We’re only halfway through the decade and we can’t wait for it to end. Although the original idea for the article was some highlights from the past five years, there honestly weren’t enough; so why not write about what this decade is really known for? In the past 5 years we have had what seems to be far more controversies than any prior decade, so here at The Lasso we figured we’d give you our top picks.
World Cup Conundrum:
The 2022 World Cup was one of the greatest matches of all time. It was a fantastic win by Leonel Messi and Argentina, as well as a mind-blowing performance by Mbappe, the star of the French team. Who would have thought it was brought to you by slave labor? Unfortunately for the teams, Qatar was revealed to be abusing migrant workers to build the stadium, overshadowing the match entirely. It got so bad that Human Rights Watch got involved, interviewing the workers and discovering that most lost wages, some were trapped in the country and a few even lost their lives.
The Olympic River Fiasco:
The Paris Olympics in 2024 was intended to be a celebration of sustainability and inclusivity—a farce when you consider how they handled the Seine. The swimming events were intended to take place in Paris’s pristine river running through the city, in fact, the French government spent 1.5 billion to make the water swimmable. This would all be for nothing, as in protest many Parisians chose to defecate into said waters, ruining any progress in water quality and forcing the government to make a change in venue.
An Assassin at a Trump Rally:
One of the craziest events of the 2024 presidential race took place on July 13th. 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks took a shot at former president Trump during a Pennsylvania rally, hitting his ear and creating one of the most iconic photos of the decade. The event only led to more controversy as Republicans immediately cast out blame, throwing around all kinds of wild accusations as to the motive.
Polluter, not Pop star:
Taylor Swift has flown around the world for a number of different reasons, whether it be her Eras Tour, any number of Kansas City Chiefs games, or even just visiting friends and family. She uses her own private jet for this, something that has caused many to point out her ridiculous carbon footprint. The pop star allegedly produced 138 tons of carbon emissions in just three months.
Luigi’s Rise to Celebrity:
How does one become an overnight internet celebrity? Easy, murder. Shortly after gunning down the UnitedHealthcare CEO on December 4th in NYC, Luigi Mangione was taken into custody. Luigi would quickly gain popularity for supposedly making a statement against the corporation’s insurance scams, creating an insane amount of conspiracy theories with some claiming the entire situation was staged. Though he took the media by storm, it’s unlikely he’ll make a genuine change in the organization as UnitedHealthcare can easily hire another CEO.
Overturning of Roe V Wade:
In 2022, Roe V Wade was overturned by the supreme court in Congress. The monumental event was highly protested leading up to the decision, and afterward. Now the legality of abortion is up to the states to decide individually. Abortion debates have raged since the decision, influencing presidential votes as well as state government votes. In 2024, abortion was banned in 13 states—including West Virginia, Texas, and Tennessee.
Israel Versus Palestine:
Moving into a more global crisis, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, sparked by the terrorist group Hamas breaching the Israel-Gaza border, has left the world perfectly polarized. Unlike other wars such as Russia and Ukraine, where there is a clear consensus villain, the conflict between Palestine and Israel has created an intense divide sparking rallies and internet wars all over the world. Even now the conflict rages claiming over 46,000 lives in Gaza and 1700 casualties in Israel according to CBS.
Martial Law in South Korea:
In early December of 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in the dead of night. Startled soldiers and lawmakers made their way to the parliament in the early morning, to overturn the declaration after just six hours. The President now faces a potential impeachment for an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” However, this will only happen if members of the President’s own Conservative party vote against him.
