THE SELF DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF RECENT CONFLICTS
In a recent interview on CBC, Timothy Snyder, an historian at the University of Toronto, noted that the U.S. is in "a catastrophic self-destructive mode". The war of aggression against Iran is the latest evidence of this since it is "wildly counter-productive".
He also commented on PM Mark Carney's initial support for the Iran War which Carney later retracted as it became more evident that this was a war of choice, rather than a war of necessity and would bring suffering upon many innocent people.
When asked about Alberta's separatist movement Snyder said it is "eerily similar to the Donbas region in Ukraine where Russia's full-scale invasion took place in 2022. "-He added:Alberta's separatist movement needs to be taken seriously-- - even thoughno First Nations Indigenous are in support of it.
American corporations own over 70% of the oil in the Tar Sands with an estimated $50 billion going to U.S. investors annually. Alberta's natural resources were recently valued at $860 billion, "-andsuch resources "-tend toprovid"-eenticement"-s to American conservatives in the separatist movement. Similarly, in the Donbas region, resources are valued at $7.5 trillion making their development a major motive in the invasion of Ukraine.
Canada has had a strained relationship with the U.S. due to President Trump's Intemperate remarks about making it the 51st state. As well as that, he has imposed onerous tariffs alienating many Canadians. His lack of understanding concerning the long history of Canada-U.S. relationship, coupled with "-hisinconsiderate remarks, indicate that even his most cautious advisors are unable to curb his erratic behavior.
Trump is not unique. Humans can attain high levels of authority based on charisma rather than on competence. A century ago, the Harvard psychologist, William James, wrote about his admiration for octopus and their "flexible intensity for life" and wished that humans too could learn such flexibility. Octopus have 8 arms and 9 brains, giving them an uncanny ability to escape from traps, whereas humans, especially those in positions of power, tend to get caught in risky decision-making, often doubling down on their mistakes, and unable to escape escalating traps during conflicts. Therapists have used the phrase: "doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting different results, is a sure sign of serious addiction."
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