Back in the day, when we were lighting up behind the park bench or in someone’s basement, that was real. That was culture. The joint passed like sacred knowledge. Any second the cops could roll up, and that thrill? That was the magic. The ban united us. We were a tribe, a secret society – not patients with prescriptions. Now? You pick up weed in a pharmacy, packaged like bubblegum vitamins. Where’s the danger in that? Legal weed is like vegan bacon – looks familiar, tastes like nothing. The moment your mom’s hitting a vape pen at brunch, it’s game over, man. No more edge, no more underdog energy. Just another boring habit. “Yo dude, let’s spark up” hits different when it feels like asking for a cup of coffee. Weak sauce.

Or, as I like to call them: Rich Fucking Bastards. Hold on tight, because this is where it gets wild: This tiny group makes up just 0.000034% of the world’s population—that’s only 2,781 people—and yet they control a staggering 13-15% of global wealth. One might argue that billionaires hold a disproportionate share of wealth, but the key issue here is distribution. A much smaller number of people are dividing up the biggest slice of the cake.

Among this elite group of super-rich individuals, some are at least aware of their responsibility to society and engage in philanthropic activities. Names like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, or MacKenzie Scott do take action to give back. However, we remain at the mercy of their generosity. As a society, we are powerless to demand it from them. Simply put, they are gods among mortals, free to do as they please.

We cannot and must not rely on their moral integrity. A prime example is Elon Musk, whose unchecked influence is actively undermining democratic and legal structures before our very eyes.

Thesis: Why do 99.999966% of the world’s population allow 0.000034% of the super-rich to dictate our world?

Because their power is derived from lobbying, capital, and influence—power they only obtain through our participation. We are the little hamsters running in the wheel, while they, like sadistic children, spin it faster and faster. Yet, we could simply step out of the wheel.

These international case studies confirm this: The abuse is not geographically limited, but part of a systemic problem that occurs in numerous countries with similar cover-up strategies.

At first glance, it may appear that the Church is making efforts to address cases of abuse through comprehensive prevention programs and the provision of support services to victims. Measures for prevention and financial compensation are promised in order to maintain the trust of the faithful.

However, behind these initiatives there is often more of a desire to limit the damage to their image than to actually bring the perpetrators to justice. Programs and offers of help therefore often serve more as PR than as sustainable victim support – a situation that has long been criticized.

You see, in Eichstätt, Bamberg or – God forbid – across the ocean in the US and Belgium, there may have been a few priests who were… shall we say, overzealous in their charity. But what do we do? We act pastorally! These souls are gently transferred, perhaps to Africa or South America, where they can do penance in new climes. Prosecution? Oh, we’d better leave that to God, who judges more justly than any secular judge anyway. Oliver O’Grady, this wandering servant? A man with a travel bug, nothing more – his changes of location were just an expression of apostolic zeal!

1. Middle Eastern Crisis (2023–present) – Israel-Gaza-Libanon-Konflikt. 48,000+ Tote (Gaza), 4,000+ (Libanon), 1,900+ (Israel). Fragile Waffenruhe.
2. Sudanesischer Bürgerkrieg (2023–heute) – Armee vs. Rapid Support Forces. 12,3 Mio. Vertriebene, humanitäre Katastrophe.
3. DR Kongo–Ruanda-Konflikt (2022–heute) – M23-Rebellen vs. Regierung. 7,000+ Tote 2025, 600,000+ Vertriebene.
4. Russland-Ukraine-Krieg (2022–heute) – Über 1 Mio. Opfer. Andauernde Kämpfe.
5. Syrienkrieg (2011–heute) – 606,000+ Tote, erneute Eskalation mit 1,000+ Opfern.
6. Jemenkrieg (2014–heute) – Huthi-Rebellen vs. Regierung. Hunger, Vertreibung, Zerstörung.
7. Mexikanischer Drogenkrieg (2006–heute) – 350,000+ Tote. Kartellgewalt eskaliert weiter.
8. Haitianische Bandenkriege (2020–heute) – 5,600+ Tote 2024, Hauptstadt im Chaos.

The veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council, originally intended to prevent unilateral decisions, has instead led to repeated blockades. In the current conflict, this veto power is outdated and renders the Security Council absurd. Russia, as one of the P5 members, understandably exercises this veto and has effectively blocked any resolution condemning its invasion. By exploiting this structural flaw—if it can even be called anything else—the UN has become largely ineffective. The misuse of the veto by participating states is not a new phenomenon but was already observable during the Cold War. Similar problems arose during the Cold War when the United States and the Soviet Union regularly used their veto power to advance their geopolitical interests.

The need for action has therefore existed for a long time.

Dear Countrymen,

Today, I stand before you as an unwavering warrior of truth—a bulwark against the decadent assault of the West. We have resolved to protect our great nation and our superior culture—above all, our children, who come from the sacred institution of marriage and now more than ever require our protection. More than ten years ago, we took the first step. In defiance of the decadent developments of the West, we decided to ban “homosexual propaganda.” We declared that Russia will never yield to the destructive ideologies that seek to corrupt our people. Our actions sent a clear command: our children must be shielded from the moral attacks of the West!

They wish to teach us that a man can become a woman—and vice versa. I say: it is a crime against the natural order bestowed by God. We expel the degenerate ideology from our art, our schools, and our great nation. With our traditional values, we stand resolutely against them.

Our voice—the voice of Russia—now resounds loudly and relentlessly: “Russia can and will never submit to the dictates of a decadent West!” We must continue to defend our one true order of values. Ukraine is the first step toward liberating the European population from the radical woke movement of its leaders. The world counts on us. Our faith, our family, and our unwavering patriotism are our shield and sword. It is time to strike back decisively and powerfully.

Let us, together, follow the path of righteousness with steadfast courage. In every battle, in every act of resistance, we prove our unyielding determination and deep commitment to the values that have sustained us through the centuries. Our heritage, our traditions, and our enduring culture form the foundation upon which we build our future. May the spirit of our ancestors guide and strengthen us.

For Russia, for our future—we fight on!

So, after all the hype around Squid Game, I’ve just about had enough. Sure, it’s nice that I managed to land the lead role in an international hit. But let’s be honest: Why did the show even become a hit? Of course, as a broke actor, you take whatever role you can get, and any youthful idealism is usually gone by the end of the month. It was precisely at that point that I first truly felt the pressure capitalism exerts on all of us. Maybe that’s why the offer was so tempting—because, at first glance, the script reads as anti-capitalist. Because social and economic critique seemed to be at its core.

Naturally, the influences of superhero cinema were noticeable here too—open endings, ominous characters, and storylines that only get resolved in season five. But I’ve read worse scripts—and the money was good.

And then, suddenly, the thing became a massive success. Audiences around the world embraced what was presented to them. They were downright euphoric. And I understood less and less why the show was receiving such overwhelmingly positive feedback. Because in its final, aired version, the capitalist critique was, at best, just a label—something you could slap on your chest to feign intellectual depth. What was truly omnipresent, excessive, and brutal, however, was the depiction of violence. That could have served a purpose to some extent, but it went way too far.

I could hardly find peace with the thought that people were sitting in front of their screens, almost fanatically, eager to see who would be next. And even more importantly:

How perverse was the game that was being played?

People don’t celebrate the show because it puts anti-capitalist themes front and center or satirizes our cutthroat society. They celebrate it because the perverse game, with its escalating brutality from episode to episode, keeps them hooked. Like the donkey capitalism has tied to its cart, endlessly chasing the carrot. And most people don’t even realize that, in doing so, they completely undermine the show’s supposed message.

One could argue that the show isn’t responsible for how it’s received—but that would be too easy. The approach itself—the unnecessarily brutal violence, the inclusion of filler episodes, and the artificial stretching of the plot over multiple seasons—are just a few of the craftsmanship flaws that the creators themselves have to take responsibility for.

That being said: See you in seasons 3, 4, and 5.

Natürlich waren auch hier die Einflüsse des Superheldenkinos zu spüren: offene Enden, ominöse Figuren und Handlungsstränge, die erst in Staffel 5 aufgelöst werden. Aber ich hatte schon schlechtere Drehbücher gelesen – und das Geld war gut.

Und dann wurde das Ding plötzlich ein riesiger Erfolg. Das Weltpublikum fand Gefallen an dem, was dargeboten wurde. War geradezu euphorisch. Und ich verstand immer weniger, weshalb die Serie eine so enorm positive Resonanz erhielt. Denn die Kapitalismuskritik war in der final ausgestrahlten Version höchstens noch ein Label, das man sich auf die Brust kleben konnte, um intellektuellen Tiefgang vorzutäuschen. Omnipräsent, überbordend und brutal hingegen war die Gewaltdarstellung. Die hätte bis zu einem gewissen Grad zielführend sein können, schoss aber weit übers Ziel hinaus.

Ich fand tatsächlich kaum Ruhe bei dem Gedanken, dass Menschen regelrecht fanatisch vor den Bildschirmen saßen und mitfieberten, wen es als Nächstes erwischen würde. Und noch viel wichtiger:

Wie pervers war eigentlich das Spiel, das gespielt wurde?

Die Menschen feiern die Serie nicht, weil sie antikapitalistische Züge in den Vordergrund stellt und unsere Ellbogengesellschaft persifliert, sondern weil sie durch das perfide Spiel mit der steigenden Brutalität von Episode zu Episode bei der Stange gehalten werden. Wie der Esel, den sich der Kapitalismus vor den Karren gespannt hat, der immerfort versucht, die Karotte zu fassen zu kriegen. Dabei merken die wenigsten, dass sie damit die eigentliche Botschaft der Serie konterkarieren.

Man könnte jetzt sagen, dass die Serie nicht schuld daran ist, wie sie rezipiert wird – aber das wäre zu leicht. Gerade die Herangehensweise – die unnötig brutale Gewaltdarstellung, das Implementieren von Füllerfolgen und das künstliche Aufblähen der Handlung auf mehrere Staffeln – sind nur einige der handwerklichen Fehler, die die Macher selbst zu verantworten haben.

In diesem Sinne: Wir sehen uns in Staffel 3, 4 und 5.

Oh man, I don’t even know where to start. It all went tremendously well. I never thought Selenskyj would let himself be played like that—what a huge blunder. And I even had a bet going with J.D.

Well, I’m simply the biggest dealmaker the world has ever seen. I just don’t understand what problem the fake-news media have. Every time I follow through on what I announced from the start, the outrage is so huge. Why are they so surprised? I announced a tremendous deal with Russia—not with Ukraine. I said I wanted to make America great again—not Ukraine.

I said I wanted to strike a tremendous business deal, not negotiate a peace agreement that respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity.  That would be a total disaster. Who do they think I am? Abraham Lincoln?

Look around you: Our world resembles a grotesque spectacle in which old power structures, reminiscent of bygone glory days, groan while new, often radical forces step to the front with unwavering boldness. Compromise is no longer seen as a necessary means of democracy, but as betrayal, and the cohesion of a once united community seems to be crumbling. Instead of losing ourselves in blind and ruthless individualism, I call for us to remember our responsibility to show solidarity. We must hold up a mirror to ourselves and name the problems that are driving us into the abyss.