{"id":145689,"date":"2025-02-21T11:32:56","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T09:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=145689"},"modified":"2025-02-21T11:33:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T09:33:00","slug":"the-corruption-nexus-why-politicians-and-corporations-are-deeply-entangled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=145689","title":{"rendered":"The Corruption Nexus: Why Politicians and Corporations Are Deeply Entangled"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"922\" height=\"519\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kCNHwH9MxGA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Systemic Forces of Corruption<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The relationship between politicians and corporations is not just a case of occasional backroom deals or individual moral failings\u2014it is a deeply entrenched system designed to serve the interests of power and capital. This corruption operates through well-established mechanisms such as lobbying, campaign financing, regulatory capture, and the revolving door between government and industry. At its core, this is a system that prioritizes profits and political power over public welfare, and it manifests differently in the United States and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Machinery of Corruption<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <strong>Lobbying: The Legalized Bribery<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Lobbying is often portrayed as a legitimate way for industries to inform policymakers, but in practice, it serves as a multi-billion-dollar mechanism for corporations to buy influence. In the United States, lobbying is deeply embedded in the political system, with industries like Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Big Tech, and Big Defence spending massive sums to shape policy. In Europe, lobbying is also present, particularly in Brussels, where the European Union is headquartered, but there are stricter transparency laws and regulations. However, corporate lobbying still wields significant influence over EU directives and national governments, particularly in countries like Germany, France, and the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>Campaign Financing: The Price of Political Favor<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Elections require vast amounts of money, and corporations and billionaires are more than willing to fund political campaigns in exchange for favorable policies. In the U.S., Supreme Court decisions such as <em>Citizens United v. FEC<\/em> have made it legal for corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money in elections, ensuring that politicians are financially dependent on wealthy donors rather than their constituents. In Europe, many countries have stricter regulations on campaign financing, including limits on corporate donations and public funding for political parties. However, scandals such as the <em>Qatargate<\/em> bribery allegations within the European Parliament show that corporate influence remains a serious issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <strong>Regulatory Capture: When Watchdogs Become Lapdogs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Regulatory agencies are supposed to oversee industries and protect the public, but in many cases, they end up serving the very corporations they are meant to regulate. This phenomenon, known as regulatory capture, occurs when corporations influence regulatory bodies by installing industry-friendly officials, funding misleading research, or exploiting loopholes. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have often been criticized for being too close to the industries they regulate. In Europe, agencies such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Central Bank (ECB) have faced similar criticisms, particularly regarding their relationships with pharmaceutical companies and financial institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. <strong>The Revolving Door: Trading Public Office for Private Gain<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A striking pattern in modern politics is the &#8220;revolving door&#8221; between government and the private sector. High-ranking government officials often leave public service to take lucrative positions in the industries they once regulated. Conversely, corporate executives frequently transition into government roles where they shape policies that benefit their former (and likely future) employers. This cycle ensures that laws and regulations are written by people with deep ties to corporate interests rather than by neutral public servants. In the U.S., this is a well-documented issue, particularly within the defense and financial sectors. In Europe, former EU Commissioners and national leaders have been criticized for moving into corporate boardrooms, as seen with ex-politicians like Jos\u00e9 Manuel Barroso, who took a senior role at Goldman Sachs after leading the European Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"922\" height=\"519\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yKSaeIKN5EU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Psychological and Societal Drivers of Corruption<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Corruption is not just a structural issue\u2014it is also a psychological and societal one. Politicians and corporate executives operate in environments where power and money reinforce each other. Once inside the system, individuals often rationalize unethical behavior as necessary for success. The public, meanwhile, is conditioned to accept corruption as inevitable, either through apathy, media manipulation, or cynicism. The mainstream media\u2014often controlled by the same corporate interests that benefit from corruption\u2014frequently downplays or distracts from systemic corruption, instead framing it as isolated incidents of &#8220;bad apples.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"922\" height=\"519\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1ldfpUW0cEk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Transatlantic Perspective on Corruption<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"922\" height=\"519\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_yyXGqZtuRA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While corruption exists worldwide, its forms and intensity vary between the U.S. and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Scandinavian countries, strong transparency laws and public financing of elections reduce the grip of corporate money.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the U.S., lobbying and campaign financing laws create a system where big money dictates policy decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the UK, corporate donations to political parties have sparked controversies, especially regarding foreign influence in elections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Southern Europe, countries like Italy and Greece have struggled with political graft and favoritism, often exacerbated by weak judicial enforcement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The European Union as a whole has faced scrutiny over lobbying in Brussels, where industries push to shape trade policies and regulations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can the System Be Fixed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fixing this corrupt system requires massive structural change, but the incentives for those in power make reform difficult. Possible solutions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Publicly funded elections<\/strong> to eliminate corporate influence on campaign financing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stronger anti-lobbying laws<\/strong> to prevent corporations from directly shaping policy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Independent regulatory agencies<\/strong> with transparent appointment processes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strict conflict-of-interest laws<\/strong> to prevent the revolving door between government and industry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Greater transparency in corporate and political dealings<\/strong>, including open records and whistleblower protections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In Europe, stronger enforcement of existing regulations could curb corruption, while in the U.S., significant legislative changes would be required to dismantle corporate influence over politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"922\" height=\"519\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/I5qamYpmODA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Corruption is not an accident\u2014it is a feature of a system designed to concentrate wealth and power.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While individual politicians and executives may be called out, the broader structure remains intact, ensuring that new figures will always rise to replace the old ones. Only by recognizing corruption as systemic rather than anecdotal can societies begin to challenge and dismantle it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong> The question remains: will people  in 2025 onwards  remain passive, or will they demand a political and economic system that truly serves the public interest?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"922\" height=\"519\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FZVfTCBUkgM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Systemic Forces of Corruption The relationship between politicians and corporations is not just a case of occasional backroom deals or individual moral failings\u2014it is a deeply entrenched system designed to serve the interests of power and capital. This corruption operates through well-established mechanisms such as lobbying, campaign financing, regulatory capture, and the revolving door [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":145696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[1283,4072,755,4071],"class_list":["post-145689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-other-stuff","tag-corruption","tag-lobbying","tag-politics","tag-the-legalized-bribery"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/the-corruption-nexus-why-politic.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":143957,"url":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=143957","url_meta":{"origin":145689,"position":0},"title":"A World Without Hierarchy: Can Decentralization Redefine Society?","author":"thebrainbehind","date":"03\/12\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Corruption. It\u2019s the shadow cast by power. Governments collapsing under scandal. Corporations exploiting the very communities they claim to serve. Leaders enriching themselves while the people they represent struggle to make ends meet. In Brazil, the Lava Jato scandal revealed billions siphoned away through corruption. https:\/\/youtu.be\/f3pWbgp_-j0?si=cktYAulejD-Zrgnd The Panama Papers exposed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;all other stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"all other stuff","link":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/a-world-without-hierarchy-can-de.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/a-world-without-hierarchy-can-de.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/a-world-without-hierarchy-can-de.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/a-world-without-hierarchy-can-de.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/a-world-without-hierarchy-can-de.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":147971,"url":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=147971","url_meta":{"origin":145689,"position":1},"title":"From Le Pen to OPEKEPE: Europe\u2019s Year of Corruption. Scandals Have  Become The New Normal And  Europe Has Stopped Blushing","author":"thebrainbehind","date":"28\/08\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It should have been a year of reckoning. Instead, it became a year of exposure without consequence. Across the continent, scandal piled on scandal. In France, Marine Le Pen was found guilty of siphoning nearly three million euros of EU funds into her party machine, only to pivot and cast\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;all other stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"all other stuff","link":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChatGPT-Image-Aug-28-2025-01_18_48-PM.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChatGPT-Image-Aug-28-2025-01_18_48-PM.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChatGPT-Image-Aug-28-2025-01_18_48-PM.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChatGPT-Image-Aug-28-2025-01_18_48-PM.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":148875,"url":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=148875","url_meta":{"origin":145689,"position":2},"title":"Parenthood in the Age of Corruption: Raising Innocence Among Wolves","author":"thebrainbehind","date":"07\/10\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/YOv5jDFtvsI?si=jYsT61GvEeL5e6pR To bring a child into this world today is not an act of na\u00efvet\u00e9.It\u2019s an act of courage. Look around. The air hums with war. It's almost 2026, and we still talk about genocides. The headlines read like prophecy. The oceans choke, the forests burn, and the algorithms whisper\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;all other stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"all other stuff","link":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/parenthood-in-the-age-of-corrupt.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/parenthood-in-the-age-of-corrupt.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/parenthood-in-the-age-of-corrupt.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/parenthood-in-the-age-of-corrupt.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/parenthood-in-the-age-of-corrupt.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":147942,"url":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=147942","url_meta":{"origin":145689,"position":3},"title":"The Kiosks of Failure: Greece, Europe, and the Economics of Corruption","author":"thebrainbehind","date":"27\/08\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"They were supposed to be shrines of renewal. Bright kiosks on street corners where citizens could drop plastic, glass, and hope. Instead, they stand as monuments to a darker Greek tradition: turning public money into private gain. The European Public Prosecutor is now investigating 11.9 million euros in EU recycling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;all other stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"all other stuff","link":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9ac49cfe-f3f8-4db4-bcb4-8b06675087d2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9ac49cfe-f3f8-4db4-bcb4-8b06675087d2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9ac49cfe-f3f8-4db4-bcb4-8b06675087d2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9ac49cfe-f3f8-4db4-bcb4-8b06675087d2.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":148240,"url":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=148240","url_meta":{"origin":145689,"position":4},"title":"Diella: The AI Minister That Might End Corruption or Perfect It","author":"thebrainbehind","date":"12\/09\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Only in Albania could such a mythic gesture occur: appointing an algorithm as cabinet minister. Diella, we are told, will cleanse public procurement of corruption, that timeless Balkan disease. The government proclaims that, at last, software will succeed where generations of politicians failed. Permit me some skepticism. Public procurement remains\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;all other stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"all other stuff","link":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/12695688-scaled-1-scaled.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/12695688-scaled-1-scaled.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/12695688-scaled-1-scaled.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/12695688-scaled-1-scaled.webp?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/12695688-scaled-1-scaled.webp?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/12695688-scaled-1-scaled.webp?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":148190,"url":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?p=148190","url_meta":{"origin":145689,"position":5},"title":"Europe, Look at Nepal Before It\u2019s Too Late","author":"thebrainbehind","date":"10\/09\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/WsdCae9RqP0?si=KV-QSfH9yDKvNsey In Nepal this week, democracy collapsed in a haze of fire and humiliation. The finance minister was stripped and chased into a river. The prime minister resigned. A former first lady died in her burning home. Parliament itself went up in flames. At first it looks like faraway chaos.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;all other stuff&quot;","block_context":{"text":"all other stuff","link":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/europe-look-at-nepal-before-its.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/europe-look-at-nepal-before-its.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/europe-look-at-nepal-before-its.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/europe-look-at-nepal-before-its.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thecuriousbrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/europe-look-at-nepal-before-its.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=145689"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145689\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":145697,"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145689\/revisions\/145697"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/145696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=145689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=145689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecuriousbrain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=145689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}