It always surprises me, when studying history or politics or philosophy, how integrally connected the waves of human trends have always been. Even if we are separate- each of us experiencing the world through our own cultural perspectives and from our niche points of view- humans grapple with struggles and come up with ideas in similar ways, at similar times. Even disconnected, we seem to operate in parallel; we discover and explore in coinciding waves.
There are many ways that humans, across all disciplines, choose to describe this phenomenon. “Multiple discover” aka, “simultaneous invention,” for example, is the thought that most epiphanies, discoveries, and inventions are made independently by multiple inventors. In another vein, the concept of “convergent evolution” theorizes that independent species will develop similar features over a certain period of time. And in terms of humanities, Mark Twain famously said that, “history never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” Humans centuries apart will experience a similar struggle, and overcome it in a similar way. Likewise, humans continents apart will contend with the same political questions as their neighbors across the globe.
It seems to me that we are living through another one of these convergent progresses- a come-to-consciousness moment that all of humanity are sharing in- through our global politics. While Americans notice that their own country grapples with the dangerously partisan battle of the Left versus the Alt Right, these discussions are also taking place across the planet. In the United Kingdom, for example, the Labour and Conservative parties continuously go head to head in Parliament, with little indication of who will ultimately triumph. In Brazil, as well, these same philosophical battles regarding socioeconomic policy have been broiling for decades. However, a recent radical change in the country’s leadership may indicate a shift in party competition.
On Sunday, Jair Bolsonaro- the far-right former president of Brazil, who has long been criticized for his divisive approach to leadership- has been ousted from office by the leftist candidate, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. This victory was unexpected for Mr. da Silva, who was previously imprisoned in a federal penitentiary for an investigation into government bribery. However, after being sentenced to 22 years, da Silva has made a comeback; his revival is not only suggested, but has been completely validated by his victory. Mr. da Silva is to take office on January 1st.
In a eerily similar echo of the United States’ own politics, former President Bolsonaro’s team had suggested that the lost election had been caused by voter fraud. It seems that the practice of blaming democratic process- despite the absence of factual evidence- is trending throughout the global political sphere. Thus, the Brazilian presidential election, beyond exemplifying the pattern of global reckoning with far-right ideologies, presents a fascinating look into the similarities all countries in the 21st century share.
Though social media can be a tool of detriment and overwhelm, it is times like these when I am grateful for its advent and the learning opportunities it provides. By studying the Brazilian presidential election, I have been given a mirror with which to learn. By educating myself about this event, I was able to see that, even if the people of Brazil and the citizens of my home country are not identical, their values, struggles, and worries do rhyme.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/10/30/world/brazil-presidential-election
