Kissinger bid farewell to life at the age of 100. Until his last days, he remained remarkably active, defying the lethargy typically associated with retirement. While his recent activities can't be compared to his active years, he made statements and participated in discussions, particularly regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.
Kissinger belonged to the generation of modern statesmen we last witnessed during the Cold War era. Today, such figures are far removed from the political elite. We express this sentiment on various occasions. The leaders of today manifest as dull, unqualified, and showmen of cheap populist displays. Take, for example, former French President François Hollande. What remains of him? A profile of a bland president. Olaf Schultz is no different. What they say and what they do is incomprehensible. Speaking of incompetence, the former Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Mirella Marin, comes to mind. It's as if there was no one else in Finland suitable for the prime ministerial position, and Marin was hastily placed in the role while waiting for a bus to join a wild party with her friends. Showmen are abundant, especially in Italy. Silvio Berlusconi probably won't leave the championship in this league to anyone else. Sarkozy and Macron are not far behind in this regard.
Sanna Mirella Marin, although a distant successor, somewhat inherits the legacy of Urho Kekkonen, who, after World War II, kept Finland out of any camp, contributing to the peace of a delicate region like the Baltic through a policy of neutrality. Even this alone is significant. Finland did not join NATO or the Warsaw Pact. As a peaceful country, they achieved dazzling development with a skilled, educated, and civilized workforce and investments. Furthermore, they became a symbol to the world of how wealth could be fairly shared through principles like law and democracy. They were recognized as the Land of the White Lilies. Now, let's look at the current state of Finland, which has recently joined NATO with a decision that will likely bring all kinds of trouble. Ms. Marin probably put her mind to this path after participating in drug-laden wild parties. Kekkonen's bones are likely aching.
The wave of unqualified, bland, and showman politicians adds a childish festival atmosphere to the political climate, with its unique sensations. This does not create an excuse for their innocence. Like the era of fascism and Nazism seen in Weimar Germany and many other places, they are paving the way. In short, the second wave is coming, as evident from today. The rise of politics with chips like incompetence, blandness, and showmanship is not coincidental.
We witness the collapse of the "civilization" of industrialism. The political magma cannot withstand these upheavals and surfaces. It is experiencing a structural-systemic crisis. We haven't experienced this as a crisis for the first time. Neoliberals and postmodernists, masha'Allah, intellectually and artistically attacked established political institutions and their prominent figures. It was a satirical wave, coming in a mocking and celebratory mood. Statesmanship was discredited with all kinds of ridicule, and new leaders presented sympathetic approaches responding to popular sentiments, making politics dramatic and theatrical with scandalous and sensational exits. Democratization embraced them. It was clear that the final act of this drama would be a pre-fascist farce.
Kissinger, like his patron Rockefeller, seemed to have discovered the secret to long life. In the course of history, even if his biological life lasted for 100 years, he was already a living dead.
