What on Earth is Happening?

I keep my preferences for myself.  Ways of thinking to me have strengths and weaknesses and good and bad can be found on all sides of politics.
In the last day or so I have been coming to the conclusion that democracy without reasonableness is doomed.  To me, right now, that is what is on display.  It seems to me that all over the world democracies are becoming polarized.  Often a two party preferred system is on display though at other times more parties are involved.  However it is it is looking more and more to me like a house divided.
Whatever the case though I seem to be seeing reasonableness discarded and power preferred.  They say that truth is the first casualty of war, and right now truth seems to be less important than power.  Democracy is vulnerable and under attack.
It seems to me other powers have dabbled in democracy, but voids have been quickest to be filled by those whose chief concerns is themselves and their own thinking.  Some places it seems while giving lip service to democracy, ensure there is no opposition.  Others it seems avoid lip service all together, and rule by might only and regard their people as pawns to achieve their own ends.
History repeating.  I will do all I can to buck the trend, but all actions have consequences.
A friend of mine once declared that the best form of government was a benign dictator.  We saw a bit of that then countries were swamped by the power hungry only.
Although I consider democracy has been the best form of government we have had, and we have seen a long period of peace with the rule of democracy and reasonableness, that day seems to be over.
Destruction looks like the order of the day.  If there is one thing history has taught us is we have not learned from history.  People seem to be holding on to “back to normal” yet what we are seeing is a new normal and despite (and sometimes because of) our seemingly best efforts, things are going backwards.
Personally I see the dawning of a new age but the destruction of the one in which we are living.  We have got what we wanted but it is a precipice of no return.