The new year is starting to evolve in a political direction none of us thought possible just a few years ago. I’m referring to the ongoing slide towards the extreme right, not just in Venezuela and Nicaragua or Russia but in stalwart democracies like Austria, Germany, France, Italy and in the USA. Canada is also being blown off course by stiff and cold winds coming from the right and the south.

I met Camp at our usual watering hole by the harbour and voiced some of my concerns once again about the dire outlook for democracy and inclusiveness, virtues we have come to accept as unassailable principles in modern, western societies.

‘Well, my friend, we are in a different world now, a world where memories fade into history and atrocities and events that we accepted as facts are being revised, reworded and even denied. Like the holocaust or the Tiananmen massacre, the Landing on the Moon or the January 6^th Insurrection attempt. And the lie will become the truth as Orwell predicted.’

‘Not exactly an uplifting and inspiring assessment Camp but I’m afraid you’re probably right.’

‘The fact that a sociopath like Elon Musk is wading into world politics, spreading his millions by endorsing extreme right-wing demagogues and political parties in Germany, England and Austria is a bad harbinger of worse to come.’

 ‘Add to that the latest move by Meta to abolish its fact checking department. ‘

‘All the social and many traditional media empires are owned and controlled by billionaires. Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezo, Murdoch just to mention a few. ‘It makes me think we’re in for some somber and harsh times ahead,’ I said.

‘The guardrails are being torn away and it’s like the baddies are taking over and remaking the world once again. Except it has been tried and failed many times. Control and power in the hands of a few oligarchs has never resulted in the improvement of the resident population’s standard of living. Universal health care, education and inclusiveness has made us all more equal and better off as societies as well as individuals.’

‘You get no argument from me Camp. Here in Canada, we are now drifting leaderless and in disarray into the future being battered by the bully soon in the White House who threatens to annex Canada. I’ve never been so pessimistic about the future for the next generation. With all the wealth and knowledge they will inherit from the boomers they could mold their own utopia,’ I said.

‘But instead, they will be led by narcissistic, fascist populists and grand standers who claim to have a righteous god on their side for their agendas of deportations and immigrant bias like the world has never seen. They are the new Lords of Chaos. It’s not the world we thought we’d live in just a generation ago.‘

‘You need to get out more often. Too much darkness here. Believe me we will get through this but I agree, the next few years will determine the fate of and the welfare of the current and future generations,’ Camp said.

Meanwhile our suds were empty and Vicky nowhere to be seen. Probably back in school we figured. ‘Looks like we have to get our own refills at the bar. Things are really falling apart at the seams,’ Camp lamented but just in the nick of time I sew Rosy, our trusty redheaded Irish server giving me the eye. ‘I’ll be right over boys, hold your horses.’