History repeats because humans keep falling for the same illusions and tricks

I'm sure everyone on here understand when I say that there's a certain unease in the air. The world keeps spinning, faster and more chaotic but somehow, the script feels familiar... like we've been here before. Different names, different crises, but the same damn playbook. Fear. Division. Control. The cycle repeats, and history keeps reminding us of what's next but we drown it out with the next outrage, the next distraction, the next thing to make us feel like we're doing something.

I wrote this piece because I don't want to look away. Because I've seen people I love get swallowed by propaganda, fear and tribalism. Because I know how easy it is to believe you're thinking for yourself when, really, you're just repeating what you've been told. We're being pulled in a direction that serves only the people in power, and we're sleepwalking right into it.

The entire system manipulates our attention, our emotions, our sense of reality. How fear makes us trade freedom for security. How our need for belonging keeps us from questioning the 'louder' narratives. How those in power use our own psychology against us to keep us compliant.

If you've ever looked around and thought - something about all of this feels off then it's time we read into the why. Whether we like it or not, we are all choosing a side in history.

I've been following the discourse on metacrisis since beginning of last year when I came across the conversation between Daniel Schmachtenberger, Iain McGilchrist and John Vervaeke - discussing the crisis of meaning, the right/left brain hemisphere theory, and the rise of narcissism in global leadership. Some days I feel super down not having people who are in close proximity to me be interested in these bigger topics about what's happening around the world.

I live in Thailand. We are already way ahead of the US in terms of government turning authoritarian.... our country is currently run by the daughter of the infamous Prime minister who was ousted during the 2006's military coup. Why do we all keep falling for the same tricks?!?

In all honestly, the quote that resonated with me the most last year was "Some people would rather die than think" - Bertrand Russell. If I saw this 5 years ago, it wouldn't have made much sense. But in the last 4 years? ..... it helped soothed me a lot.

In Thailand, the worrying trends I'm seeing are;

• A lot of Bangkok people are addicted to plastic surgery. It's ingrained in a lot of us that physical appearance is king here.
• A lot of people close to me are on medication for either depression or anxiety. Ironically, Thailand is very far behind when it comes to mental health but our doctors are prescribing meds in the first session, which is extremely crazy to me.
• Usage of plastic and polystyrene in food packaging is very high. Consumers don't prioritise sustainability. My dad, for example, said point blank that he will die soon anyway so he doesn't bother. He argued that he, himself, can't change anything.
  

So what's 'the madness' in your part of the world?