The best strategy for dealing with crazies is to keep your distance.
You try to ignore the ravings of the paranoid lunatic on a street corner, but if he’s waving a gun, you can’t. He may kill himself, but he may kill you. Protecting yourself is your first consideration. You want to get as far as possible from him.
As an intellectual exercise, imagine how the Chinese and Russian leadership look at the United States, its government, and those of its allies. It will get you labeled as a “sympathizer” or “agent,” but take the risk and try seeing the world through their eyes:
We hear the Americans raving about the exceptional and indispensable nation, the American imperium, and maintaining world order. What other conclusion can be drawn: like many lunatics, the US suffers from delusions of grandeur. As we know, it’s difficult to maintain order in one country, and the US wants to take on the whole world? They’re having a tough time maintaining order in the US. Half the country hates the other half, and many of their experts warn of civil unrest that could be ignited with the smallest of sparks. Take it from us, spark suppression is a full-time job in big countries with many people and few common interests, even those with powerful, intrusive governments like the US.
Many of us have recognized our nation and many other nations have beams in their eyes just as individuals also do. How do we fix the world when we also are blind?
Can we not pray for the lunatics? Can we not pray that His Will be done? Can we not pray for guidance and understanding in a world gone mad?
We were warned, why are we surprised?