“What in the World” is a monthly column where I go over world events and connect them to one overarching theme, so that I may ramble on about what I think people should learn from current events while also educating people on what’s going on in the world.
My goal here is to tell you “what in the world,” by letting you know the facts: what’s happening. Then, also to answer your question, “what in the world?” by giving you insight as to how human nature led us to such events, and how they should be received.
Hello, wonderful, loyal readers, and welcome to this month’s lovely edition of What in the World, the ever-so-changing column where I tell you about what’s been going on in the world lately and how I view it from a philosophical standpoint. Now, first off, I’d like to say that this month’s topic is quite divisive, as is the man himself, Donald Trump. I have much to say about him, as everyone else does, whether they love or hate him. Today, we will be going through some recent controversy in honor of his officially becoming the President of the United States of America.
What happened to Trump’s court case?
First, I’d like to address how allegations about him seem to dissipate quickly. He seems to masterfully overstep trouble whenever it comes his way. For example, Trump’s “hush money case,” in which he was accused of cheating on his wife by sleeping with adult video star Stormi Daniels and paying her not to tell the press, was a hot topic over the last year. He was found guilty of all 34 felonies the New York Supreme Court tried him with. What happened to the prosecution he was meant to face? Well, the judge who was trying him has decided– in order not to interfere with his presidency– to place Trump on “unconditional discharge,” which means the case is closed, and although he has been found guilty, he will have no jail time, fines, or probations. So, for now, even though he has been found guilty of all counts of falsifying business records in the first degree (completely intentionally), he faces no punishment whatsoever since he is the president. Of course, this causes a lot of indignation among citizens who believe that the president is supposed to be a role model and should be held to the same standards as any other citizen. For fans of Trump, the question is not so simple since he, even after being found guilty by an anonymous jury, still insists that the case is falsified, blasphemous, and intentionally fabricated to make him look bad, and of course, people believe it. Some people know it’s true, and they proudly boast with “I voted for the felon” T-shirts and bumper stickers (if you’ve never seen one of those, I’m very excited for you, too). Everyone has their reasons for voting for whomever they did, and, I’m hoping that regardless of Trump’s past, he’ll make choices that benefit America.
What’s the deal with the TikTok shut-down and Trump?
Now, I’d like to address how TikTok has basically credited its revival to Donald Trump– before he was even in office. As everyone who doesn’t have a full-time job knows, TikTok was set to be banned in America on Jan. 19, 2025. Well, it was banned early, on Jan 18, and the ban only lasted 14 hours. Strange, right? Something else to note is that in both messages received by users and put out by TikTok, Donald Trump was mentioned and credited for the revival. Many netizens are commenting about the strange mention that impressionable young children will be partial to Trump’s judgment and leadership, perhaps without the right amount of background information. The conditions surrounding the shutdown led many to believe that the CEO of ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, Liang Rubo, was working alongside Donald Trump. Rubo got to keep profiting from Americans, and Trump got the fame for “saving” TikTok. I insist that he does so for the notoriety because he has changed his views on the TikTok ban– he was the one who signed the initial proposal that TikTok be banned. When he was asked why he had changed his mind, he gave a mediocre answer, replying, “Remember, TikTok is largely about kids, young kids. If China’s going to get information about young kids out of it… I think, to be honest– I think we have bigger problems.” To me, this clearly indicates that it was never about protecting either children or our data from China, and rather indicates that he, as he mentioned in the same breath, can benefit from the “36%” increase in youth engagement with his policies. I’m just here to set you guys straight and help you recognize the (somewhat blatant) propaganda that was the grandiose banning and unbanning of TikTok.
To close out this week’s edition, I’d like to send a message to anyone who might be feeling unhappy, distressed, or panicked now. Don’t fret. I see lots of fear-mongering from the left, saying that Trump’s presidency is going to lead us into a Nazi-esque regime. I can see how such fears might be detrimental and disheartening to some, but I’m here to encourage you to use your voice about things and issues that matter to you, just as I am doing in this column. If you feel oppressed, or that things happening in the government are beyond your control, take other measures to make sure your voice is heard– peaceful measures, of course. Thank you for reading this month’s edition of What in the World, and try to stay positive!
