The World Seems Unhinged

Down with a cold, but not COVID, I seem to start the New Year the same way I did last year, coughing my head off, but that’s not true. Last year in January there was peace in my mind, then in February Russia invaded Ukraine. Last year I could afford chicken, and now it’s almost a luxury item.

Christmas came and went, like every year. But it felt somehow completely different this year. The carefree Christmas days of past years are over.

A war in Europe is so far away yet it affects us all. Soldiers and civilians are dying in a senseless and equally cruel war. The destruction caused by this war is hard to comprehend in our minds.

Not only the fate of the attacked country and its people make us speechless, but the war has long since reached us. How and when it will end, nobody knows.

War and energy crisis

Hardly anyone would have expected this. We were used to peace for many decades. The few civil wars we heard of in the news, were nothing new, and we successfully ignored most of them. And now we suddenly have to save energy because gas, oil, and electricity are becoming scarce and expensive. That, too, is new. Gone are the days of pleasantly warm houses and parlors. Dress warmly! That’s the motto.

But that’s not all. Rents, food, everyday life par excellence –everything has become more expensive, almost unaffordable for more and more people. And many wonder whether they will be able to afford life at all in the future. A rapid improvement is not to be expected.

Health care system on the verge of collapse

We were also shocked by the news from the health sector. Doctors, nurses, and hospital beds are missing. And now medicines are also becoming a scarce commodity. We had expected to have survived Corona and to be able to live a bit more carefree again.

Many are afraid of the question of who will and can care for us in old age and illness.

In almost all industries and companies, the fear of immense cost increases is increasing. Who is going to pay for all this? And everywhere there is a lack of employees and specialists who are desperately needed. I can’t find a new helper for the life of me, and if I find one, I can’t afford to pay what they ask for.

Climate catastrophe without a second option?

Then there is the environmental problem. CO2 emissions continue to rise, as does species extinction. We continue to destroy our livelihoods almost unchecked. The resources that the earth offers us are used up after only half a year. To a certain extent, we are overexploiting. There is no second Earth to which we could escape. Bad natural events, as they used to be rare in this country, are also becoming a cruel normality.

In many countries around the world, civil wars and tribal feuds prevail, and human rights and civil liberties are massively threatened. The consequences are persecution, hardship, misery, hunger, disease, and death. For millions of people, the only option is to flee. But where to?

And in this country? The economy constantly suggests to us that without constant growth, prosperity and well-being would be at risk. We fight -against each other. We hate, we divide. Hardly anyone can escape this. We want to go back to the moon, maybe even to Mars, but we can’t solve the problems on Earth.

Too little lightness for the New Year

The world seems to be unhinged. Our Christmas and New Year as we know and love, have received a huge dampener. The lightheartedness, the fun, and the joy of bygone times are gone. The fear is about how we can still live in the future. This fear does not stop at our children and grandchildren.

Is there any chance of escaping this spiral of hopelessness and fear?

For more togetherness

Yes, there are. But there is no cure-all for this. Everyone has to look at their own nose first -whether big or small. Less greed, less selfishness, less envy, and resentment, but more forbearance and consideration, more justice, more respect for others, more modesty, more togetherness, more humanity.

We cannot end war and hardship. But we can all contribute to making this world more livable and human again. This New Year offers a good opportunity to get started. For all of us.

With this in mind, Happy New Year.

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