Thoughts on Brexit

     After watching a video on YouTube from BBC Newsnight on comedian, John Cleese's decision to leave the UK due to Brexit, it became clear that despite how interconnected the world now is, people still tend to focus on the things related to themselves. All over the news in the US were articles about the president, presidential election, racial injustices, and plenty of other issues within the US, while the UK was simultaneously going through their own big political and economic shift as well, which was almost invisible in the American news outlets. While people in the US were arguing about President Trump and the Black Lives Matter movement, people in the UK were arguing about whether or they should leave the European Union. Not having any affiliation with the UK myself, and not knowing enough about Brexit, I don't really know what to think about it. However, it does make me realize that each country shares many differences, but many similarities as well.

    We live in a somewhat egocentric world, where if something is not happening to us or around us, then it doesn't really exist. Even if we hear about it or read about it in the news, it still remains nothing more than a passing thought because it does not concern us directly. The topic of Brexit in the US serves as good evidence of this, as it has existed in the UK since 2016, but has been buried in the American news outlets in favor of other, US-related news and issues. Of course, 2016 did mark the start of a hard time politically with Trump winning the 2016 presidential election, but that also shows how the issues in our own country took precedence to news from other countries.

    One interesting thing Cleese mentioned in the video was how much people trusted the news in the UK. That was interesting to learn about as here in the US, we are also dealing with a similar problem. It just goes to show how even though two countries, separated by an ocean and different political and social issues can be so similar. In all, the topic of Brexit made me realize how much we separate ourselves from each other, yet still share many things in common.

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