Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘The David-and-Goliath story is deeply archetypal, and for most people it is hard to imagine anyone genuinely wanting to side with Goliath. We have all felt small at some point; watching a weaker side collect itself to confront a giant speaks to our own desire to exist in history, to take meaningful action, to overcome long odds. To identify with David restores a sense of justice. It reassures us that brute force, size, or bullying are not the final word, and that moral clarity can in fact win. The Biblical story gives hope that the system is not always rigged; that hierarchies can be disrupted; that the powerful are not invincible. It affirms human agency: David wins not because he is larger or physically stronger, but because he is more intelligent, faster, and more inventive. Ingenuity can overturn dominance.

As we go through all this yet another time, as a capitulation plan written by Russia takes on an apparent legitimacy because it is presented by Americans as their own, I am asked again, as so many times over the years: what does Putin have on Trump? Why is Trump so persistent? And perhaps, at last, I found the answer, or at least a meaningful part of the answer. It is not really about domestic Ukrainian politics, the sense that Zelens’kyi is weak because of a corruption scandal. It is not about the recent massive Russian strikes on civilians. I do not believe that the specific moment is that important. The answer lies elsewhere.

The unfortunate reality is this: we are seeing affirmative action for Goliath. We know that Goliath can lose. Wars are unpredictable. Russia has many problems. They could be exploited by consisted US and European policy. David can win. But the whole traditional scheme, the whole moral scheme, the whole archetype of David-versus-Goliath seems itself to be hurting Ukraine. This US administration seems to prefer a world where Goliath always wins. Or at least a world where David must be told never to pick up his sling.’ (from the Thinking About… Substack)