be much harder to limit warming to 1.5C”.  Billions of years ago population explosion of Cyanobacteria caused major extinction event that wiped out all the CO2 thriving lifeforms -ofcourse it gave lifegiving O2. Now once again one specie -that is human being, is responsible for unfolding extinction event.

Population AND per capita consumption both are equally problematic. India faces both, on the one side we have irresponsible elite section wantonly consuming -that equals the worst carbon footprint in the world, while on the other we have population bursting at seams. I only see more and more crowd wherever I go. People fight for water, food, air, land, seats and what not. For instance, though India has 16% of world’s population it has only 4% of water resources, and these too are controlled by few, contaminated, and now faces uncertainties of climate crisis. Water incidentally is also connected to primitive values of purity and segregation, while millions have very limited access to even dirty water, hundreds and thousands die due to water borne diseases. While politicians, religions, market forces and devious liberal pretenders can be silent on elephant in the room since it suits their narrative control and existential needs, the least we can do is to weaken this control and present the grim reality since these will impact the most vulnerable, whether humans or other species. This celebration of population as demographic dividend is a market sham fed to politicians, a compromise, a myopic vision of future. The debate of ageing population as dire consequence too is mischievous. As  societies progresses and evolves -strictly not as economic entities or consumers but as human beings, they will find futility in consumption driven value systems and will naturally reduce want and seek to contribute in meaningful way. With technological progress humans will be replaced by robots/automation to perform menial repeatable dehumanizing jobs. There will therefore be more space and time for other species and nature to regenerate and thrive. Evolved aging societies shouldn’t allow population influx from overpopulated regions/families unless it serves limited need as also are highly specialized. There shouldn’t be any incentives for breeders. Many societies are facing this mismatch of primitive value systems intruding and asserting into egalitarian intend. Societies shouldn’t pay for mistakes or arrogance of others. Children are not god’s gift they are planned by consenting partners. More than two progenies per couple/per person is indeed a crime, an insolent middle finger to humanity and other species. It intends to rob others of their space, air, water, food and all the precious. Meanwhile semantics of 21^st century shouldn’t be allowed to define contemporary problems.                

The beating heart

The beating heart 

They came with words 

Then they came with sentences

Then they made fantastical stories of god and miracles

Then they segregate and unleashed hate.

They waited for stories to come alive

Sentences to unravel

Words to wound

And beseech for blood.

They gave them weapons

First stones, then knives, guns and bombs

They wrench out the beating heart

To weigh it against all the miracles.

Book suggestion: Drawdown

 

COP27 meeting starts at Sharm El Sheikh Egypt with low expectations and irresponsible ways. Meanwhile as they discuss and haggle this book is strongly recommended. Drawdown edited by Paul Hawken is something everyone should read and share. We are heading for some serious problems, and the impact is being taken by poor societies -who ironically have very low carbon footprint. Also, species numbers are getting reduced at an alarming rate while many are becoming extinct in an unprecedented scale. We are dying with them.       

COP27

COP27 starts tomorrow. Expectations are quite low. Nevertheless we will have to keep an eye open for these significant meetings. Think of threat to humanity. Think of millions of wonderful species, and how they are vanishing at an alarming rate. Also, FREE ALAA.    

 

The Chief Twit

 

Dangers of both sideism, and binary narration

 

There is no way this can ignored, it has reached a saturation point, and is having grievous consequences. It is fueling worst kind of people and ridiculous ideas to center. Social media, and access it provides to everyone to express into public space, has made the situation much bleak. It is easy for issues to fall into ossified fractures that is maintained and nurtured by manipulative forces and carried as a burden into present without any thought or concern. Diversity of opinion cannot be and shouldn’t be straitjacketed into binary narration for the easy of control of the few. It seeds authoritarianism and has complete disregard of nuances that define life. It is the same devious people who instigate both sideism into absurd valuation of situation for majority of hapless people. They mainstream dangerous nonsense as counter view and present themselves as benign liberal arbitrators. I think we also have had enough of this liberal posturing. The word liberal itself needs to be questioned. Liberal is now equated to lazy patronizing for benefits by well placed. If liberalism has to have any value, then it will have to fall in the ambit of progressive. Progressive has no confusion. It’s easy to understand and doesn’t really fall into semantic jugglery. Responsible people must use their intellect -logical thinking and knowledge, and compassion -maturity and awareness, to understand issues that plagues humanity and is cascading quite rapidly. They must encourage diversity of opinion but when it comes to verifiable truth, researched facts, peer reviewed findings, choices of compassion, they must assert. There isn’t any both sideism. There are no binary narrations that need to be debated and ossified into two sides of political bickering and then deviously into binary political party system. Binary politics is created by devious elite to play ping pong with common people’s tribulations as they neatly partition their turf and effectively divide people into this trap. Market media exaggerations and dehumanizing religions degrade it further. Both sideism is the most dangerous contemporary problem that is causing severe setbacks in dealing with emerging reality.          

Despicables at BBC

 

When the adipose of colonial excesses clog and accumulate it takes human form and assume grander view of the world. They also think themselves as exceptional beings while people wanting in their valuation or expectation are usable or disposable. Clearly, this valuation is not based on empathy, intellect or what defines a human. Nothing explains complete lack of application of mind or empathy for tribulations of common people across the world who are facing the cascading effects of climate change. Market media across the world are seen lacking in their response to the looming climate crisis despite the fact that millions face bleak future. They seem to have abdicated whatever little responsibility they have. Although they claim to represent fourth estate of democracy -a watchdog, they are mostly controlled by powerful interests. Few billionaires control influential outlets and they overwhelm the space, hence it’s difficult for concerned committed outlet to emerge -it also is dependent on nature of society too -a primitive society where herds can easily be controlled and kept excited through superficialities of politics, fantasies of religions, mediocre movies, wastrel’s games, it really becomes difficult to be responsible citizens. Herd has to be always kept distracted, otherwise lacking basic sense they turn into mob.

BBC has produced some excellent iconic documentaries on nature and environment over the years, and with David Attenborough it was nothing short of miracle. But these attempts by BBC News to play both sideism on the issue of climate crisis even in the year 2022 is telling. It also shows how much they are complicit in obfuscating the critical issue for the last many decades. It shows how much they value matter that will impact the fate of life on earth, all those amazing species. This is an existential crisis. It is NOT that ‘environmentalists are upset’ over UK PM not attending COP27 or that Sweden has removed Environment ministry (imagine a Scandinavian country has slipped into such a mess, it’s really unbelievable) any sane person will be, and should be, upset.

*western british media like BBC have serious impact on erstwhile colonies since the elite sections frame much of their worldview through these -ofcourse in the recent times democratization has happened through profusion of digital and social media. But many of these News channels carry reputation -not necessarily deservingly as BBC is persistently proving. When I was in my early teens I was asked to listen to BBC since it was supposed to carry authentic news, as also it would help me learn 'good English'. I first listened to BBC when Indira Gandhi got assassinated and there were reports of riots, there was no source of authentic news. Quite coincidently I had recently got a portable Japanese radio set, and would listen BBC with much keenness although I really couldn’t understand much of what they said and the accent made it worse. Fortunately for me they repeated the news every half an hour or so, and I would listen again and again. Slowly I could catch the words and search the meanings in the dictionary, thirteen-year-old me would be exhilarated. I even thought Punjab was actually Poonjab! Now as I look back, I feel violated that BBC is reduced to such crap, or maybe they were always manipulative and that I am no longer naïve.           

Podcast on contemporary non fiction books

 https://depalan.podbean.com/

Listen to the Second Podcast, we continue from where we left. There has been some changes since the earlier platform was not free. Even this one has limited space hence I will be making small capsules so as to not extend the MB limit. Anyway, I am grateful to these platforms for giving this opportunity  

Brownwashing is not progressive

 

So, an Indian origin fellow -the link is tenuous as much as his link to Britain and the tribulations of common people nevertheless it should keep the herd riveted since he is a exhibiting Hindu and all the ridiculousness of religion that comes with it, is now ‘ruling’ (well that’s what the mob here in India wants to believe) Britain. Excelling in manipulation among the opportunist sociopaths in Conservative cabal he scratched and scrambled through, not elected by people nor liked by them. His amazing level of incompetence was on display in the previous government. His lack of concern or empathy was showcased during pandemic. The fellow was busy ticking boxes to please the power that be, to be in their good books, while he upstages the incumbent sociopath (who also displayed psychopathic tendencies). His appalling attempts at influencing Tory sociopaths with ridiculous hackneyed cringeworthy ads didn’t work. That he was defeated by another sociopath (trickle down dimwit) who couldn’t outlast a lettuce is telling.  

There is a stampede among castetva and hindutva -in equal ferocious measure, here in India to claim him hence by implication the untold ‘intelligance’ and ofcourse merit that the world is yet to understand. One fellow -inbred in this ecosystem of exceptionalism, in social media claimed in the melee that NASA scientists have learned sanskrit to understand the hidden knowledge of nature of universe. Given half a chance primitive Indian society has the template to take it to the next level of ridiculous. While Rishi Sunak was ticking all the boxes of amassing wealth and influence, and working the nepotistic hold through circle of influence and neo-liberal clique, seasoned Indians here in India easily valued these as signs of blessing, indeed they would be aiming for the same goals given half the chance! What the person is doing or has done (even a cursory glance at this erstwhile hedge fund manager’s performance during pandemic is enough to tick him off -and should never be allowed anywhere near influential positions), what is the values he hold, is not at all a concern as long as wealth and influence is working. Precisely what squatters at Tirupati recommends. Let the money talk. Let us keep them mesmerized with our wealth and power. They will bow. They will want blessing to improve their fate. They will want the share of power and wealth. Everything is justified with power and wealth. Imagine the minds that think like this, and then work to create sacredness around it. And yes, very soon Sunak will be paying a visit (unless ofcourse common people in Britain revolt and general elections are called). This is how ordained soul meet beholder of special power and conjurer of mysterious forces in universe. The more you understand these people absurd it gets. Also, unlike patronizing fattened fluffs who have taken the cudgel to protect religion, these absurdities must be eviscerated and ridiculed. An intriguing discussion in social media was about counting number of Indian origin leaders who have trigger on nuclear bomb. Ofcourse ridiculing Pakistan is a constant endeavor (not that this nation needs any help, corrupt feudal, exploited people, and yes Islam representing the idea of religions that holds worst of possibilities for humanity -the audacity to declare Islamophobia by UN – I am still seething. Religiophilia is an affliction of controllers. There isn’t anything sacred about religion indeed it’s banal, anachronistic nuisance). The idea that more Indian origins have power to destroy world many times over seems satisfying thought to some, as also the implicit claims of superiority (one pretentious news channel reported few months ago that US VP had nuclear button in her control for hours, I couldn’t understand the significance, now I am getting it). What kind of people are these?       

This picture is doing the round in social media to buttress all ridiculous claim by primitives here in India. This need to be dealt. Consolidation of section of cult into hinduism (hinduism was, and is being, consolidated and defined by the other) saw to it that cows become sacred. For most hindus cows were never really sacred except maybe some small sections in North India. Eating cow meat was quite a common practice, even find mention in scriptures. Many rituals reminisce animal sacrifices even human sacrifices. Buddhism presented frame of compassion though not in the degrading concept of purity. Buddha’s last meal consist of pork is documented and explains the context of compassion that caste cannibals were incapable to fathom.  For some it was bulls that were sacred, for some it was peacock, for others it was dog (readers of this blog will recall Jejuri – and the unforgettable lines by Kolatkar -God is the word I know how to read backwards!). During the socalled freedom struggle caste cannibals were working furiously to control narration as also match with the needs of colonial masters hence many ‘interpretations’ and ‘scholarly’ work on Gita to compare and be par with the single holy book religion -read Bible. Bhagvad Gita is just one of the holy books among hundreds of holy scriptures. How did this book gain prominence like cow? Ofcourse colonial racist christian masters with the help of caste cannibals created jokes on holy cow (something that you will not find in any Indian region or language, clearly, it’s a conception of english).  So, when you get photographed paying obeisance to cow it’s carefully crafted to create exotic value to britishers. The otherness that they have constant urge to patronize for their own redemption and to showcase benign nature that hide colonial excesses. It’s seen that when normal decent people migrate, or even spent some time, in West (specifically Britain or Canada) they come back much insular dogmatic versions of religions, identifying with regressive and revivalists. Quite clearly these are nurtured by white European elite working to segregate and exoticize as also exhibit proprietorial control over common people. Alien regressive values doesn’t add to society, it generally spread misery -not only for common people but also for the majority vulnerable within the exotic. There arises revulsion hence xenophobia which is tapped by cunning opportunists to divide and create binary narrations to share power. Praying holy cow and performatory exhibition of exotic faith ticks all the boxes that pleases the West hence the urge to patronize, this later consolidates into power. Back home these regressive performances are being celebrated as hinduism’s mystical connections to universe and how it bestows blessing on some. Ofcourse I am not against cows. When I was kid, we had a cow in hometown and I would hug the calf -such a gentle adorable creature. Also, cow meat is red meat hence bad for health. Ofcourse one must strive for veganism as a choice but with meat diet once in a while. There is nothing patently sacred about cows nor anything evil about buffaloes or pigs. Every life is sacred. Indeed, every life is a miracle (I was reading about incredible ways by which bats echolocate -it’s amazing. Bats are now topping my list of animals that can be considered sacred!)  This praying to specific animals -since some herds do so, by those whom we assume to be ‘educated’ is dangerous. It is ticking the western cliché. Brownwashing is not progressive. Nevertheless Britain will have to see whether he redeems himself? Most people have doubts.  

                                    *                                     *                                        *

Now check these three pictures here. The common factor here is that they are all women of Indian origin who held/hold powerful positions in West. What is also common is that they are nastiest of the lot. To the extend you can call them embarrassments. But they are seen as representing woman of color, vulnerabilities of migrants, exotic culture so on…but these are all superficialities. They are superficial human being, sociopaths who would do anything for money and power. And yes, there are lots like these in India too, so when we talk of vulnerable women in India just be sure. The worst are always lurking salivating for power and ready with PR agency for image change. It goes without saying that this is equally true for men, just trying to point out that this primitive society is much complicated, and that those who claim to represent are not really representing nor can they represent. Even Gandhi was a shoddy attempt.  

Power doesn’t corrupt -it attracts

 Let us accept that british system is the worst of possibilities, it’s a confluence of benefits from colonial atrocities, racism, Christianity -instead of guiding- exploiting the situation for proselytizing, anachronistic absurdities of monarchy that normalizes feudal values and spurious ascriptive claims, nepotism and cronyism, a flawed parliament that reserves seats for worst of people -and the gall to call them lords, and not the least patronizing customs, traditions, from worst of religions and systems into ‘developed’ societies hence severely degrading enlightening progressive efforts in poorer societies, as also nurturing charlatans claiming to represent beleaguered people from across the world. Britain has done good and bad to the world. Bad is worst, and it stands out. It really is worst of possibilities, and it happens because lack of vigilance -taken in by laziness of arrogance and exceptionalism as guiding light of the world -it may have been true in scientific achievements century back but the world has firmly moved on and looks back in amusement. Neo-liberal capitalism unleashed by Thatcher onto the world, and now reaping the worst possibility by presenting vilest mediocre puppets as leaders. Britain has just gone through a long post-colonial yawn of indulgent excesses and is now startled out of its siesta to find all its claims in shambles.   

Sane people would have called for general election to stop this calamitous fall of British politics. This absurd stampede to be PM by ticking all the right boxes just for overwhelming naked greed for power while the situation turn utterly ridiculous. Politics run by people who are so isolated from reality that they come with new claims of absurdities every day to startle with their appalling lack of presence, their lack of empathy and their utter narcissism. 

Quite coincidently I am reading this book Corruptible -Who Gets Power And How It Changes Us by Brian Klaas. The book mentions about famous Stanford University prison test conducted in 1971 (there is also a movie based on this) wherein the volunteers who were given power become abusive. The experiment claimed that demons are within us and that power lets them come out. Interestingly in 2007 researchers in Western Kentucky University conducted the same experiment, they replaced these words for the ad asking for volunteers “for a psychological study of prison life” with “for a psychological study”. In some town they placed “prison life” ad while in other they placed “psychological study”. So, the idea was to have people volunteering for “prison life” experiment while others for generic “psychological study” experiment, and to see if there is any difference. What they found was extraordinary. Those who responded to the prison experiment advertisement scored significantly high on “aggressiveness, authoritarianism, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and social dominance and significantly lower on dispositional empathy and altruism” by just including the word 'prison' they were able to attract disproportionately sadist volunteers. The study may demonstrate that sadist people seek out power. Power could be magnet for bad people rather than a force that turns good people bad. In this understanding, power doesn’t corrupt -it attracts.                     

Podcast on contemporary non fiction books

https://depalan.podbean.com/

This is a new podcast (you will have to sign in) wherein I will be discussing, mostly elaborating, contemporary nonfiction books. In the recent times things are changing quite rapidly and with new insights adding to available understanding at breakneck speed. These also have significant impact on future whether AI, quantum computing or biotechnology. Meanwhile there are issues related to climate crisis and evolving parameters, challenges to biodiversity, social media and impact on authenticity (not that mainstream had any say on authenticity, just that the muddle has spread), challenges for democracy and liberty by constantly morphing regressive systems, so on. So, I will be discussing books that presents something interesting. Choosing a book is quite an arduous task since the time spent to read is valuable. Be aware of contemporary challenges and then go for books that are incisive or else follow some brilliant people across the world and checkout their reading list. Avoid market, so-called influencers, and nonsense that comes with it, as also challenges and angst of primitive societies and people. You can easily avoid anything in the framework of fantasies of religion as also market and crass entertainments. In short there should be no time for concerns of herds, herd controllers, their tribulations, angst and happiness. Understanding these pitiable contexts and threat they pose is a frame for good book.    

 In this fast-changing world it has also become quite difficult to spent time on fiction -it is indeed a luxury. Ofcourse youngsters must read fiction (the best ones including the valued writers of last centuries) for insights on humanity and human nature so on, and yes don’t waste time on spectacular versions of garbage that is churned out each day in the name of fiction. Anything that titillates and doesn’t make you think or add to your understanding of life is really a waste – a criminal misuse of time as also a degradation.       

I am starting this podcast with the book I happen to read last month An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us. Quite an interesting book with amazing knowledge of the world we live in. It’s a book we should all buy. Also, this book gave quite a significant shift in understanding towards nature. Last many years I was a Naturalist (conducting nature treks) wherein the constant endeavor was to learn about nature and communicate. Then I was a Biomimic (taking sessions on Biomimicry) here it was about what you can learn from nature. And now this book opens up new understanding, indeed an evolution of sort for me, as to look at the world through the eyes of nature -umwelt of different species. It’s a brilliant book.

British embarrassment is no longer international embarrassment. Thank you.

 She couldn't outlast the lettuce. What a disgrace. Who next? 😄

Meanings are deeper

 

Being a human is a much deeper responsibility. It needs constant vigilance, not only of one’s own actions and inactions but also the context one is placed in as it broadens and involves the whole world. It makes us aware of the state of the world and the systems that are used to control and incapacitate. Systems that keep humans in a constant frenzy, a frantic involvement with world, restless activities towards concocted goals – a distraction that gradually isolate oneself from one’s own being. They become ever busy in fulfilling the meanings of the system. Atrophied by their own negation they use remnant faculties of being a human to work for immediate needs of the system. They are incapable to think beyond. They are incapacitated to use their faculties or sensibilities. This lack of a human is what isolate him or her from the nature, from the earth systems that nurtures life. It is a pitiable existence.

They find meaning in being part of these demeaning and degrading systems -conceived by devious working of market, religion and compromised institutions that seek to trap (this extends to state machinery and the concept of nation itself in its negative assimilation of exceptionalism). They get compromised being part of these dehumanizing systems, they now cherish as astute herd members hence seek meanings in these associations. With limited sensibilities and ever restrictive systems it is never going to be good for the humanity. In this delusional existence they approach existential crisis that humanity faces. Lacking basic involvement expected from vibrant human life they find common sensical issues beyond their grasp and easily fall for conspiracy theories and manipulation, indeed being a herd member, they revel in this opportunity to prove their herd credential. They obfuscate facts, create alternate truth and generally vitiate matters that could easily be understood if their minds were not constricted and decrepited by the system. They volunteer to be irresponsible. They volunteer to be not human. They refuse to think. Their lack and obedience is celebrated by collective assertion of systems -market, religions and devious controllers, through entertainment, art and general notions of success. This powerlessness to face the reality, this lack of trust in one’s own sensibilities and incapacity to apply mind, in the overwhelming overbearing presence of systems is what makes people dangerous.      

Two thinkers have become extremely important in these trying times: Hannah Arendt (it was her birth anniversary yesterday, and I was recapping her brilliant philosophies) and Ludwig Wittgenstein. The matter of thinking and meanings we assign. Truth sustains as we search for meaning, this search and deeper involvement in this process is what collapses the fake. Meanings are assigned through words hence the words have to be dynamic to contain the truth -the collective consensus, of the context and time. We find the meaning of the word by looking at the commonalities it is exposed to. Dictionary assigns basic meaning but a milieu of social, historical and contemporary realities through reflection of collective intelligence creates a dynamic meaning. It is therefore important that words are not allowed meanings that is ossified in the realities of past hence triggering the fractures that hold less or no meanings in present. These attempts at controlling words into easy meanings and clichés to polarize discussions, to facilitate comfortable narrative control of few, must be resisted. As we critically analyze the situation, we must think deeply about the words we use. Words must reflect diversity of experience, and shouldn’t be allowed into binary for manipulation. Words that don’t reflect the reality makes the experience superficial as it is made incapable to encapsulate deeper meaning. Without deeper meaning we cannot have deeper understanding hence truth fades and is replaced by banalities.                   

Unnecessary provocation

 

NATO doesn’t have any locus standi in dealing with Russian attack and genocide in Ukraine. International community must make it urgently and unambiguously clear that NATO is worsening the situation. UN must assert itself and mediate in this crucial juncture. UN has mandate of international community; it has 193 members. UN secretary general must be the voice of the world. He must articulate the apprehensions and call for sanity. He must elaborate on threats of nuclear war to the world. He must be the voice of reconciliation, and must actively involve in day-to-day happenings to reduce the escalation, information dissemination on this crisis need to happen through UN. NATO is very much part of the problem hence must keep quiet. This constant harping (essentially taunting) of ‘retaliation against nuclear attack’ is extremely provocative (this was made few minutes back). Will the world survive the retaliation? What is NATO talking about? A military alliance only knows language of war, either its winning or enforcing peace. A paranoid murderous dictator has already crossed the line by committing genocide. He has nothing much to lose. Is it necessary to provoke and challenge his ego. NATO is worsening the situation, and is considered a threat by Putin so why indulge in provocative speculations. Isolate Putin not Russia. If there is any intelligence input on nuclear arms movement then it should be shared with UN, or other world leaders, who use the language of pacification to defuse the situation. This is not the time for bravado, entirely unnecessary. I hope they understand how serious the situation is. It is not about ‘if you attack then we attack’ game, this is about annihilation of life on earth. There are no winners. It’s about you and me, and all the beautiful lives on earth. It’s about irreparable damage to precious planet.         

Dangerous escalation

 

What a mess we are in. This is escalating dangerously. We people all across the world are seriously concerned. An urgent intervention by UN and responsible leaders of Western nations is needed here. We common people across the world are always fodder in bigger game of powerful people. We really don’t know what is happening. We see horrible sights of bombs exploding and people getting killed, and now threats of nuclear war. What can we do except watch with growing concern. 

Let’s get the basics. Respect sovereignty of nation. Respect borders of nations. Russia, under dictator Putin, has attacked another country and massacred people. These are facts. What is also true is presence of anachronistic cold war relic NATO -that Russia see as a threat. Russia at this point is ruled not by reason but by survival instinct of an egomaniac. He has access to nuclear arsenals that can create havoc at a scale that would make Hiroshima look minor event and collapse life system on earth. Steps towards de-escalation could include roll back of NATO and eventual disbanding while Russia evacuate Ukraine territory. The world doesn’t really need military organizations that is ossified in the realities of 20^th century. If there is no Warsaw pact then why is NATO needed? What is the threat that NATO is protecting? World has evolved and is nowhere connected to realities of 1940s or 50s, there is nothing in common -it only exists in the minds of older leaders and their egos. West must recognize this by not pushing the world into fracture lines of the past. West must show magnanimity and confidence in its capabilities. Nobody is giving into the blackmail of a dictator. It’s logical thing to do, as also good for the world to strengthen UN. Deploy UNPKF at Russia-Ukraine border. Encourage democratic forces in Russia. If world leaders are not able to take decision, then feed all these facts to Artificial Intelligence (AI), and I am quite sure this is the optimal solution an AI would also suggest. This need not be a zero-sum game, it’s a loss for humanity and for life on earth. It can still be salvaged.