Political Theatre category archive
Civic Duty, Reprise 0
Rekha Basu explains that “civic duty” means serving the civitas, not the privatas.
A Rudderless Ship of State 0
Shorter Dan Simpson: Incoherent bluster is not a foreign policy.
Profiles in Cowering 0
A Der Spiegel correspondent looks back on his two years living in an upscale suburb of Washington, D. C., and sees am undercurrent of fearfulness in day-to-day American life. Here’s short excerpt:
And it’s true, this country often drives people to despair, even if you live in a bubble. It is wrought with contradictions. Everyone talks about security, but the Americans haven’t even managed to impose reasonable controls on weapon ownership. Everyone talks about freedom, but then, at the swimming pool we went to a few streets to the north, girls were made to wear bikinis even as babies. If I bought a bottle of wine at the store, I had to keep it hidden in a dark plastic bag until I got home.
I commend the entire piece to your attention.
The Lesson of Lolita 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Michael Karson turns our attention to Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita and the lessons it has for us.
Many years ago, I read Lolita.
It is without question the most chilling novel I have ever read. Next to it, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a Daffy Duck comic. I have no desire to read it again.*
In his narration, Humbert Humbert convinces himself and almost (but not quite–that’s the majesty of Nabokov’s writing) convinces the reader that Lolita welcomes, even yearns for, his violation of her.
An excerpt from Karson’s piece:
Nabokov confronts us with the elegant stories we tell ourselves to excuse our selfishness.
Self-delusion and evil often walk hand-in-hand.
Look around: You will see many Humbert Humberts in the political sphere, industriously convincing themselves and their dupes, symps, and fellow travelers to violate the common good and rape the general wellfare.
___________________
*It has been said that any book worth reading once is worth reading twice. I’ll make an exception for Lolita.
The Silence of the (on the) Lams 0
The Maine Beacon reports on why Congressman Bruce Poliquin (R–Don’t Talk to Me) refuses to hold town halls or answer questions from reporters.
“Do I talk to the national media? Not often. I’ve been dying to do what you want me to do. Dying to do it, but we’ve got to be very – it would be stupid for me to engage the national media and give them and everyone else the ammunition they need and we lose this seat. We have to be really careful,” said the congressweasel.
Via The Bangor Daily News, which manages not to use the term “Congressweasel” in its story. It contents itself with pointing out that
Poliquin said there are so many reporters who want to ask him questions and they want him, a congressman, to allow his words to be reported so that everyone can read them. That’s not something he wants.
All That Was Old Is New Again, Reichstag Fire Dept. 0
Thom is not optimistic.
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
In The Roanoke Times, John Ketwig recalls yet another little-mentioned time when the United States had an active Nazi movement, back before the prefix “neo” would have been germane.
I shall not attempt to excerpt or summarize it. Just go there.
The Screening Process 0
Honest to Pete and Betsy both, you can’t make this stuff up.
Trump in Translation 0
Dick Polman deciphers the hieroglyphics.
Parallels of History (Updated) 0
Paul Krugman see similarities between Trump and Caligula.
Writing a week later, Nicholas Kristoff suggests that Caligula comes off looking pretty good in the comparison.
Addendum, Early the Next Day:
Meanwhile, some buffoon at Forbes asserts that Caligula was a Democrat.
Words fail me.
Truth-in-Labeling 2
Writing at the Colorado Springs Gazette, Ari Armstrong points out that words matter. An excerpt:
(snip)
Neo-Nazis are quite happy to be called “far right” because of the seeming implication that they have something in common with my “center right” friends. But they have nothing in common. Being a racist is not a more extreme version of being for low taxes (or the like); logically the two things have nothing to do with each other.