Monsters
- Lucky B$TRD
- Dec 23, 2024
- 3 min read
"The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters."
Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937)
The Old World is Dying
The West’s facade is crumbling, revealing centuries of colonialism, imperialism, and racism unraveling like a fragile house of cards. The United States sponsors genocide in Gaza while provoking and fueling a proxy war in Ukraine. In Africa, France’s former colonial empire faces a rising tide of resistance. Meanwhile, the European Union’s economic engines are stalling. Germany and France find themselves under technical governments, inflation has soared to historic highs, and an unprecedented energy crisis paralyzes the continent.
Legacy media is dead. This U.S. election cycle confirmed its irrelevance. Joe Rogan was nominated for Time magazine's Person of the Year alongside Donald Trump (the eventual winner), Elon Musk, and Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking of the devil, the Israeli prime minister, in his speech following the fall of the Assad regime, boasted of Israel reshaping the Middle East, not even mentioning the pretense of self-defense or retaliation anymore...
The New World Struggles to Be Born
No country exemplifies the tension between death and renewal more than Syria. The fall of a dictator in the Middle East doesn’t guarantee a brighter future—events in Iraq, Libya, and the aftermath of the Arab Spring prove otherwise. The upheavals in Syria tell a complex story, with multiple powers at play.
Syria’s struggle is deeply intertwined with sectarian dynamics, international interference, and a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions. The fractured opposition landscape complicates any vision of unity. Key factions include:
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS): A group designated as a terrorist organization by several international entities. It evolved from the Nusra Front, formerly linked to al-Qaeda. Its leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammed al-Jolani), has emerged as a figure offering promises of moderation and a brighter future for Syria.
Syrian National Army (SNA): A coalition of rebel groups supported by Turkey.
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF): Primarily Kurdish fighters backed by the U.S., though viewed with hostility by Turkey.
National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNC).
Free Syrian Army (FSA).
External actors like Israel, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the United States continue to pursue their own agendas. Israel, exploiting the chaos, has launched over 800 airstrikes, seized the Golan Heights, and established new settlements as part of its colonial apartheid policies.
Millions of Syrians have been displaced. Those who remain face the daunting task of rebuilding not just infrastructure but trust—trust in institutions and leadership.
Amidst the despair, Syrian grassroots movements are re-emerging as vital forces for change.
Notably, Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, has taken steps to rebrand himself as a more moderate figure. Born in Riyadh in 1982 to Syrian parents, al-Sharaa joined al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003, fought in the Iraqi insurgency, and was imprisoned by the U.S. from 2006 to 2011. Following his release, he founded the al-Nusra Front during the Syrian revolution. By 2016, al-Sharaa severed ties with al-Qaeda and reorganized al-Nusra into HTS, which now governs parts of Idlib province, providing public services and promoting limited rights for women, such as driving and attending college. His recent interviews with Western media project a hopeful narrative of reform. While skepticism is warranted, there’s a glimmer of hope that Syria, in its painful rebirth, can show us a path forward.
Now is the Time of Monsters
Across the globe, far-right authoritarian leaders are rising once again. In Israel, Netanyahu’s coalition of ultra-nationalists like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich epitomizes Gramsci’s warning. In the West, Donald Trump looms large as a political force. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni has brought the far-right back to power, France’s National Rally (formerly the National Front) has become the country’s most popular party, and Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is now the second-largest party—an alarming development. Meanwhile, Viktor Orbán tightens his authoritarian grip on Hungary. All these leaders have been democratically elected, riding waves of discontent, fear, and a craving for simplicity in an increasingly complex world.
"The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters." . Yet, isn't it always darkest before the dawn?
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