This was my view as we left the city of Mandalay. It caught my attention this morning after reading about the continued terror against civilians following the military coup in Myanmar a few weeks ago. Sadly, the world watches passively on the sidelines – perhaps avoiding a confrontation with China. Chicken shit politics, I say.

Where is the UN?

If there is any tangible benefit from our endless traveling for the last 25 years, it’s feeling sincere empathy for the people we’ve met around the world, especially when they are in trouble.

The nature of war is to slaughter. Alas, the nature of the soldier is to unequivocally obey the orders of his or her superiors. But it is a learned nature, not a natural one. Emotions are systematically amputated. through threats of physical and mental reprimand and punishment.

Only once such obedience has been instilled can soldiers beat and execute civilians without remorse or regret. All they have to do is wave the flag of duty and obedience. No different from any other era in human history. We have not evolved much, despite high-flying thoughts of ourselves and our in essence superficial accomplishments.