Beauty and hard-won riches

One day, Lydiane sent me an email that acted as a catalyst for me: “Life is about the young, the rich, and the beautiful. Nobody likes to watch depictions of desolation! I like to look at charming things. In my view, listening to and seeing whatever is beautiful cures trauma. We must take distance from the hurtful – if we can. Many people look at the rich and beautiful with envy, often without thinking about how they became so rich and beautiful. Human beings work so hard to bring beauty into this world. We write epic poetry, compose symphonies, paint life, and erect grandiose temples. It's what makes our planet such a special place to live on." She added:

"The West invented beautiful things that help humanity improve its lot. They did this because they have evolved. The inability to evolve into something better lingers on in a state of abject sterility and nihilism. Nature does not promote complacency. To secure our lives, we must transform nature and seek and amass resources. It is part of our survival. Everyone pursues success and wealth. That's not a bad thing. Even those who criticize and condemn the rich are drawn to wealth as if it were a magnet!"

I could not but think that with accumulated wealth comes learning, power and advocacy. Jewish elites became among the most exclusive and cultured groups in the world. This enabled them to integrate into European aristocracies. Before the establishment of Israel, Zionist leaders were well-connected to leading politicians in the highest corridors of power, including David Lloyd George, Mark Sykes, Arthur Balfour, Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, Franklin Roosevelt, and Harry Truman. They were so close to these people that they used to meet them in their own homes.