The Problem

I'm not sure how many people are enjoying Apple TV+, but there are a lot of gems. Recently, my favorite show is "The Problem - With Jon Stewart." The show pounds bitter criticism on America's severest conflicts. There have been four episodes until now: War, Freedom, The Economy, and Guns - what intense topics! And my favorite was 'Freedom.'

The show exploits jagged counterexamples to reveal the irony. I got thrilled when KASAUN (the show writer) condemned those who refused masks and fought on planes.

"It's so interesting seeing people who are having, like, these major fights on planes, like, on flights, but 30 minutes before, if you just rewind, how many freedoms you actually had to give up just to get on a plane."

It was so hilarious and delightful, but such catharsis remained a little bitter and lingering feelings in me. And a New York Times article came and enlightened me.

"In Enid, both sides in the mask debate believed they were standing up for what was right. Both cared deeply for their city — and their country — and believed that, in their own way, they were working to save it. And it all started as an argument over a simple piece of cloth."

Yes, it hasn't been about a piece of cloth all the time. It was about the faith, and more importantly, about the ego. So, it is a fight for existence - tough, inherently.

"The Storm Before the Calm" was one of my favorite reads of the last year. George Friedman predicts the 2020s will be a period of failure. And the election of 2028 will create the political framework for moving beyond (though it is a bit debatable that the beyond would be a progressive one); the 2030s and beyond will be a period of creation. The reality is still grim, but I believe it will come. I just hope it won't be too devastating.