I would like to take the time spent on this blog post to reflect on the war going on overseas about Russia wanting to take over Ukraine. First, my heart breaks for the Ukraine and I hope that this war ceases soon and the lasting impacts are minimal. The way Vladimir Putin is running Russia had me connect the dots to our discussions in class on what good government is. His rule is kind of the prime example of governments that are extremely dangerous. The dictatorship he has over Russia relates to Hobbes’ proposed form of government. He believed that once a leader was in power, they could never be overthrown by the people. This is almost like the current state of the government in Russia. People can not safely speak out against Putin, and he can not be overthrown or replaced unless he feels as if he wants to step down. Since Vladimir Putin is quite power-hungry, even stating the possibility of him stepping down feels silly. One of the reasons I think he feels the need to be number one and have ultimate power is because he can not be overthrown or challenged. With no one telling him that he is wrong or challenging his thoughts, his ego only gets bigger and he becomes more convinced that everything he does is the best. Unfortunately, this complete self-centeredness has caused him to create a war killing and destroying hundreds of innocent lives. To me, it seems as if he has ordered war just to make himself seem macho and like the alpha. Putin is trying to make a name for himself as one of the great leaders of Russia. He just wants to be remembered as someone who was so powerful. However, he is ruining people, economies, and an entire country along the way. Now, even if Vladimir Putin wanted to end the war, he can’t. That would make him look as if he had failed and his ego has become too big to cope with his citizens viewing him as a “looser”. The thing that scares me is the question of where do we go from here? It doesn’t seem like Russia will cease-fire anytime soon and if they eventually take control of Kyiv, will they try and keep going and take over other countries? I am nervous that nuclear weapons will eventually get involved and the dangers that come with that. Hopefully, the people of Ukraine will stay safe and keep defending their country.