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Bruno Maçães Profile picture
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14 Nov, 4 tweets, 1 min read
For about 5 years I have been going from conference to conference suggesting we are approaching a major geopolitical crisis in the continent. Almost always I was the only one arguing this and the response was forceful:
Impossible. Europe is a global beacon of peace and prosperity. Everyone wants to be like us and our way of life is spreading worldwide. The official text below was invariably quoted. How does it read today?
We are making progress though. Question is whether there are now structural limits to our geopolitical awakening. I never thought Brexit or Trump or the refugees crisis would be enough. Belarus is a more serious contender
See my little Platonic dialogue on the topic
brunomacaes.substack.com/p/a-conversati…

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More from @MacaesBruno

Bruno Maçães Profile picture
14 Nov
What is interesting about the current moment is that we see dramatic changes happening at the level of the (1) the system of states (global distribution of power) (2) political ideas and ideology and (3) the relation of politics to the external natural environment
I don’t think we can reduce these changes to one or two levels or explain them by reference to only one or two levels
In my work the first book and a half was dedicated to (1), the second 1.5 books to (2) and the last book to (3)
Read 6 tweets
Bruno Maçães Profile picture
14 Nov
Actually and quite surprisingly it was the opposite: during Covid it looked like China valued each individual life and Western democracies favoured the greater good of the collective
The average person had a much better time in Europe or North America, but of course if you happened to be one of the two million who died or a loved one died, then the utilitarian calculus for you is different
It was quite odd to see. In the West: society must prevail. In China: each life matters
Read 5 tweets
Bruno Maçães Profile picture
5 Nov
When I see something on race in America I no longer click. Suspect this is a common feeling worldwide. Saw a poll last week where public opinion worldwide said race relations were better in their country than in … America
Obviously none of the American fashions will be exported. Global public opinion no longer regards the US as the future
Image
Read 4 tweets
Bruno Maçães Profile picture
14 Oct
When I moved to the US in 2000 it seemed obvious to me the center of most intellectual debates in the world was there. How much changed in 20 years
Unless you want to improve your knowledge of the links between racism and fried chicken not sure why a young person would move to the US at all. If things like crypto I would prefer Singapore…
Personally I am interested in the debate on the metaverse and virtual reality and think it is centered in the US. But on the whole it takes 20% of my time. Other critical debates centered in India, China, Russia, Europe, Turkey, etc. And these you miss entirely if only US
Read 6 tweets
Bruno Maçães Profile picture
12 Oct
Higher and higher levels of madness coming from the US every day. Now it’s pilots demanding the right to enter commercial aircrafts without a test or vaccine and risk infecting everyone — and going on strike and leaving thousands of planes grounded to demand that right
Seems that the US simply does not want to move beyond Covid. In Portugal where I am, Covid is the past. In the US it grounds thousands of planes and people cannot go to their family holidays. Love of drama? How to explain it?
Vaccines are a percentages game. If the pilot is vaccinated and I am vaccinated my elder relatives who are vaccinated are extremely unlikely to get Covid when I meet them after my flight. If the pilot is not, percentage goes up a bit. If I am not, a bit more…
Read 4 tweets
Bruno Maçães Profile picture
2 Oct
Another criticism my New Statesman cover piece got was: how can I take tech billionaires so seriously? Well, first, the piece does not take them that seriously, there are many passages mocking them, gently or even less gently…
Second, what I take seriously is the billionaire as a type, while arguing that most examples fall short of the type? Most examples or all examples? Well, to answer that you need to read the piece rather carefully, even between the lines
Third, even with all these caveats, where exactly do you get bold ideas today? Yes, you may laugh at Neuralink, Blue Origin, the Metaverse, etc — but are statesmen, artists, writers coming up with something even remotely at same scale of ambition?
Read 5 tweets

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