It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. A thick miasma of darkness lay upon the world. It was a time of profound ignorance and narrow horizons. War consumed human lives, as did individual killings, with other violations. People were pitted against each other on pretexts that make no sense to us. Violence and other reasons caused the forced displacement of entire populations, causing untold suffering. Myriad diseases blighted the populace and pestilences roamed the land. Old age came prematurely and with horrible attendant diseases. Starvation took numerous lives and many others lived in extreme poverty with no hope of improvement. People were ignorant of their true nature and struggled to break through the mental barriers constructed by earlier generations. Yet there were also pockets of growth, of creativity and reflection. These would eventually grow into the beginnings of the world we know now.
The times were moulded by figures who pursued narrow self-aggrandisement at the expense of other people. Especially prominent were Kim Kardashian, Elon Musk, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rupert Murdoch and Donald Trump.