After Iran and Israel’s twelve-day war, many of us are left wondering if this is the first crack in the dam—that the long-anticipated World War 3 may no longer be a distant theory, but an inevitable event. If and when that time comes, and we find ourselves suffering or dying in its wake, there’s a question we will all need to confront:
Why are we suffering and dying?
If we can understand that, perhaps we can find some meaning, even peace, in the midst of chaos. This article is an attempt to answer that question—for those of us who may one day find ourselves in that tragic position.
The Last Era of Peace
There was, not long ago, a period when the world felt as though it was on a steady march toward peace and prosperity. By most accounts, this era began after World War II and reached its apex in the early 1990s, following the fall of communism. During this time, war seemed to recede into the shadows, economic opportunity expanded, and for a brief moment, it seemed like the world might truly transcend its violent past.
This was the Pax Americana—a time when the United States, having defeated both the Axis powers and later outlasted the Soviet Union, stood as the singular global superpower. The world, while still unequal and imperfect, had a kind of order. Most nations either accepted or aspired to be part of that American-led system.
But it didn’t last.
How the American Empire Lost Its Grip
Victory, as history shows, often breeds complacency. After the Cold War, America stopped being challenged, and in the absence of a worthy rival, it became decadent and divided.
In this period, leadership in America became increasingly symbolic rather than strategic. The election of George W. Bush and the wars that followed 9/11 marked a shift: the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan—both unrelated to the actual attackers—undermined U.S. credibility. By the time of the 2008 financial crisis and the contentious debates around domestic issues like healthcare and vaccine mandates, the world's admiration for America had turned into skepticism—and often disdain.
Simultaneously, China, once poor and peripheral, was rising. Quietly at first, then forcefully, it built up its economy, expanded its influence, and began to challenge the unipolar world order America had created. Today, with a few key alliances, China could arguably match or even surpass the United States on the global stage.
A World Without a Dominant Power
Once the world's dominant power appears weak, the global hierarchy begins to collapse.
The result? Fragmentation.
The world is no longer defined by a single center of power, but by at least five major spheres of influence: the West (led by America), China, Russia, India, and the Islamic world. Each of these powers is either trying to rise, prevent further decline, or solidify their place. And they are doing so in a world that no longer has a universally accepted referee.
In such a fragmented world, the global order—once enforced by American strength—starts to unravel. When no one is clearly in charge, every nation, every group, begins scrambling for position. Everyone wants to be a winner, or at least ensure they are not losers. And as ambition rises and restraint weakens, violence becomes a more tempting tool.
Why We Will Suffer and Die
If the world descends into another great war, the suffering and death that follow won’t just be the result of bombs and bullets—it will be the end point of a global race for power, identity, and pride.
Nations, leaders, and peoples are increasingly driven not by stability, but by a deep desire to be respected, to win, to be seen as great. And when the global order is weak, such ambitions explode into action. If we do die or suffer in the near future, it will not be simply because others hate us—but because we all, in some way, want to be on top, or refuse to fall to the bottom.
In short, many of us will likely suffer and die, because we all want to be the winners.
TheRealNehruism (nehru.sathiamoorthy@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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