owlsbooks Chapter 2050 Asking for monthly votes!!!
Chapter 2050 Asking for monthly votes!!!
Chapter 2050 Asking for monthly votes!!!
It should be said that the U.S. government was very excited about having access to the wizards of Kamar-Taj.
There is no way. The United States has been in a really bad state in recent years. When Benjamin was running for president, his main attraction was youth and handsomeness, which was used to attract young voters.
In most people's impressions, the phenomenon of gerontocracy is often associated with the Soviet Union. Everyone likes "Soviet jokes", especially jokes about Brezhnev's age, which indirectly criticize the Soviet Union's lifelong system of leading cadres. Interestingly, US President Reagan also likes Soviet jokes. He often tells Soviet jokes in his speeches, on the one hand to promote the "superiority" of the American system, and on the other hand to liven up the atmosphere. President Reagan can joke like this because he believes that under the more "superior" American system, the phenomenon of gerontocracy will not appear. However, if he could see the current state of American politics with his own eyes, I believe he might not be so confident to tell such Soviet jokes. The older generation of American politicians were generally born just after the end of World War II. At that time, American society was still relatively conservative, and the entire society was still in the struggle stage due to the pressure of the Cold War; the country, responsibility and commitment were imprinted in their minds as mainstream values. The younger generation includes Americans born after the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Because the United States has gained an advantage in the Cold War and is about to establish global hegemony, they generally grew up in a pampered environment, and the former mainstream values have been left behind. Rights and enjoyment have become their new pursuits, and they take good days for granted. Their dream is no longer to study hard and serve the country; it has become the pursuit of abstract personal freedom.
Let me give you a few examples: After the epidemic, everything gradually returned to normal. People who used to work online began to return to the office, but young people in the United States were used to working online during the epidemic and believed that they had the right to continue doing so. If their employers did not allow it, some of them would choose to resign, which indirectly triggered the recent "big resignation movement" in the United States (. Young people in the United States do not like to participate in politics, but they are often dissatisfied with the policies of the older generation. At this time, they will often take to the streets to protest, and sometimes even cause violent incidents (many of the "zero-dollar purchases" that everyone jokes about on the Internet come from these activities).
The worst thing is that young people who have gained power also give people a sense of lack of ambition, and they do not learn or try to understand emerging and complex things. In terms of international relations, this is reflected in the fact that many American politicians do not try or want to understand China, which they define as their biggest structural opponent. In terms of domestic affairs, this is reflected in the fact that they hype up the most confrontational issues such as gender, abortion, guns, ethnicity, and racial conflicts to benefit themselves and sacrifice national interests (also known as stacking buffs by some netizens). They talk to themselves every day and expect everyone to agree with them. Once others express different opinions, they start to make hysterical noises and wait for others to compromise. If they do not compromise, they will frantically promote others as intolerant, irrational, and even anti-human.
They do not understand the reality of international politics or even the cruelty of the real world. They still think that everything they do is justified and that others must satisfy them. In my own words, most of these politicians can do nothing but political performance art, and they will not and cannot take responsibility for the troubles they cause.
Faced with such a young generation, the older generation of American politicians obviously will not feel comfortable handing over decision-making power to them. The author believes that there are two options to change this situation: deeply reform the education system or return to "elitism". Reforming the education system will enable young Americans to better understand themselves and the world, and no longer be flowers in a greenhouse. Or use elitism to hedge against the current populist movement and limit the possibility of populist politicians gaining the highest power.
On the other hand, young people are extremely tired of gerontocracy. They think gerontocracy is too rigid and has become class-based! This makes it impossible for young people to see a way out!
So more and more young people don’t like politics at all and don’t vote.
Benjamin was pushed forward essentially because the political party wanted more young people to come out and vote.
It's a bit like the 'idol' industry, but there's no way around it. The presidential election is essentially a super show every four years. The more eye-catching you are, the more votes you can attract.
So Benjamin's own qualities are very good.
A typical American handsome guy, tall and strong, tough and handsome, with a brilliant resume and a very good reputation. Voters are happy to see some different voices in the political arena.
But he is just such a typical handsome guy.
The changes in recent years have been so great that there was even a rumor that the president was seriously ill.
Over the past few years, this handsome guy Benjamin has lost a lot of weight, his hair has become bald, and he looks a lot older. Benjamin used to have a habit of fitness. When he just became president, he could be seen running in the White House.
It is hardly seen now.
why?
Sad!
The United States itself has many problems, but these problems were covered up by the great economic development and hegemony established after World War II. As the only superpower in the world after the Cold War, the United States now controls the three major hegemonies in the world: military, currency and technology. Because of its unique system, superior geography and good opportunities, the United States has hegemony in military, economy, technology and public opinion that other countries cannot shake.
In today's America, hegemony and interests have covered up many of their inherent problems. When faced with problems, American politicians today do not "look for the reasons within themselves when they are not able to do what they want." Instead, they "become the sinners of Jie and Zhou," such as "their demise was sudden." I'm not being self-congratulatory, this is how it has been seen from history. Look at the United States today, they blame others for everything: the COVID-19 pandemic, they say it's someone else's problem; the economic downturn, they say others are taking advantage; when their technological lead is shortened, they immediately start a technological war; the drug epidemic and drug abuse in the United States, they blame others...
For example, someone asked an American politician: China is working to lift all its people out of poverty, and is determined to solve the problem of poverty; there are a large number of homeless people in American cities, why doesn't the US government do anything? Do you know how the politician answered? They said: The homeless people are poor because they choose to be poor, and this is a "life attitude."
Under hegemony, the United States looks very good on the surface: low prices, high welfare, beautiful environment, and stable society. However, beneath this surface is: the high US debt, which is a huge thunder.
Because of the dollar hegemony, the United States implements a "debt economy": issuing U.S. debt, exchanging it for dollars, buying world goods, giving people good welfare, maintaining the minimum living standard, and maintaining low prices. However, if no one buys U.S. debt, all this will be very difficult: it will not be able to import high-quality and low-priced goods, there will be no money to pay welfare, and it will not be able to maintain high military spending, etc. Everything needs money to maintain. Of course, the United States still has many advantages now, and high technology is one of them. The trouble now is: if there is no technological war and the export of chips is liberalized, the United States will soon lose this advantage; if there is a technological war, chips will lose the largest market and the United States will not be able to make high profits.
The building will collapse in just a moment.
With the destruction of military hegemony (Atlantis's attack on land destroyed the entire US fleet overnight), the dollar hegemony collapsed.
The consequences of this can be imagined.
It is remarkable that Benjamin has been able to hold on to the current situation. This is why, so far, both major parties in the United States have not impeached Benjamin and have even strongly supported him, because no one can do better than him.
This is not a problem that can be solved by just telling a few lies.
If an unreliable person is replaced, the current situation that is barely maintained will completely collapse.
Therefore, not only will the two parties not oppose Benjamin at this critical moment, but they will give him the greatest support.
I'm just afraid that he will run away because he is irrelevant. This position is a hell of a pit.
There is no way the United States has too few cards to play now.
They need some help.
The wizards of Kamar-Taj naturally came into the government's sight.
It's the same old story. They hope to win over Kamar-Taj and make it a weapon for the United States to stabilize the situation. If possible, they even hope to nationalize it. In this way, they can continuously produce mages and then seize hegemony again.
Of course, the plan is not so crude. But it is absolutely necessary to contact Kamar-Taj first.
It's just that from the beginning they had little chance to come into contact with Kamar-Taj.
Until now.
After some basic greetings...it was actually Director Hill and the government envoy who were talking. Carter was a veteran agent, and although she had never come into contact with Kamar-Taj, she was able to think of these mysterious organizations that had been hiding behind human society, and she didn't care much about such casual greetings.
Sure enough, although Gu Yi did not have an arrogant attitude towards ordinary people, he obviously did not want to waste time on these trivial things.
Finally, in an awkward silence, the two of them shut up.
Then the formal conversation began.
The envoy spoke first: "Well..."
"You can call me Master, or just call me by my name, Ancient One."
Gu Yi saw the other party's entanglement, so he took the initiative to speak. Master in English is Master... Yes, the Master in "Are you my Master?" This word has many meanings, and the envoy has never known what this simplicity really means.
He wondered if the other party was humiliating him.
After all, he is a black man... As we all know, Master also means owner. When black people were still farm tools, they called their masters Master...
Fortunately, there is an optional title at the end.
"Okay... Master Ancient One. I hope you can explain what you did on American soil. Why did this happen here? We must give the people a reasonable explanation. At the same time, we also need a reasonable explanation. Your actions on American soil were not reported to any government department."
If you want to advance, suppress it first.
The US government does want to strengthen its ties with Kamar-Taj, but that doesn't mean they are willing to sacrifice their national dignity. They need to make their position clear. That is, in the United States, their federal government is the biggest!
Of course, the US government is not really stupid, this is just a strategy.
Sure enough, Agent Hill soon caught up.
"Please forgive the envoy's anger. After all, this is New York, the center of the United States. We don't know a thing about what's happening here. This is a serious dereliction of duty on our part. Angry people will tear down the government tomorrow."
This is the white face.
The good cop and the bad cop routine has probably existed since humans began to develop language, but routines are not afraid of getting old as long as they are useful.
They actually wanted Kamar-Taj to build a bridge for information exchange with the US government. They didn't know what kind of cooperation or close relationship they could achieve with Kamar-Taj from the beginning, but at least there should be a channel for dialogue. With more communication, everything would be easier.
All mysteries come from a lack of understanding of information.
Once you know more, Kamar-Taj will not be so mysterious anymore. Even the US government can have its own wizard!
Ancient One looked at them silently... She didn't know what the American government was thinking. Did they think that the wizards of Kamar-Taj were hermits who were ignorant of the ways of the world?
There is nothing wrong with being a hermit.
But the wizards of Kamar-Taj are not really gods who are detached from the world.
The mages of Kamar-Taj are all selected from among millions of people by official mages through traveling. They will look for those who are qualified but frustrated. They will not choose those who have strong desires and a happy life.
Because there are too many uncertainties for people like that.
At the same time, most of those who are frustrated have seen through the world. They are not ignorant fools.
As for Gu Yi, although she is very busy, she often travels in the human world. They are not really separated from society, they just don't want to integrate into it.
Not only Gu Yi, but even Wang Yuan, who is the least worldly-wise, could see through the tricks these two were playing.
"Hey, what do you mean by your American territory? This is the territory of the Indians! Also, when we built the temple of Kamar-Taj on this American land, there was no America!" Wang Yuan really stood up: "We don't need to explain anything to anyone, and you don't need to know!"
The envoy was very uncomfortable. A Chinese American was standing on American soil and telling a black man that this was Indian land... It's funny just to think about it.
Ancient One waved his hand: "We have no intention of contacting the secular regime. We just want to remind you that the whole world will be very dangerous during this period of time. We can't take care of human society for the time being, so you need to work hard on your own."
This is all Ancient One wanted to say. As for asking the government for help in fighting against the dimensional demon... she had never thought about it at all!