Last night I had a talk with friends from Poland about their recent history. Poland has always impressed me with their resilience, their strength, and their culture of debate and protest.
This refers to the past, where the nation was split up into three other neighboring states, so it did not even exist as a state, but kept being a cultural entity, a nation. And it refers to the very recent time, when Polands’s Government took an off turn from democracy, off turn from the EU and its values, with amazing pace on the way to an authoritarian Government with streamlined institutions.
BUT – the Polish people managed to come back to democracy with the following elections. How?
I was looking for parallels to the US – could there be parallels? Would there be a way to copy to overcome the ongoing events on the other side of the Atlantic? As the conversation continued, we came up with a lot of differences, such as: Europe is small, differences in the countries are easily visible when you live in a European country. But not so in the US – the country is huge, many people do no travel and 80 % do not even have a passport.
Also, from my own experience, I know that basic education in the US is very different. It is based on learning and knowing, but not learning and analytical thinking, as is the case in Germany, and Poland. In Germany, analytical learning it is clearly the imprint of its authoritarian Nazi history. “Never again” was the motto after WW 2. So, it became a basic element for schools in Germany to learn, analyse and check. Unfortunately, as time has gone by, this seems to be more and more forgotten. All this was part of our talk.
After our debate, one of my friends send a link. „I think it is relevant to our conversation“ she wrote. Here it is
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIzDWAiMdKc/?igsh=eXI1eGp6azJhaWdm
It has taken quite a bit of time before some of those speak up, who understand where things are going in the USA. Al Gore is not the only one coming up with this comparison.
As an economist and a historian, I was wondering how long it would take for well and college educated people in the US to see and feel what I see and feel as a European and especially as a German.
Since the last elections in the USA I am shocked, and deeply worried where the country, the cradle of democracy as people used to say, is heading to.
I have spent a whole year in California as a High School student, have been back many time for visits, to see friends, and family.
What is striking: Many people do not understand where the truth is these days,
Because the leadership of the States turns around reality. For example the War in Ukraine: There can be no mistake about who is the aggressor, and who is the victim!
Please America, wake up.
It is a very, very dangerous path if the truth is relative! If facts are turned around to please a dictator. The pattern is well known from history. And present.
America, please stop on the way before it is too late. As did Poland.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGS2atAJ6j5/?igsh=cTN6N3I3OGp2NWow
