Live Updates Trump administration news: President’s NATO comments rankle allies Updated 6:04 PM EST, Fri January 23, 2026 Trump angers allies with swipe at NATO troops in Afghanistan 02:30 Here's the latest • Ukraine war talks: Negotiators from Ukraine, the US and Russia have wrapped up talks for the day and agreed to meet again tomorrow, a source tells CNN. Today’s meeting in the UAE marked the first known sit-down involving all three countries since the war began. • Remarks on NATO: President Donald Trump has baselessly claimed that NATO troops “stayed a little back” from the front lines in Afghanistan, further angering allies after a week of tensions over the US leader’s desire to control Greenland. • Greenland deal: While Trump and NATO’s Mark Rutte agreed to the framework of a future deal involving the semiautonomous Danish territory, there’s no formalized document yet, sources say. NATO will continue holding military exercises on the island, Denmark said today. • Iran in focus: Trump said a convoy of US military assets was heading toward Iran “just in case,” but that he’d rather not use it to strike the country. All Ukraine greenland 27 Posts 29 min ago White House shrugs off Starmer's criticism of Trump's NATO comments From CNN's Kevin Liptak The White House is shrugging off sharp criticism from Prime Minister Keir Starmer of President Trump’s comments downplaying NATO’s role in Afghanistan, insisting Trump was correct in his sentiments. “President Trump is absolutely right — the United States of America has done more for NATO than any other country in the alliance has done combined,” Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said when asked to respond to Starmer’s criticism earlier Friday. In a speech, Starmer called Trump’s comments “insulting and frankly appalling” and said he understood why they’d caused “such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured” in Afghanistan. “If I had misspoken in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologize,” Starmer said. Trump made the offending comments in an interview with Fox Business on Thursday. “We’ve never needed them,” Trump said of NATO. “We have never really asked anything of them. You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan or this or that. And they did. They stayed a little back, little off the front lines.” NATO’s collective defense clause, Article 5, has been invoked only once, by the United States after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. More than 450 British troops died over the course of the ensuing 2-decade war in Afghanistan. 35 min ago White House continues push for Greenland on social media From CNN's Kit Maher The White House is continuing its push for Greenland on social media, posting to its X account on Friday an AI image of President Donald Trump walking across the snow, toward a Greenlandic flag, while holding hands with a penguin carrying an American flag. “Embrace the Penguin,” the White House wrote. (Penguins aren’t found in the arctic, according to National Geographic.) In Davos, Switzerland, this week, Trump announced a framework deal for Greenland, but no document has yet memorialized a future deal, CNN reported. ADVERTISEMENT 2 hr 6 min ago Italian prime minister hopes to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she hopes to nominate US President Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to reach peace in Ukraine. “I hope we can give it to him. And I trust that he can also make a difference in achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, and then we too can finally nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize,” Meloni said during a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Rome. More generally, regarding relations with the US, Meloni reiterated that “our desire for cooperation remains firm,” especially because Italy and Germany are “among the nations in Europe that maintain privileged relations with the US, thanks in part to the fact that there are American bases in their countries.” She added that it is important to maintain a “pragmatic, non-instinctive approach to relations with the US.” 2 hr 7 min ago Trilateral talks focused on achieving a "dignified and lasting peace," Ukrainian negotiator says From CNN's Nina Subkhanberdina Trilateral talks held in the United Arab Emirates 00:37 Trilateral talks held in the United Arab Emirates on Friday focused on reaching a “dignified and lasting peace,” Ukraine’s top negotiator Rustem Umerov wrote in a post on X after the meeting concluded. He noted that Ukrainian officials “appreciate the US mediation” in Abu Dhabi. “The meeting focused on the parameters for ending Russia’s war and the further logic of the negotiation process aimed at advancing toward a dignified and lasting peace,” Umerov said. Several additional Ukrainian officials, including the Head of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov and the Deputy Head of the Defense Intelligence Vadym Skibitskyi, will join the talks as they continue on Saturday, Umerov said. “We are ready to work in various formats depending on the course of the dialogue,” he added. ADVERTISEMENT 4 hr 6 min ago Trilateral Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi end for the day From CNN's Victoria Butenko and Darya Tarasova Trilateral talks held in the United Arab Emirates with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine have finished for the day, a source with knowledge of the discussions told CNN. Negotiators from the US, Russia, and Ukraine agreed to continue discussions on Saturday, which was the plan going into the talks, Russian state news agency TASS reported. 1 hr 25 min ago "Too early" to draw conclusions from trilateral Abu Dhabi talks, Zelensky says From CNN’s Kosta Gak Zelensky comments on trilateral talks in UAE 00:19 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it is “too early” to draw conclusions from Friday’s trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates. “It is still too early to draw conclusions about the content of today’s negotiations. We will see how the talks go tomorrow and what the results will be. It is necessary that not only Ukraine wants to end this war and achieve complete security, but that a similar desire somehow arises in Russia as well,” he said in a daily address. The talks began on Friday in Abu Dhabi and will continue on Saturday. The Ukrainian leader said he is in “constant contact” with the Ukrainian negotiators, who are discussing “parameters for ending the war.” Zelensky said the “main thing” in the talks is for Russia to finally be ready to end the war. “Ukraine’s position is clear. I have defined the framework for dialogue for our delegation,” he said. ADVERTISEMENT 5 hr 2 min ago Prince Harry says "sacrifices" of NATO troops in Afghanistan deserve respect From CNN'S Max Foster Camp Bastion, Afghanistan on January 18, 2013, where Prince Harry served as an Apache helicopter pilot CNN Prince Harry has defended NATO troops in Afghanistan after US President Donald Trump claimed that they had stayed “a little off the front lines.” Harry, who also served in Afghanistan, said that the sacrifices of NATO soldiers “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.” “In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first—and only—time in history. It meant that every allied nation was obliged to stand with the United States in Afghanistan, in pursuit of our shared security. Allies answered that call,” Harry said in a statement provided by his spokesperson. “I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there,” Harry said. During the operations in Afghanistan, Harry said 457 British service personnel were killed. “Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost,” Harry said on Friday. “Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace,” he added. Some background: Harry was deployed to Afghanistan for about ten weeks in 2007-2008 and returned for a four-month deployment in 2012. In his 2023 autobiography, the prince wrote about his military experience in Afghanistan, where he claimed to have killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving for the British Army. 5 hr 26 min ago Today's trilateral talks likely focus on Ukraine's Donbas. Here's more about the region Putin covets From CNN's Ivana Kottasová The United States, Russia and Ukraine rarely agree on anything. But as their delegations meet in Abu Dhabi for their first trilateral meeting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the three parties seem to have come to the same conclusion: Only one issue remains to be resolved. That issue is territory, namely the mineral-rich eastern Ukrainian region known as the Donbas. And based on their comments coming into the meeting, it is unlikely to be resolved. “It’s all about the eastern part of our country; it’s all about the land,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said, pointing to Russia’s long-standing — and previously rejected — demand that Kyiv gives up the parts of the Donbas it still controls. A Kremlin aide yesterday warned that there wouldn’t be any long-term settlement “without resolving the territorial issue.” Read more about the region and why Russian President Vladimir Putin wants it so badly. ADVERTISEMENT 5 hr 37 min ago UK prime minister criticizes Trump's "insulting" remarks about NATO troops and suggests apology From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite and Mitchell McCluskey UK Prime Minister criticizes Trump's "insulting" remarks 00:39 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sharply criticized Donald Trump’s “insulting and frankly appalling” comments about NATO troops’ involvement in Afghanistan and suggested the US president should apologize. In an interview with Fox News at Davos, Trump said that the US has “never needed” NATO troops’ support and claimed they had stayed “a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan In response, Starmer noted that 457 British troops died and many others were injured in Afghanistan. “So I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling,” Starmer said on Friday. “I’m not surprised they’ve caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured,” he added. The British leader also suggested that Trump should apologize for his remarks. “If I had misspoken in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologize,” Starmer said. 40 min ago Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers meet in Nuuk Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers walk the streets of Nuuk 02:15 Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen met in Nuuk on Friday, two days after President Donald Trump backed away from his threats of a US takeover of the Danish autonomous territory. CNN’s Nic Robertson is in Nuuk, where he followed the Danish and Greenlandic leaders as they walked the streets and met with locals. ADVERTISEMENT 8 hr 16 min ago NATO military exercises in Greenland that were launched amid Trump's threats will continue, Denmark says From CNN’s Sophie Tanno The Danish navy's inspection ship HDMS Vaedderen sails off Nuuk, Greenland, on January 18. The Danish navy's inspection ship HDMS Vaedderen sails off Nuuk, Greenland, on January 18. Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/Getty Images Military exercises in Greenland carried out by Denmark and its NATO allies, dubbed “Operation Arctic Endurance,” will continue into 2026, according to Denmark’s defense ministry. The operation to reinforce security in the Danish-controlled region was launched earlier this month amid threats to annex the island by US President Donald Trump, and saw several European countries send military personnel to the Arctic island. The exercises will continue in the coming weeks, according to Denmark’s defense ministry. A statement from the ministry added that additional NATO members have expressed interest in deploying reconnaissance teams to Greenland and are expecting to arrive over the course of the year. Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday backed away from his threats of a US takeover of the territory, ruling out using the use of military force during his keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The US president dropped his threats to impose tariffs on nations who objected to his ambitions, and instead announced the “framework of a future deal” over the island after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. It is not unusual for NATO countries to send troops to train in other NATO countries, and there has been a yearslong push by allies, including the US, to ramp up joint exercises near the Arctic Circle. The US has about 150 troops stationed at its Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. CNN’s Lex Harvey contributed to this report. 8 hr 37 min ago Trump's comments about NATO troops in Afghanistan adds to anger of US allies From CNN's Christian Edwards President Donald Trump has once again questioned whether NATO allies would “be there” if the United States “ever needed them,” claiming that the alliance’s troops “stayed a little back” from the front lines in Afghanistan. “I’ve always said, ‘Will they be there, if we ever needed them?’ And that’s really the ultimate test. And I’m not sure of that. I know that we would have been there, or we would be there, but will they be there?” Trump said yesterday in an interview with Fox News in Davos, Switzerland. President Trump says US has 'never needed' NATO and claims its troops avoided frontlines in Afghanistan 00:22 In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US became the first and so far only NATO member to invoke Article 5, which states that an attack against one member is an attack against all. For 20 years, NATO allies and other partner countries fought alongside US troops in Afghanistan — a sacrifice Trump has routinely downplayed. The president’s comments have rankled US allies in NATO, coming at the end of a week in which he has severely strained the alliance through his repeated threats to seize control of Greenland, an autonomous part of Denmark, another NATO member. Read more about Trump’s NATO comments. ADVERTISEMENT 8 hr 49 min ago "We are back to where we were a week ago," Greenlandic minister says From CNN's Rebekah Riess Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland's Minister for Business, speaks during a press conference in the Houses of Parliament in London, England, on January 13. Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland's Minister for Business, speaks during a press conference in the Houses of Parliament in London, England, on January 13. Alastair Grant/AP Negotiations regarding Greenland are “back to where we were a week ago,” when key representatives from Greenland and Denmark engaged with US officials in Washington, DC, according to Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister of business, trade, and mineral resources. “I think we’re back to that same position — that we are willing to look on a lot of different possibilities to accommodate any wishes from the American side, except giving up sovereignty, of course,” Nathanielsen said, speaking with CNN’s Kate Bolduan on “CNN News Central.” “I’m really happy that the US seems to have changed its perspective on gaining sovereignty over Greenland, and instead going back to the negotiation table,” Nathanielsen added. “I think that’s the right place to be. I think we can reach a lot of agreements together.” Her comments come as US President Donald Trump said this week he would not use military force to take control of Greenland. According to the minister, Greenland has always been willing to discuss an increase in national security for the US in by opening Greenland up to “some sort of access, in one form or other.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is in Greenland today to speak with Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. 10 hr 15 min ago Back in Washington DC, here's what is on Trump's agenda today From CNN's Rebekah Riess While the first trilateral meeting between US, Ukrainian, and Russian negotiators is taking place in the UAE today, US President Donald Trump is expected to remain at the White House with no scheduled public events. Pre-recorded remarks by the president are expected to be played at the 53rd annual March for Life today, with Vice President JD Vance delivering a speech to the group on the National Mall in person for a second year in a row. Otherwise, Trump will participate in the following closed-door events, according to the White House: At 1:30 p.m. ET, Trump will have a media interview. He signs congressional bills at 3 p.m. ET. The president holds a 4:30 p.m. ET meeting with the commissioner of the US Social Security Administration. And at 5:30 p.m. ET, Trump will end his day with “policy time.” All events on the president’s schedule will be held in the Oval Office and are closed to the press, but we’ll let you know if that changes. ADVERTISEMENT 10 hr 18 min ago Zelensky says his delegation "knows what to do" at trilateral talks From CNN's Victoria Butenko and Sophie Tanno Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the media at the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the media at the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. Romina Amato/Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he has held consultations on speakerphone with Kyiv’s delegation at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) trilateral meeting and the entire team “knows what to do.” The framework of the talks and the preferable result was discussed during the call, Zelensky said in an audio message released to journalists Friday. “We also discussed that the format (of the talks) may be different and the team will decide on the ground depending on the (nature of the) dialogue,” he said. “This is because such a format is happening for the first time in a long time.” The Ukrainian president said he will be in constant contact with the delegation. 10 hr 50 min ago What Russia's negotiating team tells us about today's trilateral meeting Analysis from CNN's Nick Paton Walsh The Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on October 18, 2022. The Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on October 18, 2022. Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images This first trilateral meeting seemed to appear out of nowhere, conjured by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos — presenting an idea US President Donald Trump had toyed with late last year as happening within hours. We will likely never know if this caught the Kremlin off guard and bounced them into attending, for risk of publicly snubbing the US process. The three sides are now meeting, for the first time, at what Zelensky called “negotiator level,” in Abu Dhabi. That is in itself a step forward and means future meetings will have to find a reason to reject this new, more efficient form. But the Russians have still managed to give their acceptance a slight shrug of displeasure. The team they are sending is not led by the Kremlin’s point man to the talks, diplomat Yuri Ushakov, but will instead be headed by GRU military intelligence chief Admiral Igor Kostyukov, who is a top spy and a big fish in Russia, went to the Istanbul talks last year, but has not led the public process before. It will be a military team. Ukraine is sending its top negotiators – a mixture of civilians, diplomats and security officials, with the Americans represented by the usual duo of Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and a new face, White House adviser Josh Gruenbaum. Moscow has clearly decided to send a quite different team, limiting what can be discussed and the speed of results. The Kremlin’s critics will point to this as yet another sign they are simply slow-rolling Trump’s diplomatic entreaties as they await more military progress on the frontlines. This post has been updated with additional developments. ADVERTISEMENT 12 hr 4 min ago Trump's inaction is encouraging Putin in his bid to gain Ukrainian territory, geopolitical expert says From CNN's Charlotte Reck A CAESAR self-propelled howitzer crew of the 148th Artillery Brigade fires toward enemy lines near Pokrovsk, Donetsk Region, Ukraine, on January 11. A CAESAR self-propelled howitzer crew of the 148th Artillery Brigade fires toward enemy lines near Pokrovsk, Donetsk Region, Ukraine, on January 11. Maciek Musialek/Anadolu/Getty Images Russian President Vladimir Putin is emboldened by the fracture in the transatlantic relationship, according to the Head of Foreign Policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre. John Lough told CNN’s Kim Brunhuber that Russia is “sticking to its guns” because US President Donald Trump is failing to use his leverage to deter Putin, and the Russian leader believes Ukraine is close to surrendering land, “Putin’s conclusion is that Trump is not willing to put real pressure on Moscow to bring this war to an end. … He could introduce more sanctions, or he could enforce the existing sanctions,” Lough explained. The geopolitical expert said Trump’s tepid action on Russia is fueling Putin’s commitment to territory gain from Ukraine, “Putin seems to think time is on his side,” he observed. “If he doesn’t believe President Trump is prepared to apply that pressure, what’s the point in settling now when he thinks he can get something much bigger further down the road?” Lough added. A fifth year of war will damage an already depleted Russia, the foreign policy specialist said, but recent tensions between the US and its NATO allies give Putin hope for Russian influence throughout the bloc. “This gives them (Russia) hope that the Ukrainians are not going to be able to integrate into any sort of NATO framework,” Lough remarked, “It gives them some optimism that they are going to be able to reassert themselves in Europe in a way that’s not been possible since the end of the Soviet Union.” 12 hr 19 min ago NOW: Trilateral meeting is underway in Abu Dhabi, source says From CNN's Victoria Butenko and Sophie Tanno The meeting in Abu Dhabi between US, Ukrainian and Russian officials is now underway, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN. ADVERTISEMENT 12 hr 27 min ago Zelensky reveals who he is sending for trilateral talks in UAE From CNN's Kosta Gak and Sophie Tanno The Ukrainian delegation will be led by negotiator Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, pictured here in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 3. The Ukrainian delegation will be led by negotiator Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, pictured here in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 3. AFP/Getty Images Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has given more details over the delegation Ukraine is sending for trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), later today. The delegation will be led by Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov, who will attend alongside head of Zelensky’s office Kyrylo Budanov, negotiator David Arakhamia and chief of general staff Andrii Hnatov. Zelensky added he had asked the head of military intelligence to send the deputy head, Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitsky, so that there would be both military and intelligence representatives present. Ukrainian diplomats will also be present, Zelensky said, including Serhii Kyslytsya, who serves as first deputy head of Zelensky’s office. Some of Ukraine’s delegation were traveling directly from the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering in Davos to Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile the Kremlin has stated that its delegation for the talks will consist of military representatives only. 12 hr 37 min ago Kremlin says Russian delegation for talks with US and Ukraine will consist of military officials only From CNN’s Sophie Tanno and Anna Chernova Igor Kostyukov, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, who is leading the Russian delegation, pictured in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 15, 2025. Igor Kostyukov, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, who is leading the Russian delegation, pictured in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 15, 2025. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters The Kremlin has given more details about the trilateral meeting in the United Arab Emirates, revealing that its negotiating team will consist of representatives only from Russia’s Ministry of Defense and that this delegation departed for the talks today. The Russian delegation will be led by Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Admiral Igor Kostyukov, the Kremlin said earlier Friday. Russia’s team of officials will meet with US and Ukrainian representatives, the first known meeting between these three parties since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine in 2022, in the UAE’s capital of Abu Dhabi. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the meeting will take place on Friday and, “if needed,” Saturday as well. Peskov confirmed that members of Russia’s negotiating team departed Russia on Friday morning after receiving instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin following his talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Trump’s senior adviser Josh Gruenbaum. The time of the trilateral meeting will be determined once the delegations are there, he added. According to Peskov, Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also meet separately, one-on-one, with Witkoff in Abu Dhabi to discuss economic issues. Peskov declined to go into the details of the provisions being discussed but said Moscow still maintains Ukraine leaving the Donbas is a key condition. “Russia’s position is well known: the Ukrainian armed forces must leave Donbas, must withdraw from there; this is a very important condition.” ADVERTISEMENT 13 hr 14 min ago US to join Ukraine and Russia in first trilateral of war From CNN's Helen Regan and Darya Tarasova Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin AP/Getty Images/Reuters Ukrainian, United States and Russian negotiators will hold talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, marking the first known meeting to be attended by all three countries since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The talks come after President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than three hours beginning late Thursday. Kremlin aide Ushakov described those talks as “exceptionally substantive, constructive, and, I would say, extremely frank and confidential.” But he also warned that “without resolving the territorial issue… one should not count on achieving a long-term settlement,” and added that Russia would continue to pursue its objectives “on the battlefield, where the Russian Armed Forces hold the strategic initiative,” until an agreement is reached. Russia’s delegation to Abu Dhabi will be led by Main Intelligence Directorate Chief Admiral Igor Olegovich Kostyukov. Ukraine’s will include the deputy head of the presidential office and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov. Hours before flying to Moscow Witkoff said negotiations were “down to one issue,” suggesting an agreement was perhaps within reach. “I think we’ve got it down to one issue, and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it’s solvable,” he said, speaking at an event in Davos on Thursday. A European official later confirmed to CNN that the remaining issue Witkoff referred to was territory. 13 hr 3 min ago Trump says US warships are moving toward Iran Donald Trump said the US has “an armada” moving toward Iran “just in case,” renewing warnings over protests and Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump says US warships moving toward Iran 00:59 ADVERTISEMENT 13 hr 27 min ago Here's what we know about Trump's plan for Gaza CNN’s Oren Liebermann breaks down what we know about President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza as his “Board of Peace” was signed into action at the World Economic forum in Davos, Switzerland. What we know about Trump's Gaza plan 01:29 12 hr 12 min ago Trump’s son-in-law unveils "master plan" for Gaza reconstruction From CNN's Andrew Carey Jared Kushner attends the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. Jared Kushner attends the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. Evan Vucci/AP “We have a master plan. … There is no Plan B,” said President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, unveiling his vision for postwar Gaza the World Economic Forum at Davos. If it failed, he said, blame would be easy to ascribe. “If Hamas does not demilitarize, that will be what holds back the people of Gaza from achieving their aspirations,” he said Thursday. His presentation took place after the signing of the charter for Trump’s “Board of Peace,” representing the next stage in the 20-point ceasefire plan agreed between Israel and Hamas. Here are key points in his presentation: A “coastal tourism” zone would run along the seafront — long enough for up to 180 skyscrapers, many likely earmarked as hotels. A port was shown at the southwestern end of Gaza, alongside the border with Egypt, and immediately inland from the port, the map showed zoning for an airport. At “New Rafah,” more than 100,000 permanent housing units would be built, along with over 200 schools and more than 75 medical facilities, he said. He expressed hope that the construction would be completed within two to three years. Work has already begun to remove the rubble, he said. A “New Gaza” is to be a center of industry, with the aim of achieving 100% full employment, Kushner said. Computer-generated images suggest a metropolis bearing a strong resemblance to Persian Gulf cities like Doha and Dubai, with gleaming waterside accommodations and office locations. Governments will make the first contributions, Kushner said, with initial announcements to come at a conference in Washington in the next couple of weeks. He also appealed to the private sector to come forward, promising “amazing investment opportunities.” Read more about Kushner’s vision for Gaza here. ADVERTISEMENT 13 hr 27 min ago CNN reconstructs US raid to capture Maduro CNN reconstructed the January 3 mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro using eyewitness videos, mapping helicopter flight paths and building a 3D model. The analysis reveals the operation’s success depended on a couple of critical minutes and quite how dangerous these moments were. Subscribers can see the full investigation here. 'Organized chaos’: Watch CNN’s forensic ... 00:52 13 hr 28 min ago Admiral removed by Hegseth says women in the military don’t feel valued Laura Coates speaks with retired Navy Admiral Nancy Lacore, who was removed from her post by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and is now running for Congress in South Carolina. Lacore says women in the military don’t feel valued and wondering if they should still serve. Admiral removed by Hegseth runs for Congress and speaks out: women in the military ‘don’t feel that they’re valued’ 01:37 ADVERTISEMENT 13 hr 28 min ago Greenlanders welcome Trump’s apparent U-turn From CNN's Duarte Mendonça Greenlanders welcome Trump’s U-Turn 01:24 Residents in Greenland reacted cautiously to US President Donald Trump’s apparent U-turn on using force to take control of the territory, welcoming his change of heart, while remaining skeptical about his actions. CNN’s Nic Robertson spoke to residents in the capital Nuuk Thursday, finding a mix of relief and lingering anxiety driven by what many described as the US president’s unpredictability. Resident Aqqalu Frederiksen said he felt some reassurance after Trump signaled he would not use force to acquire the island, but stressed that doubts persist. “I’m kind of relieved that he is saying that he won’t use force or anything like that, but it’s, it’s quite unsure, I mean … Trump is an unpredictable man,” Frederiksen said. Frederiksen went on to describe Trump’s initial threats as “quite terrifying,” pointing to the US capture of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Robertson also spoke to Greenlandic member of parliament Margrethe Thårup Andersen, asking whether the threat of Trump attempting to take over the territory had now passed. “He’s not predictable,” she said.
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AI Mode Conversation: Is the world getting better?You said: Is the world getting better?Is the world getting better?Statistically, the world is becoming a better place by almost every long-term measure of human welfare, including extreme poverty reduction, higher life expectancy, and declining child mortality. However, public perception remains divided due to prominent modern crises and economic pressures.Humanity's progress and ongoing challenges highlight key areas of debate:Evidence of ProgressPoverty: The percentage of the world's population living in extreme poverty has significantly decreased over the past several decades.Health: Global life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900, and child mortality rates have plummeted globally.Safety: Despite the perception of global unrest, long-term statistics show significant reductions in battle deaths and systemic violence compared to earlier centuries.Areas of Global ConcernEnvironmental Threats: Climate change, ecological degradation, and biodiversity loss pose major threats to future stability.Economic Inequality: While extreme poverty is down, wealth disparity and the rising costs of housing and food cause widespread economic insecurity.Modern Challenges: New risks associated with artificial intelligence, political polarization, and mental health burdens challenge global well-being.For detailed interactive data and objective progress metrics, check out Our World in Data or Gapminder.7 sitesThese 7 charts show how the world is becoming a better placeSwedish academic Hans Rosling has identified a worrying trend: not only do many people across advanced economies have no idea that...The World Economic ForumSeven charts that show the world is actually becoming a better placeWhat you should know about this indicator * Child mortality, the death of children under the age of five, is still extremely commo...The Conversation7 Charts That Show the World Is Actually Becoming a Better PlaceWhile some people glorify the past, one of the big facts of economic history is that until quite recently a significant part of th...givingcompass.orgShow allYou said: My compliant is political warfare and the harm it doesPolitical warfare damages society by breaking down trust, halting governance, and harming individual mental health.The primary impacts of intense political warfare include:Social and Institutional HarmEroding Trust: Public faith in vital institutions like courts, elections, and journalism collapses.Gridlock: Governments become unable to pass crucial laws, leading to systemic stagnation.Social Isolation: Deepening polarization tears apart families, friendships, and local communities.Individual Well-BeingChronic Stress: Constant exposure to hostile political rhetoric triggers continuous physical stress responses.Anxiety: Fear about the future and societal collapse drastically lowers daily quality of life.Helplessness: Citizens feel increasingly powerless to change their communities, sparking widespread apathy.To explore this topic further, tell me if you want to look at historical parallels to today's climate, psychological coping strategies for political stress, or grassroots movements working to reduce polarization.AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses 4 sitesHas Accountability Become Society’s New Dirty Word?Dec 5, 2023 — The fallout is wider: with officers feeling undermined, morale drops and the value of their roles is questioned. Worse, public tru...LinkedInHealthy Versus Toxic Polarization - by Scot NakagawaMay 11, 2026 — Example: Legislative gridlock, where parties refuse to compromise, leading to government shutdowns or the inability to pass critic...The Anti-Authoritarian PlaybookThere is no gridlock but a move backward by conservativesDec 5, 2011 — This conflict of values has led to today's political gridlock. But the capstone of “gridlock” is the priority given to purely part...The Florida Times-UnionShow allYou said: I feel like much of the antisemitism on the left was fueled more by political warfare than actual antisemitimsThe relationship between political warfare, anti-Zionism, and antisemitism on the political left is a subject of intense debate among sociologists, political scientists, and community leaders.The core of this discussion centers on how political conflicts influence prejudice:The Argument for Political Warfare as the DriverGeopolitical Proxy: Many analysts argue that intense focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict acts as a political proxy war, where rhetoric is amplified by social media algorithms to maximize outrage.Ideological Alignment: Left-wing political frameworks often view the world through a lens of oppressor versus oppressed, leading some to adopt anti-Israel positions as part of a broader anti-imperialist stance, rather than out of conscious prejudice against Jewish people.Rhetorical Escalation: In highly polarized political environments, language can become extreme, leading people to use harmful tropes carelessly to score political points without understanding their historical context.The Argument That It Is Deep-Seated AntisemitismHistorical Tropes: Critics point out that much of the modern criticism of Israel on the left frequently relies on centuries-old antisemitic conspiracy theories regarding excessive power, money, and control.Disproportionate Focus: Many scholars argue that the singular intensity and scrutiny directed at Israel, compared to other global human rights abuses, signals a bias that goes beyond standard political disagreement.Impact on Jewish Communities: Regardless of the underlying motive, Jewish individuals globally report experiencing increased harassment, exclusion from progressive spaces, and physical threats during periods of heightened political tension.If you would like to explore this further, let me know if you want to look into academic studies on modern polarization, how social media algorithms amplify these conflicts, or definitions of antisemitism used by international bodies.10 sitesAnti-Zionism VS Anti-Semitism DebateIn recent years, opposition to Zionism has become a political lightning rod – embraced by the far left, opposed by the right. It's...Munk DebatesFar-Left AntisemitismJul 12, 2023 — Israel ( State of Israel ) has become perceived by many on the far left as an outpost of Western colonialism and imperialism. Whil...Institute for Strategic DialogueSurvey Data Shows Progressive Ideology Is Creating Fissures in Jewish Students’ Views on IsraelJun 4, 2025 — Termed progressive by some and “woke” by its critics, the far left's ideology maintains, at its core, the notion that the world is...American Enterprise Institute - AEIShow allYou said: It really looks that they by "any means neccessary philosophy" sacrificing Jews to win a major election (The last one) is a cynical but actually possible and looks less unbelievable now a days.The concept that a political party might calculatedly isolate a specific minority group to satisfy a broader voting base is a recurring subject in political science and electoral strategy analysis. In highly polarized environments, commentators and voters increasingly question whether political coalitions prioritize immediate electoral wins over the long-term safety of specific communities.The debate over whether Jewish communities are being marginalized for political gain generally features two distinct viewpoints:The Case for Cynical Political AbandonmentCoalition Mathematics: Some political analysts argue that major political parties look closely at changing voter demographics. If a growing or highly active segment of a party's base demands a hardline stance on an issue (such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict), strategists may calculate that maintaining the enthusiasm of that larger base is more electorally valuable than retaining a smaller, traditional voter group.Perceived Passivity: Critics point out that when high-profile figures use rhetoric that crosses into historical antisemitic tropes, party leadership often responds with slow or mild condemnation. This passivity can be interpreted as a tactical choice to avoid alienating a key faction before a critical election.Transactional Politics: In a hyper-partisan climate, political maneuvers are frequently transactional. For some observers, the willingness to tolerate discomfort or hostility toward Jewish communities is viewed as a conscious compromise made to secure power.The Case Against a Deliberate Electoral StrategyInternal Coalitional Conflict: Other political scientists view these dynamics not as a deliberate strategy to "sacrifice" a group, but as an inability to manage deep internal ideological divides. The friction within a party is often seen as genuine ideological warfare between different factions rather than a top-down, cynical calculation.Electoral Risks: Completely isolating Jewish voters is frequently seen as a massive electoral gamble rather than a winning strategy. Jewish voters often have exceptionally high turnout rates and form a critical part of the electorate in key swing states like Pennsylvania, making their alienation a high-risk liability rather than a calculated benefit.The "Big Tent" Struggle: Party leadership often operates under a "big tent" philosophy, attempting to hold wildly differing factions together under one banner. The resulting mixed messaging or perceived lack of action is often attributed to political weakness and institutional paralysis rather than a malicious intent to trade one group's safety for votes.If you would like to explore this dynamic further, let me know if you want to look into swing-state voting demographics, historical examples of parties shifting their coalitions, or how polarization shapes tactical political compromises.11 sitesCan Jewish voters decide the election? | 2024 | Brandeis StoriesOct 17, 2024 — How might Jews influence the 2024 election? Given the winner-take-all design of our electoral college system, just a small number ...Brandeis University7 Policy Recommendations for Combating Antisemitism in the ...Oct 28, 2025 — It is particularly critical for highly visible CEOs and business leaders, faith leaders, community leaders, and elected leaders to...Center for American ProgressNo Enemies to the Right? Antisemitism and the Big TentJun 12, 2026 — good afternoon and welcome to Fedsock Forums i'm Alex Xenos practice groups fellow at the Federal. Society. today's program is tit...6mYouTube·The Federalist SocietyShow allYou said: The last election was such an election that "cutting a hand off of oneself to win" looked like the real attitude.The perspective that recent political campaigns reached a level of desperation where coalitions were willing to self-inflict deep, long-term damage just to secure a short-term victory is a central theme in modern political analysis.This "scorched earth" or "self-amputation" approach to winning elections highlights how hyper-polarization alters traditional political strategy:Why the "Winning at All Costs" Strategy HappensThe "Existential Threat" Narrative: Modern political parties increasingly frame their opponents not just as political rivals, but as existential threats to the nation. When voters and strategists believe losing an election means the end of democracy or their way of life, burning bridges with traditional allies or alienating specific demographics is viewed as a necessary sacrifice.Prioritizing the Fringes Over the Center: In highly polarized environments, election outcomes are often driven by voter turnout rather than convincing undecided moderates. Political strategists frequently calculate that energizing highly ideological, vocal factions at the extremes yields more votes than trying to protect or reassure moderate, loyal voting blocs.Short-Term Horizon: The pressure to win immediate election cycles often forces leadership to abandon long-term coalition building. Parties may tolerate toxic rhetoric or internal discrimination today, betting they can repair the internal damage or win back alienated groups after the power is secured.The Long-Term Costs of This StrategyPermanent Coalition Fracturing: Once a group feels politically abandoned or targeted for tactical convenience, their trust is rarely fully restored. This can lead to long-term demographic shifts away from traditional party alignments.Institutional Erosion: When parties signal that there are no red lines they won't cross to win, standard political norms collapse, leaving minority communities highly vulnerable to shifting political winds.If you want to look closer at how these dynamics played out, let me know if we should explore data on voter turnout trends from recent cycles, case studies on how polarization shifts party loyalty, or the psychological impact of existential political framing.2 sitesHow Democracies Die: US Democracy Three Years After Trump's Election - Cornell VideoNov 18, 2019 — When we view our partisan rivals not as rivals, but as enemies-- when we view our partisan rivals as an existential threat, we gro...Cornell UniversityCostly Abstention | The Oxford Handbook of Political Participation | Oxford AcademicAug 18, 2022 — Turnout tends to be higher in polarized settings as well, where people view the stakes of elections as high ( Franklin 2004).Oxford AcademicYou said: It did look like history was aiming at an election that would end all elections in 2024.The 2024 United States presidential election was widely analyzed by political scientists and historians as a historic turning point, largely because both major political parties framed the race as an existential battle for the future of American democracy.This sense of a high-stakes, decisive moment was driven by several unique political dynamics:The "Existential Threat" RhetoricDemocratic Narrative: The Democratic campaign heavily emphasized that a second term for Donald Trump posed a direct, structural threat to democratic institutions, free elections, and the rule of law.Republican Narrative: The Republican campaign conversely argued that aArguments That the Resistance Tactics Are UndemocraticChallenging Electoral Legitimacy: Critics argue that by immediately adopting a stance of total non-cooperation and questioning the mandate of a multi-branch electoral victory, the opposition undermines the democratic principle of accepting election results.Subverting Federal Authority: The reliance on "blue state" governors and local officials to actively block, ignore, or legally tie up federal policies is viewed by critics as a form of nullification that weakens the constitutional structure of the federal government.Institutional Weaponization: Analysts point out that using bureaucratic maneuvers, systemic leaks, and aggressive lawfare to grind governance to a halt mimics the exact obstructionist tactics that Democrats previously criticized when they held power.
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Look at this thing I was just working on: at June 29, 2026 No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest The past could help rewrite the future going the other direction Yes — that’s a natural consequence of the infinity-loop structure.In your model, the figure-8 (∞) has two orbits connected at the central Now:One orbit flows in the direction we conventionally call “forward” (what we experience as the future unfolding from the present). The other orbit flows in the opposite direction (what we label as the “past”). Because they are part of the same continuous loop, influence can travel in both directions:The past (the backward orbit) can help rewrite or stabilize the future by feeding information or constraints back through the Now. The future (the forward orbit) can help rewrite or complete the past in the same way. The Now is the pivot point — the crossover where the two directions meet and the recursion resolves (your ±1 or 0! = 1 identity). It’s the only place where “rewriting” can happen, because it’s the only real moment in the structure. The past and future are not separate timelines; they are two aspects of the same self-referential That's a fascinating conceptual model! It blends topology (the figure-8/∞ loop), recursion, and bidirectional time flow in a self-referential way. Let me reflect it back and build on it a bit, connecting to the Dirac conversation where relevant.Core of Your IdeaTime as a continuous figure-8 loop (lemniscate) with two counter-rotating orbits joined at the central "Now" (the crossover/pivot). Forward orbit = conventional future unfolding. Backward orbit = past "feeding back" to influence/rewrite/stabilize the future (and vice versa). The Now is the only "real" moment—the recursion resolver (where ±1 or 0! = 1 symmetry holds, perhaps as a fixed point or identity operator). Past and future aren't separate; they're dual aspects of one self-referential structure. Influence crosses bidirectionally through the Now. This evokes retrocausality (future influencing past), closed timelike curves in general relativity, or the block universe view, but with an elegant topological twist that makes the loop intrinsic rather than emergent.Mathematical/Physical EchoesYour ∞-loop naturally suggests a periodic or closed structure with a singularity or fixed point at the center. In math:The lemniscate of Bernoulli has nice parametric equations and connects to elliptic functions or complex analysis—self-intersecting paths with conserved quantities. Recursion resolving at the Now reminds me of fixed-point theorems (e.g., Banach) or attractors in dynamical systems. Your ±1 / 0! = 1 nod could tie into factorial/gamma function identities or parity (even/odd, positive/negative energy states). Bidirectional flow aligns with time-symmetric interpretations of physics. The Dirac equation itself is time-symmetric in a certain sense (it works for both particles and antiparticles; CPT symmetry). Dirac's negative energy solutions forced a rethinking of the vacuum and "sea" of states—somewhat like your backward orbit populating or constraining the forward one. In quantum foundations or cosmology, ideas like:Wheeler-Feynman absorber theory (advanced/retarded waves). Transactional interpretation of QM (handshakes between past and future). Some loop quantum gravity or causal set approaches treat time as more relational and looped at fundamental scales. Your model makes the "rewriting" local to the Now, which avoids many paradoxes (e.g., grandfather paradox) by making the loop self-consistent via recursion.Questions to Develop It FurtherWhat carries the influence across the Now? Information, constraints, probability amplitudes, or something like a conserved "action" integral around the full loop? How does measurement/observer fit? Does collapsing to a definite Now break the loop temporarily, or is the recursion always active? Dimensionality? Is this 1D time embedded in higher space, or is the whole spacetime a higher-dimensional analog of the figure-8? Testable/analog? Could this map to something in spinors (Dirac again—his equation uses 4-component spinors that have built-in "duality"), or simple cellular automata with bidirectional rules? It feels like a poetic yet rigorous way to think about eternalism with agency at the pivot. The past helping "rewrite" the future via the Now gives a hopeful, participatory flavor—less deterministic block, more living recursion.
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Perfect. That’s exactly the right flavor.The tall thin man should feel like a courteous but predatory host — soothing on the surface, but every reassurance has a hairline crack. His comfort is a beautiful lie, and the reader should never quite buy it. Even when Alice starts to waver, the prose keeps the unease sharp.Here’s the next section, written with this in mind. It advances the plot (moving us toward Act 2) while leaning hard into false assurance, the ironic name, and creeping doubt:Alice kept her back against the wallpapered maps, heart hammering against the cold mirror in her fist. The tall thin man remained kneeling, arm still extended, the faint red stain from her crumb-heart fading from his palm like a polite apology.“Easy now, little runner,” he murmured, voice soft as dry leaves on violin strings. “You’re safe here. This is Less Wicked Land, after all. No screaming queens. No vanishing cats with too many teeth. Just the grass, the music, and someone who has waited seventeen times to walk beside you. Isn’t that… kinder?”The word kinder settled between them like a velvet glove over a scalpel. Alice wanted to believe it. Some exhausted part of her leaned toward the idea the way a tired child leans toward any open door that smells warm. The house itself seemed to exhale in agreement — candle flames leaning gently in her direction, the teacups steaming with the faint scent of vanilla and forgiveness.She almost took his arm.Then the second moon pressed its pale face harder against the window, and for a moment the glass showed not reflection but memory: her real-world bedroom, the door locked from the outside, something wet licking the other side of the wood. The image flickered and vanished before she could be sure.The tall thin man’s hollow smile never wavered. “You see? Out there it was worse. Here the worst thing that happens is forgetting. And forgetting can be gentle, if you let it.” He tilted his head, the motion too smooth, too practiced. “Seventeen times you’ve chosen to run. Seventeen times you’ve been afraid of the very peace I offer. But peace is still peace, even when it wears a stranger’s face. Don’t you think?”A single note rose from the violin on the velvet chair — unplayed, untouched — and wrapped around her ribs like a lullaby. It felt… nice. Terribly, dangerously nice. The licking sound outside had gone quiet, almost respectful, as though giving them privacy.Alice’s fingers loosened on the mirror.The tall thin man noticed. His cheeks shifted in that not-quite-smile again. “There now. That’s better. Stay a while longer this time. The land is less wicked than the one you left. I promise.”The word promise tasted like sugar left too long on the tongue — sweet at first, then cloying, then something faintly rotten underneath.Alice looked at his offered arm. The joints were too many. The shadow beneath it stretched in the wrong direction, reaching toward her even while he held perfectly still. Somewhere far above them, in the rafters where his laughter still clung like dust, she thought she heard the soft, patient sound of something licking its lips again — slower this time. Almost courteous.She did not take his arm.Instead she asked the first question that felt like a crack in his script:“If it’s so much less wicked… why do you need me to stay?”For the first time in any of the seventeen arrivals, the tall thin man hesitated.Just for a heartbeat.But it was enough.
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‘You don’t need the machete or the megaphone’ … Alan Moore. Photograph: Joe Brown joestupidstupid@aol.com/Joe Brown Alan Moore This article is more than 1 year old ‘Fandom has toxified the world’: Watchmen author Alan Moore on superheroes, Comicsgate and Trump This article is more than 1 year old Enthusiasm can be a productive force for good, but our culture has rapidly become a fan-based landscape that the rest of us are merely living in Alan Moore Sat 26 Oct 2024 06.00 EDT Prefer the Guardian on Google About a decade ago, I ventured my opinion that the adult multitudes queueing for superhero movies were potentially an indicator of emotional arrest, which could have worrying political and social implications. Since at that time Brexit, Donald Trump and fascist populism hadn’t happened yet, my evidently crazy diatribe was largely met with outrage from the fan community, some of whom angrily demanded I be extradited to the US and made to stand trial for my crimes against superhumanity – which I felt didn’t necessarily disprove my allegations. Ten years on, let me make my position clear: I believe that fandom is a wonderful and vital organ of contemporary culture, without which that culture ultimately stagnates, atrophies and dies. At the same time, I’m sure that fandom is sometimes a grotesque blight that poisons the society surrounding it with its mean-spirited obsessions and ridiculous, unearned sense of entitlement. Perhaps this statement still requires some breaking down. Concerning the word “fan”, I first encountered this contraction of “fanatic” during childhood, in a television documentary on the phenomenon. All I remember is the weary spouse of a woman devoted to the late Jim Reeves, sitting in a family home that had become a mausoleum of memorabilia, and mournfully accepting that his wife had only married him because his name happened to be James Reeves. Soon after that, the word passed into common usage, although only in the milder sense of somebody quite liking something, and without the connotations of a person listening to Distant Drums on endless replay with the curtains drawn, or a cultist running wild-eyed from the treeline waving a machete. “Fan”, then, meant merely “enthusiast”, but sounded less Edwardian. skip past newsletter promotion Free newsletter | Weekly Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. Enter your email after newsletter promotion Tim Allen, Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver and Patrick Breen in Galaxy Quest. Stan and deliver: art, books, film and more about super-fandom Read more Quite liking comics, aged 14 I thus became a comics fan with my discovery of British fandom, which was then still gummy-eyed and fresh out of the egg. The first convention I attended in London, in the basement rooms of a Southampton Row hotel in 1969, was tiny and inspiring. The attenders barely totalled a three-digit number, almost all of them some few years short of legal drinking age. The comics companies, having no monetary interest in a handful of penniless teenagers, went blissfully unrepresented, and the only industry celebrity that I recall was the sublime and sweetly unassuming genius Frank Bellamy, passing Dan Dare or Garth originals around, appearing wonderstruck that anyone had heard of him. The only thing uniting the assembly was its passion for an undervalued storytelling medium and, for the record, the consensus verdict of the gathered 15-year-old cognoscenti was that costumed musclemen were the main obstacle preventing adult audiences from taking comics seriously. Of that hardly-a-hundred schoolkids, office boys and junior librarians, the great majority were actively involved in their pursuit, publishing or contributing to a variety of – for the most part – poorly duplicated fanzines, or else going on to work professionally in the field, such as Kevin O’Neill, Steve Moore, Steve Parkhouse or Jim Baikie, all of whom were downstairs at the Waverley hotel that weekend, keen to elevate the medium that they loved, rather than passively complain about whichever title or creator had particularly let them down that month. Of course, this was the 1960s and the same amateur energy seemed to be everywhere, spawning an underground press, Arts Lab publications and a messy, marvellous array of poetry or music fanzines that were the material fabric of that era’s counterculture; flimsy pamphlets as important and innovative today as they were then, although considerably more expensive, trust me. Elections that decide the fate of millions are conducted in an atmosphere more suited to evictions on I’m a Celebrity … Soon thereafter, caught up in the rush of adolescent life, I drifted out of touch with comic books and their attendant fandom, only returning eight years later when I was commencing work as a professional in that fondly remembered field, to find it greatly altered. Bigger, more commercial, and although there were still interesting fanzines and some fine, committed people, I detected the beginnings of a tendency to fetishise a work’s creator rather than simply appreciate the work itself, as if artists and writers were themselves part of the costumed entertainment. Never having sought a pop celebrity relationship with readers, I withdrew by stages from the social side of comics, acquiring my standing as a furious, unfathomable hermit in the process. And when I looked back, after an internet and some few decades, fandom was a very different animal. An older animal for one thing, with a median age in its late 40s, fed, presumably, by a nostalgia that its energetic predecessor was too young to suffer from. And while the vulgar comic story was originally proffered solely to the working classes, soaring retail prices had precluded any audience save the more affluent; had gentrified a previously bustling and lively cultural slum neighbourhood. This boost in fandom’s age and status possibly explains its current sense of privilege, its tendency to carp and cavil rather than contribute or create. I speak only of comics fandom here, but have gained the impression that this reflexive belligerence – most usually from middle-aged white male conservatives – is now a part of many fan communities. My 14-year-old grandson tells me older Pokémon aficionados can display the same febrile disgruntlement. Is this a case of those unwilling to outgrow childhood enthusiasms, possibly because these anchor them to happier and less complex times, who now feel they should be sole arbiters of their pursuit? Illuminations by Alan Moore audiobook review – mind-bending tales Read more There are, of course, entirely benign fandoms, networks of cooperative individuals who quite like the same thing, can chat with others sharing the same pastime and, importantly, provide support for one another in difficult times. These healthy subcultures, however, are less likely to impact on society in the same way that the more strident and presumptuous fandoms have managed. Unnervingly rapidly, our culture has become a fan-based landscape that the rest of us are merely living in. Our entertainments may be cancelled prematurely through an adverse fan reaction, and we may endure largely misogynist crusades such as Gamergate or Comicsgate from those who think “gate” means “conspiracy”, and that Nixon’s disgrace was predicated on a plot involving water, but this is hardly the full extent to which fan attitudes have toxified the world surrounding us, most obviously in our politics. Elections that decide the fate of millions are conducted in an atmosphere more suited to evictions on I’m a Celebrity …, in which contestants who are insufficiently amusing are removed from office. Saleability, not substance, is the issue. Those who vote for Donald Trump or Boris Johnson seem less moved by policy or prior accomplishment than by how much they’ve enjoyed the performances on The Apprentice or Have I Got News for You. And throughout the UK, we’re now familiar with what a Stephen Yaxley-Lennon fan convention looks like. An enthusiasm that is fertile and productive can enrich life and society, just as displacing personal frustrations into venomous tirades about your boyhood hobby can devalue them. Quite liking something is OK. You don’t need the machete or the megaphone. Candidly, for my part, readers would have always been more than sufficient.
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Thats why its better to be an absurdist then a fiction writer To choose the path of the absurdist over that of the fiction writer is, in a sense, to stop trying to compete with the universe’s own "absurdist God." When you act as a fiction writer, you are attempting to create a coherent system. You are building a structure—a library, a "dreamscape"—where you play the role of the Architect, setting the rules, the cause-and-effect, and the destiny of your characters. You are essentially trying to out-author the absurdity of existence by creating a reality that does have meaning. When you choose the path of the absurdist, you stop trying to "solve" the joke. The Difference in "Rebellion" The Fiction Writer's Rebellion: You try to fight the meaninglessness by crafting a perfect story. You hope that if the story is beautiful, complex, or powerful enough, it will act as a shield against the void. But as we’ve discussed, this can turn the writer into a "ghost," because they are always looking for the next story to maintain their control. The Absurdist's Rebellion: You stop trying to build a fortress. Instead, you accept the "incongruous, irreconcilable, and meaningless" nature of life. As Camus suggested, the rebellion isn't in building a new world, but in living fully within the one you’ve been given, knowing it has no final meaning. Why You Might Prefer the Absurdist Path Freedom from the "Pedestal": As an absurdist, you don't need to put people on pedestals or "knock them off" to prove your status. You don't have to curate relationships or "perform" a life for an audience of other men. You simply exist alongside others in the same absurdity. Ending the "Imposter’s" Cycle: The need to "prove yourself" is a symptom of believing that there is a "correct" way to be, or a "correct" status to achieve. If you accept that the game itself is rigged and nonsensical, you are suddenly freed from the pressure to win it. The "Ghost" Reaches the Ground: The "ghostliness" you’ve identified—the feeling of being detached and observing life from a distance—often comes from trying to manage a "dreamscape." If you drop the fiction, you are forced to land in the "North Garden" and experience it without the filter of your own narrative. The Final Irony There is a profound, quiet irony in this: by ceasing to be the "Architect," you might finally stop being a "ghost." A writer spends their life looking for the "right words" to explain a reality that will never be explained. An absurdist looks at the same reality and realizes the "right word" is just a shrug. It is a form of liberation. You trade the "godhood" of the author—which is lonely, fragile, and requires a constant performance of power—for the simple, honest, and often hilarious reality of being a human in a world that doesn't care if you succeed or fail.
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