the world can work pretty well if people think beyond themselves. Do unto others, etc.
Seems like through history humanity - countries - states - go through cycles where they "get it" - collaborate, cooperate, move ahead, progress. Then those who don't value such things - those that are focused on power, wealth, themselves, their tribe - somehow end up in power and drive us backwards. Corruption. And worse, corruption in the open - with no apparent way to stop it.
Reagan...Nixon...Dubya...orangeasshole. They find power and all reason becomes lost. We move backwards. Lies become truth. Decency is lost.
I do think the tangerinerectum's "performance" around COVID takes the cake. It really literally is insane. You find you can't really think about it for too long or it will drive you insane.
We do indeed seem to be living Orwell's 1984. Who'da thunk it was possible.