Tobi Nifesi

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Ridiculous News

Photo by Chris Lawton

Brexit is actually real. 😳 — Ludric (@tobinifesi) June 24, 2016

     It is a laughable predicament if you really think about it. The state and pace of world politics in 2016 is as comical and unpredictable as a George R. R. Martin novel. When you sit back and think about how real and true these news headlines are, you will begin to question all relevant theories and belief systems.

      How is a real-estate mogul and intolerant billionaire, who went from being a democrat to being a republican and then back and back again, the biggest obstacle to the United States having their first female president? How are diasporan citizens of the country with the second largest stock exchange market in Africa - Nigeria - not able to receive money from home? 

      How is Rio de Janeiro - a city on the brink of bankruptcy, in a country infested with Zika virus and with Dilma Rouseff (Brazilian president) facing possible impeachment - still allowed to host the year's Olympics? How is Britain no longer a member country of the European Union?

      How? Please, how?

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      We do not watch CNN expecting to see something unrealistic. We have Cartoon Network for that. Even if the news decides to get extreme, it should at least stay within the confines of realism and give us reasons for us to understand how things got that far. 

        With regards to the United States' aforementioned predicament, there is a quote that wraps up the idiosyncrasy going on over there. H. L. Mencken said:

No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public"

   So, that's that.

   Probably the most ludicrous is the Brexit - Britain's decision via public referendum to leave the European Union. Why this issue was even up for consideration is baffling to say the least. In 2013, British prime minister David Cameron promised to hold an in-or-out referendum for this. This promise and referendum has led to his resignation and put the country's economy in a disastrous position.

        The referendum results catered to the wishes of majority of the older voters (61% of people 65 years old and above voted to leave). This demographic, within which majority of Trump's voters probably fall, tend to be intolerant to foreigners. So, that explains that. With these results, Scotland and Northern Ireland could consider leaving the United Kingdom to rejoin the European Union. The Union itself fears that some other member countries may follow in Britain's footsteps. Also, immigration statuses, national trade deals have to be reconsidered.

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      There are a lot of things that may change due to these results. Nevertheless, for Boris Johnson, a former London mayor and prominent supporter of the Leave campaign, things are as they should be. To him, the British people have taken back their country and independence - this is such a paradoxical statement.

       So, there is it: ridiculous news. Things that should not be are appearing to be. Our beliefs, cultures and thought processes are being challenged by strange political events. The News channels are doing more than informing us, they are amusing and piquing us simultaneously. It is a laughable predicament if you really think about it.

       P.S: How amazing was it that the English national football team got knocked out of the Euros by Iceland four days after the referendum?