Nothing New Under the Sun

Some time ago in Ancient Egypt the land was ruled by pharaohs. They were both the heads of state and the religious leaders of their people. Although they are long gone, their wisdom echoes down through the ages.

We were reminded of this long-ago while watching the Negev Summit.
From time to time, Pharaohs were expected to celebrate the Heb-Sed ritual that involved running around a prepared track by their palaces, or around the pyramids.

The reason for this ceremony was simple and practical. If the incumbent was not strong enough to complete the task, it was time for him to stand down and let the next in line take over.

Similarly, the participants at the Negev Summit were required to show us their strength and fitness for the job. There were no chairs, they all had to stand through the long speeches and declarations of friendship. Fortunately, we viewers were allowed to watch from the comfort of our armchairs.

Sadly, in today’s world it is not enough to be able to stand up on stage, it is necessary to stand up for one’s principles. But we often find ourselves watching our politicians, our leaders, unable to stand up for anything, except, perhaps, for themselves.

As Gilbert and Sullivan put it many years ago:
And apologetic statesmen of a compromising kind
Such as — What d’ye call him — Thing’em-bob, and likewise — Never-mind

While compromise is part and parcel of politics, sometimes there is only one way forward. Dealing with a bully, be it on a school playground or in the international arena, requires strength and determination. If the world lets Russia swallow the Ukraine, who knows who will be next. We wait, somewhat impatiently, for President Biden to step up to the plate. As leader of the western world we expect him to show some interest in the world beyond his White House.

My blog’s title is, of course, a quote from King Solomon in the Old Testament book “Ecclesiastes” Chapter 1 Verse 9.