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The old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy. But from the fracture, we can build something better, stronger and more just. Great powers can afford to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity, the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not. But when we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness. We accept what is offered. We compete with each other to be the most accommodating. This is not sovereignty. It is the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination," Carney said. "In a world of great power rivalry, the countries in between have a choice: to compete with each other for favour, or to combine to create a third path with impact.

'Trade Bazooka'

Unlike standard tariffs, this instrument can impose tariffs, restrict trade licenses, limit access to the EU single market, control investments, and target US tech companies with special taxes.

It aims to cut off revenue streams, directly affecting corporate valuations of US tech giants like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.

Power needs to be executed to be respected bluffs are the realm of hegemons.

The trade bazooka has a back blast area and Canada's supply lines are in the line of fire.

To break Trump's destructive spiral Europe needs to escalate to de-escalate. They can't back down but they can overdo it and burn their own allies and supply lines (including ours). They can't blink on Greenland and they can't pass it off as more Trump bluster. There will be a response and it must be with one voice.

Trump's actions are driven by an insatiable desire for "narcissistic supply," which can be positive (adulation) or negative (sadistic pleasure from being seen as omnipotently destructive). His treatment of Zelenskyy, demanding gratitude while blaming him for Putin's invasion, is cited as an example of seeking sadistic narcissistic supply. Narcissists divide the world into those they idealize and those they dismiss. Trump idealizes Putin because he provides narcissistic supply, allowing Trump to "bask in their glory" Zelenskyy does not feed this need so he is ignored.

Trump's "false self" prevents him from growth and learning from experience. He lives the "same day over and over," accumulating no lessons or burdens, which explains his unchanging opinions and lack of emotional response to significant events like the images of Ukrainian POWs. This is Trump's biggest weakness and most dangerous flaw.

Trump's relationship with Putin is characterized by "narcissistic submission," where Trump idealizes an image of Putin to bask in his perceived glory. Criticizing Putin is seen as an attack on Trump because he depends on this idealized image for self-regulation. People around Trump exploit his narcissism due to his lack of direction. Putin, described as a master of sociopathy with psychopathic traits, uses Trump to achieve geopolitical goals, creating an unbalanced relationship. Trump's suspected ADHD further amplifies his impulsivity and inattention, making him susceptible to manipulation.

Lessons:
1. Social media, post-truth politics, and consumerism amplify narcissism and sociopathy in society, leading to "sick societies" that "elevate sick people into positions of power"

2. There is a need to link personal psychology to broader political issues, recognizing how corrupt institutions can "corrupt mass psychology"

3. Daily exposure to destructive communication leaves individuals feeling unsafe and fractured, creating a self-perpetuating cycle

4. Voting for narcissists and psychopaths is never a good idea. They distort reality, use supporters for gain, and endanger the country. Populist buffoons like Trump will be replaced by "more determined and dogged authoritarians" in the future.

The US is disintegrating as fast as Iran now. It's a race to the bottom.