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My struggle

Anonymous

March 19, 2025

My struggle

This image was generated with Dream Studio AI.

The world as it is now is better technologically, socially, medically and economically than it was a hundred years ago. But what we have imagined our contemporary world to be is far from what we are all currently experiencing. The future right now seems quite uncertain. In times where people witness on their mobile devices and in real time the destruction of nature, the pollution of our seas, skies and lands, the mass murders of children, women and animals all over the world, yet remain unperturbed, it's quite hard to imagine something can change.
Do we have to be completely and utterly shaken by all these events in order to wake up?
Do we have to be the ones filming atrocities to act? And how much more suffering do we have to witness to stop prioritising costs over lives, profits over well-being?
It can be so tiring and discouraging. Let's take a look at a few examples.

Every few years, there would be democratic protests in Eastern Europe. We fight against corruption, against malignant influence, against malpractices in various sectors and institutions. We fight for democratic values - rule of law, equality, education, safety for everyone and especially the vulnerable groups, liberty. And we always look to the EU, to Europe, to Western Europe. And we would politely ask Europe to hear us out, to listen, to show support. Only to be presented as corrupt, hostile and backward-thinking in the next annual summary. Because an MP would pick up on our movements just to further their own career or an agenda. In reality and unlike most people in the West, Eastern Europeans know and remember all too well the price of not upholding democratic order. We know it, we feel it, we remember it. We are no longer at the periphery of Europe, we are Europe. And it's disheartening when we see that when the much-needed help arrives, it tends to team up with the same corrupt interests we've been trying to deroot for decades. And one of the issues we notice here is inequality, Eastern Europeans are often seen as a cliche, as those that little to nothing depends on. But we are witnessing a shift in history right here, right now. Doing right by the East is a prospect for redemption. Having equal access to political, financial and economic opportunities will drive Europe forward and stabilise its positions.

A crucial point in covering safe environment for the current and future generations is environmental sustainability. There is a severe danger of extinction of plant and animal species and we must act now by initiating and maintaining practices that will help conserve nature, maintain biodiversity and diminish the consequences of industrialisation, pollution and energy consumption.

End to poverty and wars. Conflicts and wars lead to poverty, dicplacement of vulnerable groups, destruction of infrastructure, further pollution of the already endangered environment. Wars do not have place in a civilised world that aims to progress.

Animal safety. Even now we learn of thousands of animals being mistreated or subjected to cruelty. Whether it is in farms, homes and labs, financial gains should never be put before the well-being of animals.

Gender equality. Men and women should be presented with equal access to political, financial, health, education, social, and economic opportunities.

Acess to medical care for everyone.

Innovations that enhance environmental sustainability.

There are certainly a lot more aspects that we need to highlight and there is definitely work done on many of them, however, as we witness the changing world around us, it is just not enough and it might seem a little too late.

But isn't it darkest just before dawn?

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Oh yes, luckily everything turned out well again. Back then, my dear granddaughter, things looked bad in Germany and the world. The only really nice thing in 2025 was your birth. Oh, how happy we were. And we are still happy for you and your brother and your two cousins, who were born a little later. But you wanted to know what it was like back then. Back then, we had to vote at short notice in Germany, there were quarrels within the old government. And then the shock - because the elections didn't turn out as originally expected. There was a lot of trouble within the parties, one party was so divided that it disbanded. What a stroke of luck for humanity and especially for Germany. Yes, I know you shake your head at so much stupidity today, but people were actually dissatisfied and therefore backed the wrong horse. Back then, there was a war between Russia and Ukraine. Fortunately for all of us, a ceasefire was initially achieved with the help of Europe. The President of the United States at the time, who had no idea about politics, almost triggered the Third World War. But then Europe came together and formed a strong unit, which didn't impress the president very much. You shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but in this case it was the best thing that could have happened to the world, because this man suffered a heart attack and died before he could do any worse. At last something changed for the better in the world and in Germany, too, tax money was no longer wasted. I could tell you stories about the nonsensical things cities and municipalities did with tax money. But you wouldn't believe that. It's also too far-fetched. But now, look how nice the cities look, lots of greenery and little car traffic in the city centers. Isn't it also nice that everyone can borrow a very small e-car instead of an e-scooter to get around town? And it can even be folded up, like mini folding bikes used to be. But you don't even know them anymore. This tiny e-car doesn't go fast, so you can drive it without a license. The car industry, which was almost at the end of its tether back then, has changed tack. And look at these wheelchairs that follow patients around. That's a delight. Now even sick and old people can walk a few steps and then sit down again. And in your school everything is digital, no more 1000 copies, although you had books, but I still think it's great that the books have remained in paper form. It's also wonderful that the daily newspapers still exist. It's incredibly nice that you were taught at school how important it is to get information in a serious way. And it's great that social media is only available from the age of 18. And people now take a closer look and don't spread as much crap as they did 15 years ago. But the best thing of all is that wars and unrest in the world are a thing of the past. Instead of rattling sabres, people talk to each other, instead of just having their cell phones in front of their eyes (and that was actually the case. Some people couldn't be without their cell phones for an hour), people talk and discuss and play.
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I imagine that in 2040, most people will be driving around in zero-emission cars, we will wise up and plant forests instead of cutting them down! We'll eat less meat, and we'll start repairing appliances and clothes again rather than making new ones! I dream that people will be more empathetic and directed at other people and not at things. We will focus our attention on our inner self and not on the shell we wear. We will return to the wisdom of our ancestors, which we are heavily disregarding at the moment.
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