Business

We never learn

BUSINESS SNIPPETS - Marianne Go - The Philippine Star

April 1, 2026 | 12:00am

As we Catholics observe the death and resurrection of Christ this Holy Week, at the top of most of our minds is the Middle East war started by Israel and the United States that has now spread, creating a global economic crisis whose extent and severity we still have no clear idea will be as the conflict continues to escalate.

In my six decades of a thankfully placid life, the concept of war has always been that of a distant conflict that I only hear about, read in various media, and see on televised news. Even in our own backyard conflict in the south, it was always a detached event that affected and yet did not affect those living in what former president Rodrigo Duterte called Imperial Manila.

We hear, read and see the horror, but somehow we still are able to live our lives without really feeling the physical effect of war, safely cocooned in our homes, more concerned about meeting our physical wants and enjoying ourselves while mouthing empty expressions of sympathy and concern.

This current Middle East conflict, however, is different – from the reason it was undertaken, the foolish and reckless brute attack that was not carefully studied, vetted and consulted with its global allies, and the economic turmoil it has now spawned that is affecting almost all nations that depends on energy fueled by crude oil.

This time around, Iran has pushed the right button so that the entire world clearly feels the effect of this stupid and unnecessary war – a war for control of resources that rightfully belongs to the region and which the West needs and covets, and wants to control.

What is different about this war is that a well-respected nation that for 80 years has been the Big Brother of the post-war United Nations has for a leader a man that cares more about his personal legacy and his ability to put his trademark stamp on all that he touches, and ensure that all those below him know that he is “King.”

For those in my generation who had heard about the predictions of Nostradamus, about an anti- Christ, current events seem to align with his prediction of an evil leader that will cause a global war. Nostradamus (15030-1566) was a French physician, apothecary and reputed seer, best known for his 1555 book {Les Prophéties}, a collection of 942 poetic quatrains. He is famous for allegedly predicting major world events – such as wars, plagues and natural disasters.

The American leader, who claims to be a Christian, is unlike our spiritual leader, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself to cleanse our sins.

Very few politicians are willing to die for their country, and yet America’s leader is willing to put in harm’s way thousands of loyal American soldiers and innocent Middle East nations that clearly have learned to live in peace and prosperity with its global neighbors.

And yet, we humans never learn how to choose our political leaders. We repeatedly are swayed by promises, lies and dole outs. We rely on brute strength and the power of weapons to subjugate and win over those who are weak and do not have the resources. We covet what we do not have and believe that force is necessary to win or convince those who do not share our views.

And sadly, as long as we are not personally affected by the war, we allow ourselves to justify the cruelty of war especially on the most vulnerable – women and children, the old and the weak who cannot flee the conflict zone.

At this time, perhaps the current generation can emphatize with what is happening through the song popularized by Harry Styles, who was a member of the group One Direction from 2010 to 2016, and has successfully established a solo career.