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Escapism vs Reality: Balancing Mental Health & Global Awareness Today

August 24, 2024 by Antonius Bakker

Many escape harsh realities through entertainment, but true resilience comes from awareness and engagement with global issues, balancing mental health and proactive societal involvement.

The Escapist's Dilemma: Confronting Reality in a World of Entertainment

In today's fast-paced, career-oriented society, many people are unknowingly engaged in a daily mental battle. They live in a reality crafted by streaming giants like Netflix and Disney+, a reality often

Picture: NPO Kennis

disconnected from the true state of the world. This raises an important question: Is it fear that drives people towards these platforms, or is the actual reality too daunting to face? Are they unable to banish the harsh truths of everyday life from their minds, even as they try to sleep?

The Proximity of Conflict

Is the specter of war becoming too close for comfort, or has it never really left our consciousness? Despite numerous global conflicts—such as those in Gaza, Israel, Serbia, and Russia—many people seem disengaged. Conversations about television often revolve around misery, politics, and excessive advertising, yet seldom touch on the fear of new wars. When discussing current world events, those engrossed in Netflix often claim ignorance or express a desire to avoid such topics. Their focus is on enjoying life, not dwelling on "pointless" conflicts. This attitude suggests a widespread disengagement from both local and global issues.

Today's world seems increasingly fragmented, with individuals living in isolated bubbles. At home, they live private lives, avoiding external input. At work, they do the minimum required, ensuring it benefits them sufficiently. There is a pervasive belief that everyone should mind their own business. When things go wrong, the onus is on others to have been more vigilant. This mindset implicitly suggests that those who don't engage with platforms like Netflix are missing out, failing to take care of themselves.

The Justified Fear of Demons

Given the ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Israel, Russia, and Serbia, and the significant political involvement and sponsorship of these wars, the threat of escalation is real. Daily warnings abound, echoing the sentiments of those who lived through previous wars. For many older individuals, the memories of war remain vivid, disturbing their peace even at night. For these people, sleep often comes only with the aid of pills or other substances.

The horrors of war extend far beyond the battlefield. As illustrated in the book "Silent Fathers," written by the son of a World War II labor camp survivor, the trauma experienced during conflict often results in long-lasting psychological scars. The father's nightmares and silent suffering were passed down to his son, illustrating the profound and enduring impact of war trauma. The atrocities witnessed and endured left lifelong marks, not just on the victims but also on their families.

Disconnection from Global Issues

There is a growing concern that many people are becoming increasingly disconnected from global issues. This could be attributed to information overload, where the constant barrage of negative news leads to desensitization or deliberate avoidance. What might be perceived as selfishness could also be a form of self-preservation. Constant exposure to distressing news can be psychologically draining, leading individuals to prioritize their mental health by focusing on more immediate and controllable aspects of their lives.

It's unfortunate that so few people engage with these powerful stories or read books that highlight the lasting impact of war. The experiences of those who survived horrific labor camps should serve as a stark reminder and motivation to intervene in emerging conflicts. Yet, many prefer to escape into the worlds offered by Netflix, Disney+, and HBO. These platforms often feature violent and war-themed content, providing a sanitized version of reality that remains comfortably distant.

Escapism and Media Consumption

Many people turn to entertainment as a form of escapism. It provides a temporary refuge from the overwhelming realities of the world, including wars and political strife. This can be driven by fear or anxiety about current events or simply a desire to find joy and relaxation amidst the chaos. The allure of curated, often idealized worlds on platforms like Netflix or Disney+ contrasts sharply with the often harsh and chaotic reality. People may prefer these narratives because they offer control and resolution, unlike the unpredictable and unresolved nature of real-world conflicts.

Preparing for the Next Conflict

While these films and series may entertain, they do little to prepare people for the actual horrors of war. Reality, with its complexities and brutality, often proves more terrifying than fiction. As such, those who rely on entertainment as a means of escape might find themselves unprepared for real-world traumas, forced to process their experiences in silence.

The Psychological Impact of War

The psychological scars of war, as illustrated in the book "Silent Fathers," often linger long after the physical conflict ends. These traumas can affect not only those who experienced the war directly but also subsequent generations. The adage "prevention is better than cure" holds significant weight when it comes to conflict. Understanding and remembering the past, as well as recognizing the signs of emerging conflicts, are crucial steps in preventing future atrocities. Yet, the challenge lies in maintaining awareness and action in a world where many prefer to avert their eyes.

Balancing Awareness and Mental Health

It is important to strike a balance between staying informed about global events and protecting one's mental health. This balance can be challenging but is necessary to foster a more empathetic and proactive society. Encouraging people to engage with real-world issues, perhaps through more accessible and compelling storytelling, can bridge the gap between escapism and awareness. Developing psychological resilience can help individuals face harsh realities without being overwhelmed. This can be achieved through education, community support, and fostering open discussions about difficult topics.

What will be you choice?

In these turbulent times, the choice between engagement and escapism is more critical than ever. While entertainment offers a necessary respite, it is essential to remain aware and proactive about the world's challenges. Learning from the past, building resilience, and promoting awareness can help bridge the gap between escapism and reality. By confronting these issues head-on, we can better prepare for whatever the future holds.

Is our world Safe? Evaluating Biden, Harris, and Trump in Potential Global Conflicts?

August 9, 2024 by Antonius Bakker

Tensions between Israel and Hamas escalate as President Joe Biden faces criticism over his ability to handle global conflicts. With Kamala Harris potentially stepping in, and Donald Trump eyeing a return, America's safety is under scrutiny. Can Biden manage a crisis, or is it time for new leadership to navigate these dangerous waters and ensure national security?

Is the world still sufficiently protected with an American president who may not be fit to hold office? Tensions between Israel and Hamas continue to rise. Today, August 5, 2024, the slowly retiring US President Joe Biden convened his national security advisers at the White House. It is expected that the conflict between these two countries will soon escalate significantly. This

Picture: CBS News

could also prompt further escalation in the rest of the Middle East.

Who Can Overrule Joe Biden in an Emergency?

Joe Biden vowed not to become a war president when he took office in 2021. Unfortunately, the situation today is different. The United States supports Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and Israel supports Hamas. In Africa, the Americans support the Houthis and are regularly targeted by drone attacks in the Syrian-Jordanian border area. Thus, according to Mr. Peter Wijninga of the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, Joe Biden has essentially been a war president for a long time.

Is Hamas Helping Joe Biden Learn How to Wage War?

Mr. Wijninga suggests that America has been involved in various global conflicts for a long time. Joe Biden, initially perceived as a pacifist, might be using these experiences to prepare for larger escalations that could involve the United States. However, is the current president capable of handling a war without making mistakes? We all know the stories of a president who must push a decisive button in a possible nuclear war, both in attack and defense. Such an action could have disastrous consequences for many people.

What Happens if Biden Panics or His Memory Fails Him?

Is Kamala Harris ready to replace Biden correctly in a war situation? According to a Belgian newspaper, she is talking to her three potential running mates for the upcoming elections in America. Does the prospective new president of the United States consider the war experience of these running mates? Can they acquire the necessary knowledge quickly enough to be strong in a potential third world war? Imagine the Middle East conflict and the Russia-Ukraine battle escalating simultaneously, forcing America to fight Russia. For Harris, choosing a running mate might be her last significant decision before the elections on November 5.

Does Trump Play a Role in Replacing Biden?

It's all speculation, but Harris might be preparing for nothing. Suppose Joe Biden completes his term, and the elections proceed normally; we could then face the elderly billionaire, Donald Trump. How would Trump handle these looming war situations? Trump's intimidating stature and fearless handling of Vladimir Putin and other perceived enemies of the Western world during his previous term might argue in his favor. However, there are also doubts about Trump, particularly his age.

Are There Any Other Possible Solutions?

Trump, who the American Press claims fears Harris and avoids her during the current campaign, announced today that he will debate her on September 4 on Fox News. We'll wait and see. As the current Vice President, Kamala Harris will initially step in if Joe Biden doesn't complete his term, but is she capable of managing a potential world war? Harris has won over women in America with her abortion stance and has the African American community's support due to her background.

Are There Any Doubts About Kamala Harris?

America wouldn't be America if there weren't doubts about Harris. Stories circulate about her perceived invisibility in her current role as vice president. Some say she has achieved too little. Others suggest she was assigned heavy tasks and didn't always perform well. According to political scientist Markha Valenta at the University of Utrecht, Harris even lacks charisma. Valenta says, "She is strong in content but finds it difficult to refute a negative image ridiculed by Republicans." Many dismiss Harris as ineffective.

Will "The Button" and Its "Operator" Be Managed Properly?

To be clear, "The red nuclear missile launch button does not exist." However, the president does have a card with the nuclear codes, known as the "biscuit," which is carried in a briefcase called "The Football." This briefcase follows the president everywhere and contains a manual and a menu to set in motion the possible launch of nuclear missiles. Unfortunately, no constitutional ways can stop the president from launching a nuclear missile—not even the U.S. Senate or Supreme Court. If the president makes a mistake, they have a few minutes to reverse it. If not, the consequences could be catastrophic.

The question now is: To whom do we want to entrust that briefcase—Harris, Trump, or Biden? Who do you prefer? Let me know!

Guardian of sovereign deceit

May 14, 2024 by Antonius Bakker

The Jewish Council, or Judischer Rat, operated during the Holocaust under Nazi occupation. These councils, comprised of Jewish community leaders, were forced to collaborate with the Nazis, implementing their orders and policies among the Jewish population. While some members attempted to mitigate the harm inflicted on their communities, their power was severely limited, and they often faced impossible choices between collaboration and resistance. The role of the Jewish Councils remains a subject of debate, as they were both victims of Nazi persecution and, in some cases, complicit in facilitating the Nazi agenda.

A short look around?

Now there is a lot going on in the world, there is a lot of unrest. In several countries, the violence of war flares up again. Where there is no war yet, there is plenty of provocation. The Arab countries are opposing the State of Israel, and vice versa.The land of Palestine, which until the year 1948 was mainly inhabited by various Arab peoples, is proclaimed the State of Israel in that year. Of course, this didn't just happen. As early as the year 1900, many Zionists Jews moved from Europe to Israel. This migration came about mainly because of the anti-Semitism that had arisen in Europe. The fact that the Jews are moving to Israel is not entirely unexpected, after all, it is the country where a large part of their roots lie.

Portrait of Karl Lueger (ca. 1900), mayor of Vienna. He used anti-Semitism as a political strategy.

To judge whether it was a right or wrong choice for the Jews to move to their own state is a question that we can only answer if we go back a bit in our time. As mentioned, "Jew-hatred" once reared its head in large parts of Europe, but when exactly, and why? There is no exact date in history for the origin of this hatred, but according to many history books it begins around 1500 ADAround the beginning of the sixteenth century of our history, this hatred slowly began to develop, according to many scholars it had to do with the rise of Christianity. The Jews became a minority group and became easy prey for the rest of the other believers. Over the centuries, it got worse and worse. It was whispered that the Jews did not belong, there would be something wrong with these people. It was thought that the Jews had evil intentions, and that they were plotting against the rest of the world. As a result, the Jews also became easy prey for Adolf Hitler in World War II.

What happened in 1941?

As you will undoubtedly know, Hitler started the Second World War around 1939 with an invasion of Poland, he wanted to create a new order of absolute Nazi German hegemony in Europe. Even though religion played a less important role in Europe in the twentieth century, the Jews still became a target for Hitler and his Nazi party. They (He) pondered on the difference between races and peoples. According to them, the Jews belonged to a different people. Even converted or nationatlized Jews were not accepted.He even saw the Jews as the cause of losing the First World War.

The seduction.

At the outbreak of the war in the Netherlands, the persecution of the Jews also began to take on greater proportions, but this was slowly initiated by the Nazis, first a so-called Jewish Council was established. These were representative bodies in the Netherlands, Belgium and France that were led by Jews. Please note that these councils had nothing to do with the later deportation of Jews to the extermination camps, this only started in 1942. The establishment of the various councils gave the Jews the feeling that they were allowed to think and talk with the Nazis.

Two Jewish men with the famous star on their jackets that Jews were forced to wear during the Second World War. It is a picture of a scene out off the movie Jewish Counsel.

Removal and Destruction.

At that time, no one foresaw the disgusting plan that Hitler and his followers had of course already devised. The Nazis said they wanted to place the Jewish communities under a central leadership body to facilitate communication with them. The established councils functioned as a social platform, especially the people were increasingly isolated from the other population groups in the countries mentioned. They were increasingly isolated and thrown back on themselves, the beginning of the separation.

Cooperation of the Jewish Council?

When the terrible expulsions and extermination of the Jews took place in 1942, the Jewish Councils were always involved. They had to tell the terrible messages to the people of their own kind of reliable "internal" government. At the end of the war, when more than two-thirds of the Jewish people in the Netherlands had already been massacred, the Jewish councils even had to designate the people who would be massacred.Was it all pure? Most likely, no one will ever know, but it was said that the members of the Jewish council did it to be able to continue to control the situation, or to ensure that the very people remained who could rebuild the people, and later the country?

Photo's of the Jewish Council with one of the chairmen's David Cohen. the other chairman was Abraham Asscher.

A weak excuse?

There are many people in this world who are much better than me at sifting through history. People thought differently than they do now and may have had different motives. After the Second World War, research was done into the how and why of the Jewish councils, why did they listen to the Nazis?Many others also see "collaboration" with the Nazis as self-preservation, simply to be able to keep eating. A few years ago, I was at the famous war cemeteries in Normandy, France, and as I stood there among those thousands of graves, I thought to myself: "what had you done?"It occurred to me that in many wars the military can only "move forward", whether they like it or not. If they didn't carry out an order, it was desertion, the bullet in your own head was their reward. In the Netherlands we sometimes say that a "white lie" is allowed if you really can't do better, or don't know any better........ Were the Jewish councils in World War II good guardians of a gigantic betrayal?

Escapism vs Reality: Balancing Mental Health & Global Awareness Today