The Monday Mix (21/03/2022)
Hi friends,
I finally got a chance to sit down and write about the war in Ukraine last week, an article I’m going to share on Wednesday. Writing this piece helped me to think through the current situation and Putin’s decision to start the war.
It’s almost a month since he launched the invasion and it hasn’t gone to plan. Bogged down, the war is now turning into one of attrition rather than the lightning assault he envisioned toppling Kyiv in a matter of days.
What happens next is hard to say. Wars are easy to start, but once in motion they’re dynamic and can lead to plenty of unforeseen circumstances, some of which Putin has already faced. As much as we’d all love him to fall asap, I’m not sure this will be the case. I think the war will continue for the foreseeable future and then it depends whether the Ukrainians can resist and perhaps even push back the Russian assault.
We can only pray Ukraine succeeds soon, as the longer this goes on, the more devastation there will be and the greater the likelihood Putin escalates again.
Here’s what I want to share with you this week.
Extreme Heating At The Poles
This is an alarming story about freakish temperatures rises at both poles. Put simply, this shouldn’t be happening at the same time, as there are different seasons at the poles right now. Yet it is. What’s terrifying about this is, not just the extreme temperatures, which have been up to 40 degrees Celsius warmer than normal, it’s that scientists aren’t sure what’s causing it.
This doesn’t bode well for the future, even though this should be a wake-up call. Unless we wean ourselves off fossil fuels, ironically something that would bankrupt the Putin regime, we could enter a dystopian future that might have been considered science fiction a few decades ago.
Making Dreams Come True
I’ve always been sceptical of manifesting, the belief that a positive mental attitude can lead to whatever you desire. I can wish to be part of a mission to the moon but it’s not going to happen, for instance.
As someone who’s written and read plenty of self-help content, I recognise the signs in this article a mile off. One of the things you see in these articles and gatherings is that negative thoughts and emotions should be banished. But this is to deny an essential part of humanity.
You have to take the rough with the smooth. In some ways, it’s the obstacles we face and the setbacks we encounter that provide the greatest impetus for change and progress. A life of constant positivity would be boring and soul-destroying. Maybe we should embrace all of life, the good and bad and endeavour to make the best of our short time on this tiny space rock.
Drive To Survive
As a massive F1 fan, I was delighted the new season started yesterday. I always miss the racing when the season’s ended, so it was great to be able to watch the racing again. If you’ve never watched F1 or want to know more about it, the excellent documentary, F1: Drive To Survive on Netflix is a must-watch. There are four seasons and it follows the lives of the various F1 teams and drivers throughout the season.
F1 is a cut-throat business and you get to see this first-hand. The amount of bitching and sniping is incredible and that’s just the team bosses! You might not end p loving F1 as much as me, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy the series regardless!
Book I’m reading - Boys in Zinc by Svetlana Alexievich
A masterful piece of war reportage by the Belarussian author Svetlana Alexievich, which looks at the horrors of the Soviet war in Afghanistan. I’ve had this book on my shelf for over a year now and felt like this was the perfect time to read. It’s a remarkable, if harrowing book and solidifies my belief in the pointlessness of war.
Quote I’m pondering: “In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.” – Herodotus
That’s all for this week.
Until next time,
Tom