Does this picture remind you of our world media? They have endless opinions. Maybe just as valid as yours.

The Pause That Does Not Refresh – Or Does It?

Aren’t opinions wonderful? Everyone has one and it fuels the twenty-four hour a day news channels. Oil will surely drop to $20 a barrel. The Euro will drop to .80 to the dollar. After the Vietnam War the domino effect was certain to tear Asia apart. And on and on.

So let me throw my speculation into the mix. But first let me bring up the matter of interregnum again. One definition of interregnum is a period when normal government is suspended and the other definition is simply an interval or a pause. The latter is what we seem to be experiencing in some form now internationally.

Hope for the Future

Not long ago our hopes for stability were being fueled by a number of events. Ronald Reagan told Gorbachov to tear down the Berlin Wall and he complied – of course. Post World War II the countries of Europe began to build the European Union. China began to evolve away from “pure” socialism into a mix with capitalism. We also experienced what came to be known as the Arab Spring. And lets not forget stabilization in Africa and economic gains in emerging economies and the information technology revolution.

What could go wrong? Maybe not everything but blanket optimism was hardly indicated. Not all of these changes were as effective as we might have hoped. And now things seem to be going in a very different direction

It’s Fascinating

Perhaps the optimism wasn’t completely misguided. It is just possible that we are facing an interregnum or pause – of sorts. World events do not move in a linear fashion. When we look at events during our lifetimes we see fits and starts. It is almost as if groundwork is laid, followed by a reappraisal and then a new birth of activity. It isn’t always so but often enough that we may expect a regrouping. In some ways an interregnum can be viewed as a testing ground for alternatives. That means it affords us opportunities.

Look at what is happening to us politically in the United States. The current spectacle was not expected but we can see its foundation. The parties have been evolving and it was hardly likely that the course would be smooth. Now we get a chance to see what may take shape out of the developments.

And then, of course, there is the Middle East. As terrible as it is, we have to wonder if it will get worse or in the end force long overdue reform and maturation.

And that is what I love about an interregnum. It is an opportunity to take gains, make reforms and we can seize the opportunities. But it takes maturation and the willingness to take the opportunity.

A Leap Forward

Out of each of these events we can pose possible outcomes and find ways to build our future. Except for such things as the decline of Germany after World War I and the descent into Naziism, there are often boundless opportunities. I think the door is open and it is time to walk through the doors of our choosing. And often we can view possible futures in speculative fiction.

Do you see a particularly enticing opportunity?
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