Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Feeling redundant

Just when you thought American politics couldn't sink any lower, we find ourselves plumbing new depths of national depravity. This has set off an explosion of musings about why people cling to wrong and crazy beliefs and the fecklessness of evidence; to a competition find ever more eloquent insults to hurl at Donald Trump, and to jeremaiads of all varieties.

I, of course, have done all of that here, and I'm sure I'll keep doing it. But it's getting to the point where a lot of us, I fear, are catching the futility bug. If there is no power in truth, then I'd be better off being, well, a carnival barker than a doctor of philosophy. The TNR editorial succumbs to magical thinking when they say what we all should do is root for Republican elites to start speaking responsibly. Okay, fine, I'll root for that but I have to say I was disappointed a few days back when the Easter Bunny didn't show up and I have no higher expectations this time.

There might, just might be some signs of the corporate media patriciate getting a tiny twinge of conscience but I don't really expect it to last. Bazz fazz.

Update: Indeed, I spoke too soon.

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