First words

Narrative is how we make sense of the world. It is how we find "meaning" in events, by placing them in the context of some narrative. I'm sure it is built into our genes to think this way. It is more productive to think analytically, but that's science and hard work, and we slip back to narrative very quickly. Narrative is pretty much absent from the law of gravity, but we like the story of the apple falling on Newton's head.

That's the heart of the "debate" over Evolution in the Schools. Analysis and careful observation makes Darwin's Theory of Evolution very appealing and realistic; but, some people hate the implied narrative. They like the narrative with God creating the heavens and the earth, and plucking a rib from Adam, and all that. They assert that biologists have not "proven" the biological narrative. Of course, there really is no biological narrative, per se, just an analysis of observed facts. And, you cannot "prove" a narrative beyond dispute, in any case. Ask any lawyer.

Among the Christian Right, there's a very popular series of novels, the Left Behind series, which depict an imminent "End of Days", where the faithful are vindicated. In the novels, reality dramatically changes to conform to the ridiculous "faith" of true-believing, right-wing Christians. Liberals, of course, suffer torments and humiliation, as Christian fantasy becomes reality.

Well, I think that among Liberals, like myself, a similar kind of narrative is developing. We are watching for a tsunami -- a small ripple on the surface of a placid sea, which will become a tidal wave of destruction as it nears shore. We are looking for the consequences of the Bush Administration policies, of course, but looking for them in a particular dramatic form, which vindicates our judgement.

A more sober view would acknowledge that the predictable consequences of Bush policies are likely to be a slow and gradual transformation of the U.S. in undesirable ways. The slow boiling of a heedless lobster. Phase-out Social Security and the number of old people in poverty will rise gradually, for example. Modify environmental policy and the poisoning of air and water will proceed bit by bit. End the estate tax and it will require a generation or two to pass before conservatives are actually suggesting ennobling our landed aristocracy.

But, how much sweeter if the fools, who elected this moron (not really stupid, but not quite pure evil either) were to have their eyes opened by dramatic events. The Coming of the Perfect Storm, which will awaken America from her somnolence -- just as the Great Depression ushered in the New Deal or the Civil War brought about the end of slavery. One of those tops-turvy moments in American History, like Nixon going from landslide victory to resignation in disgrace in 21 months.

The Coming of the Perfect Storm is a theme in liberal political commentary and one which is likely to sound a crescendo in the coming months. It is motivated by a kind of perverse wishful thinking, a desire to have an opportunity to say, "I told you so" to some stupid and wicked people. But, remember that just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not out to get you. Bush really is a bad President, and there really will be bad consequences, and it is just possible that some of those bad consequences will come about before his end of term, compounding into a truly catastrophic moment for this country.