This chapter sets the context for the book, examining how humanity stands at the precipice of a major global shift—one that will have profound implications for Southeast Asia. The primary driver of this transformation is the decline of the West-led unipolar international order and the rise of a multipolar political-economic system, shaped by China and the Global South. Alongside this shift, global warming and the relentless advancement of the global information-communication network and system (ICNS) are collectively reshaping human realities, both individually and collectively. The chapter explores the construction of reality in the human mind, emphasizing the role of media, state agencies, and private enterprises in shaping perceptions. It highlights how these actors have fostered a simulacrum—a world where narratives serving vested interests often overshadow factual realities. Drawing on Vernadsky’s theory of the Biosphere-Noosphere, the chapter connects the evolution of mind, planet, and the ICNS, proposing that AI-mediated research within the ICNS could help distinguish fact from disinformation. Methodologically, the analysis relies on trawling the Internet—a repository of timely, first-hand information—while cross-checking sources to verify their credibility. Discussion focuses on contemporary geopolitical tensions, trade and proxy wars, and the policies of the current hegemon, illustrating how they inadvertently resulted in the rise of China and the Global South. The chapter also addresses the looming tipping point, arguing that nuclear war surpasses climate change as existential threat. It concludes by affirming the inevitable emergence of a more equitable and peaceful multipolar world order, though not without the turbulence of transition.