As we approach the end of 2021, everyone is drawing conclusions about the past year and guessing what 2022 will bring. From my perspective, 2021 has been a good year, a year of learning, and learning is definitely good. It may not have been pleasant, but that does not mean I do not appreciate what we, as humanity, have been receiving. The main lesson we learned this year has been that nature is the sovereign, and we are its subjects. This is a priceless lesson because if we remember this, we will avoid future mistakes that could cost us countless lives and horrible disasters.
Another good lesson from 2021 is that the world powers must put their mutual relationships in order if they want to avoid conflicts that can escalate to an all-out war. Clearly, there is a difference between what governments want and what reality dictates, but I think they learned the lesson and it is good to see that even the Russian and Chinese governments have learned.
The collisions between Russia and America, Russia and Europe, and specifically, NATO and Russia, clarify many things. In the end, they will bring them closer to peace, or at least to a truce.
China, too, will understand that it has no chance to continue its development if it sides with Russia. Economically, there is no question that its future depends on the US. If the US would even slightly limit its purchases in China, it would rattle China to the core. They have nowhere to sell but to America.
I don’t mind what people say or what newspapers write; I mind only numbers. Over the past year, and even before, the US has been giving huge sums of money to its people as rescue packages to assist them through Covid. China needs Americans to spend that money on Chinese goods in order to keep its own economy afloat. If Americans stop purchasing from China, the giant from the east will fall.
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As for Israel, I am sorry to say that I do not think we learned a lot from this year’s experiences. To improve, we will need more lessons, and they will not be easy. We have no idea who are our friends and who are our enemies. Worse yet, we have not learned how to correct ourselves. We have a lot more work ahead of us.
I think that one of the biggest problems of Israel is that there are entities within the country that dream of the abolishment of Israel and work hard to achieve it. We are not as assertive as anyone should be toward one’s enemies, and I think that these issues will hurt us.
While the world is learning to put relationships in order, as I wrote above, Israel is not learning anything. We are creating an internal chaos.
However, it is clear why Israel is not learning while the rest of the world is learning well. Israel needs to develop in its own direction. The rest of the world is learning how to function according to people’s natural egoism.
Israel, on the other hand, should develop in the opposite direction. It should evolve toward connection and care among everyone, and set an example of how people can rise above their egoism and form a united, cohesive society based on solidarity rather than on alienation and competition.
Regrettably, Israelis do not want to hear a word about connection or unity, much less live them out. We will reject connection with fellow Israelis for as long as we can until, perhaps, it is too late to save the country from disintegration. We are already close to the edge.
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As for the virus, it is here and will stay, as I have been saying from the very beginning. However, it seems as though we are learning how to deal with it, how to live alongside the virus.
Gradually, the virus will teach us what we should and should not do in life. This is why I hope it does not go away, at least not until it teaches us to take only what we need and dedicate our time and efforts to building supportive human relations rather than waste our efforts on destructive consumption.
Photo Caption:
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China August 31, 2016. REUTERS/Wu Hong
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