THE world today is split between rival power blocs in a way that is dangerously destabilising. From the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to countless crises that never make the headlines, great power rivalry has paralysed efforts to resolve conflicts and prevent new ones. Even at the height of the Cold War, when the hands of the Doomsday Clock hovered near midnight, the international system was –paradoxically – more predictable. The world was split by an Iron Curtain, but at least it was cohesive and rules of engagement were clear.
Now geopolitics is more polarising, more fragmented, and more volatile. Formal diplomacy – whether at the United Nations, international summits, or through regional blocs –often ends in deadlock. At the same time, the international public has become desensitised to human suffering. Images of war and displacement are reduced to viral clips on social media, where cruelty becomes spectacle and hatred spreads faster than compassion.
