This was a week when it was almost impossible to escape politics, particularly world politics. The barbaric, medieval images coming out of Israel on Shabbat Saturday morning, at the start of the Jewish New Year, were both sickening and, at the same time, sadly, not surprising.

This was in a week where my media consumption included the interview Graham Alison did at the All In Summit and a similar couple with Ray Dalio and Larry Summers. All three focus on the current and future world order. The interview with Alison is this week’s Video of the Week.

So, it is time for me to stand back and ask some big questions. It is also time to begin to try and answer them. It all starts with Graham Alison’s book “Destined For War” and Ray Dalio’s essay this week - “Another Step Toward International War.” These are two super-intelligent big thinkers focusing on the coming end of US global supremacy, leading to a possible or even likely global conflict. Then there is Noah Smith’s “You're not going to like what comes after Pax Americana,” one of this week’s Essay of the Week.