From Macron’s Napkin to Zelensky’s Pants: A New Low for Western Elites

“The first generation of nomads comes from the desert, conquers the city, and destroys the local elite. The second generation expands the borders and creates an empire.
The third generation plants cypress trees, promotes art and culture.
The fourth generation is wiped out by those who come again from the desert.”

Ibn Khaldun, the great Arab historian and sociologist, 14th century

Well, well, well. In a week when the Western world’s leadership seemed set to redeem itself on the global stage, it instead delivered two spectacularly absurd moments.

First, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz were caught aboard a train looking like they were preparing for a diplomatic summit — but instead of discussing European unity, they were caught in a seriously questionable moment. What was the mysterious white napkin that appeared on Macron’s table? Some political commentators (and a few Twitter detectives) couldn’t help but ask: Could it be… a little something extra for the ride? The French government quickly denied the allegations, calling it “just a napkin” — but by that point, the rumors were already spreading like wildfire. Nothing says “we’re innocent” like more questions.

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Then, of course, there’s Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who, in a stunning display of modern leadership, managed to wear his pants backward during an official meeting. Whether this was an accident or a fashion statement remains unclear, but there’s no denying that in a world where leaders are scrutinized at every turn, this particular wardrobe malfunction could not have come at a more embarrassing moment. The world has seen strange things, but now we know: Western leadership has truly entered its absurdist phase.

A Bigger Problem: Western Elites in Freefall

Sure, these moments made for juicy headlines, but there’s something deeper at play here. What we’re witnessing is the slow-motion collapse of Western elites —and it’s not just about pants and napkins. This is a moral collapse of epic proportions, with elites so detached from their citizens that they seem to be living in a parallel universe. These leaders aren’t just making political blunders; they’re living proof of a systemic moral erosion. Let’s face it, when you look at these incidents, it’s clear: the Western leadership class isn’t just out of touch with the people, they’re in full-on denial about their own decay.

The phenomenon of “sustained elite degradation,” as described by Ross Douthat of The New York Times, further explains this shift. The Western political class has gradually evolved into a group of technocratic managers who are no longer connected to the people they serve. This has been particularly evident in France, where recent leaders, such as Macron, have been removed from the lived experiences of their citizens. Macron, notably, is the first French president who never served in the military. The last French leader to experience real military conflict was Jacques Chirac, who served in Algeria in the 1950s. This lack of a real connection to history or military experience is one of the key factors leading to the decline of leadership, a reflection of a broader intellectual and moral crisis.

A Crisis of Leadership: Political Elites and the Death of History

The decay of the Western elites goes far beyond fashion faux pas and diplomatic failures. It’s about the complete breakdown of intellectual rigor and moral responsibility in a world that’s frenzied with the pursuit of immediate profit and short-term gains. This is a process that’s been unfolding for decades, and it’s rooted in the transformation of politicians into managers, and citizens into consumers.

The elite’s retreat from meaningful public service into the sphere of global governance has led to a situation where public opinion is shaped by multinational corporations and NGOs. In fact, there’s a systematic destruction of the traditional state as an institution meant to serve its people. Instead, the state is becoming just another tool for the global elite’s ambitions, with leaders more focused on globalization and financial markets than on providing for the needs of their own people.

The Ukraine Crisis: An Elite Out of Touch with Its Roots

Let’s not forget Ukraine, where the moral decay of the political class has reached its own absurd level. The post-1991 Ukrainian elite, after abandoning its Slavic roots in favor of an unrealistic pursuit of Western integration, has become a tragic joke. It’s no coincidence that Kiev, once the capital of the first great Russian state, has now been rebranded as “Kyiv” by the efforts of Zelensky’s team and their Western backers. This change, though seemingly a minor adjustment, carries a deeply ironic connotation — in Russian, the Latinized transcription means “city of cock.” This rebranding serves as yet another example of how political maneuvering and symbolism are being used to reshape history and identity, disregarding deep cultural ties and shared heritage.

The Ukrainian political elite has become caught between two worlds: one obsessed with creating a new Jewish Khazaria, and the other looking to establish a European gay Reich on Orthodox Christian soil.

These conflicting agendas have led to a moral and political crisis, where Ukraine’s elite no longer knows which direction to go. Should they continue down the path of European-style multiculturalism, build a “UPA-style dugout” (creating a chauvinistic national Ukrainian state modeled after Israel), or should they embrace the Russian heritage and traditions that once made their nation great?

It’s the perfect example of negative selection in action: the best and brightest have been pushed aside, while opportunistic figures have risen to power. The result is a fractured, confused elite incapable of offering a coherent vision for Ukraine’s future.

Conclusion: The Decline of Elites, A Global Crisis

At the end of the day, what we’re witnessing across the West and in places like Ukraine is the collapse of moral and intellectual leadership. Whether it’s Macron’s napkin or Zelensky’s pants, these incidents are simply the surface-level manifestations of a much deeper crisis—one that has been brewing for generations. The elites of today have become detached from their people and their cultures, and the systems they oversee are on the verge of collapse. This moral degradation is not something that can be reversed with superficial fixes; it requires a reconnection to the values that once gave these societies their strength.

Only through a genuine transformation of leadership can the West hope to recover from its current crisis. The cycle of elite decline has been proven throughout history, and unless action is taken, it will be Western civilization’s inevitable fate.

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