There is something almost charming about the way nations threaten each other these days. In a world filled with invisible drones, cyber-attacks that can shut down hospitals, and hypersonic missiles that move faster than bad news, the government of Iran has decided to go old school. They have unveiled a mural. Yes, you read that correctly. A painting. A wall with pictures and words on it. This is the grand strategy to stop the military machine of the United States. It is laughable, it is tragic, and it is a perfect symbol for the absolute stupidity of our current timeline.

In a square in Tehran, authorities pulled back the curtain to reveal a giant image warning the United States not to make a mistake. The message is clear: if you attack us, we will hit back. But let us pause and really look at the method here. We are standing on the edge of what could be a world-ending conflict, and the weapon of choice is a bucket of paint. It feels like we are watching a high school drama club try to stop a tank division. It is sophisticated in its pettiness, yet completely useless in reality.

The irony, of course, is thick enough to cut with a knife. The United States spends nearly a trillion dollars a year on its military. They build ships that are basically floating cities of destruction. They have satellites that can read the time on your wristwatch from space. And in response, Iran commissions a local artist to draw a scary picture. It highlights the massive, absurd gap between the two sides. One side relies on overwhelming, mechanical force; the other relies on symbols and pride. And the sad part? The symbols might actually be more effective at getting people angry.

But who is this mural actually for? Do the leaders in Tehran really think the President of the United States is going to drive past that square, look up at the wall, and say, "Oh my goodness, I better cancel the airstrike, that painting looks very serious"? Of course not. American generals look at maps and spreadsheets, not street art in foreign capitals.

No, this art project is not for the enemy. It never is. This is theater for the local audience. It is a way for the government to look tough without actually having to shoot anyone yet. It is a way to tell their own people, "Look, we are strong. We have painted a very mean warning on this building." It is the geopolitical equivalent of a dog barking at a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner does not care. The vacuum cleaner does not even know the dog is there. But the dog feels very brave for making the noise.

This is what modern politics has become: a series of empty gestures performed by people who refuse to admit that they are out of ideas. We see it in Europe, we see it in America, and we see it in Asia. When leaders run out of solutions for inflation, or hunger, or unhappiness, they find an enemy and start painting murals. They start shouting about war. It is the oldest trick in the book, and it is exhausting that we keep falling for it.

The danger, however, is that even bad art can have real consequences. While we can laugh at the absurdity of fighting a war with billboards, the anger behind it is real. The missiles they are talking about are real. The mural is a symbol, but it is a symbol of a very real desire to set the world on fire. It is a reminder that we are led by people who are essentially children playing with matches in a room full of gasoline.

We are trapped in a theater of the absurd. On one side, you have the frantic, confused bureaucracy of the West, stumbling around and breaking things. On the other side, you have regimes that think a fresh coat of paint counts as a military strategy. And stuck in the middle are the rest of us—normal people who just want to go to work, buy food, and not be vaporized because someone got offended by a wall painting.

So, take a good look at this new mural. Admire the brushwork. Appreciate the colors. Because in this ridiculous world we have built, that painting is currently doing the heavy lifting of international diplomacy. We have stopped talking to each other and started leaving angry notes on the fridge. And we all know how well that usually ends for the family.