Here, once again, as always in critical moments of history, the root contradictions of the two social and political systems on earth were laid bare.

—Chingiz Aitmatov, The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years, (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988), 202.

I read this paragraph, reread it, reread it again. The assumption of there being two social and political systems on earth was something completely taken for granted during my childhood and while I was a young adult. Thinking over the phrasing of news articles I read today I am struck by the extent to which the names of individual leaders are used, as if these leaders, not countries, were actors. When countries are considered they are presented as unitary forces of good and evil. There is no mention of political or social system, except as a form of schoolyard name-calling: the mayor of New York and the US Democratic Party are attacked as “socialist” or “communist”, The Radical Right-Wing™ is a bogeyman ever threatening European “democracy”, a seemingly demonic Russian horde revs tank engines just offstage, however there is no general discussion let alone understanding of what terms like “socialism” or “democracy” or “rule of law” may mean in practice. It is an odd dystopia.

Guardian:

A heatwave is not the same when you’re in a shared room with three other people and no air conditioning, as when you’re in a villa with access to a pool and air conditioning.

Here in Berlin BSW is looking pretty pathetic for September’s election.

It’s not “censorship”, it’s “age verification”. We’re doing it for The Children.

If even one of those tortured was found to be alive, it was considered that a satisfactory result had been achieved. They gave him water, released him from his bonds and, in due time, restored to him his physical strength. The result was the mankurt slave, forcibly deprived of his memory and therefore very valuable, being worth ten healthy, untreated prisoners. There was even a law which ordained that if a mankurt slave was accidentally killed in a fight, the damages for loss were set at three times those of a free, untreated man.

The mankurt did not know who he had been, whence and from what tribe he had come, did not know his name, could not remember his childhood, father or mother — in short, he could not recognize himself as a human being. Deprived of any understanding of his own ego, the mankurt was, from his master’s point of view, possessed of a whole range of advantages. He was the equivalent of a dumb animal and therefore absolutely obedient and safe. He never thought of trying to escape. For any slave owner, the most frightening thing was the possibility of a revolt of these slaves, since each slave was a potential rebel. The mankurt was the exception: he was absolutely impervious to any incitement to revolt, quite innocent. He knew of no such passions. As a result, there was no need to keep him confined, to guard him and even less to suspect him of having any sinister intentions. The mankurt, like a dog, only recognized his masters. He would have nothing to do with other people. All his thoughts were concerned with satisfying his belly’s needs. He had no other worries. He performed the work given to him blindly, willingly and single-mindedly.

—Chingiz Aitmatov, The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years, (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988), 126.

At the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam. Much of the exhibit had little resonance for me because it was in Dutch and dealt with the experience of those colonized by the Dutch. One film though, really spoke to me. This was a documentary about the primates: orangutans, humans, others, captured and imprisoned. Within the exhibit one wall held this bold call to resist. The visitor book held many heartfelt endorsements: “Free Palestine!”, a lengthy piece about the war in Ukraine. What was unclear to me, however, was how the calls for peace and love from the guest book, the call to “Refuse. Resist” translates into action. The Netherlands continues to ship arms. Mark Rutte,  longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history, congratulates Donald Trump as being the leader of the “free world”.

Al Jazeera:

The United States Senate has passed a resolution calling for President Donald Trump to either halt his military campaign against Iran or seek congressional approval before any further action is taken.

…

Tuesday’s vote marked the first time a war powers resolution had successfully passed both chambers of Congress. But the effort is likely to be symbolic, as Trump is expected to veto the measure.