Heads of state (and that includes countries and kingdoms) are as human as normal people. They have weaknesses and ambitions just like the rest of us. In fact, they are often far more selfish than most, which is what drives them to reach the top echelons of power and hold on to it. They would do almost anything to not lose that position.
Of wars, I am seeing a pattern these days — and several of them. The head of the state wants people’s attention to be diverted away from core problems within the country, so that weaknesses in governance are not seen. People are motivated with patriotism and encouraged to ignore whether the war was genuinely needed in the first place. Hardships that people were facing are reframed as “sacrifices for the country” during hard times.
The Epstein files that became public, at least to some degree, have confirmed that many eminent people were far worse than common men when it came to holding material and physical desires towards women. They did things much worse than what most of us consider as immoral.
High levels of testosterone — which could have been one of the causes of their ambitions — may also indicate this heightened physical desire.
A set of such powerful people get together via organizing and engaging in these networks. In the process, these networks also become platforms to discuss personal challenges in leading their respective countries.
Unfortunately, the whole model exposes them both personally and politically. Being what they are at the core, conflicts arise and, in some cases, lead to wars.
The trigger to a war may not necessarily be a personal vendetta, but its sustenance is often about ensuring a continued hold on power.
Political heads, especially in democracies, need a lot of funding to win elections. These are days when technology plays a big role in everything. Sophisticated software and insider information are often needed to win elections. Such infrastructure may sometimes be provided by other countries.
All this makes heads of state quite vulnerable, even if they outwardly appear calm and completely in control.
Just as taxpayers end up paying far more tax than what is actually used for development, people also lose lives and make economic sacrifices that could have been unwarranted.
I now realise wars are not really between countries. They are between heads of state — and more often than not, simply to stay in power. It is less about political or economic needs.
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