Anne's Franks (@MartyTheOneManParty)

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there." I get the strong sense that the powers that be have accepted the turning of American (really, Atlanticist power). I think they have accepted the inevitability of the reality of the contrapuntal force that is BRICS+ (by any name, the world beyond). Likewise, they have accepted and are everywhere trying to manage the emergence of MAGA "lite" (as was glaringly demonstrated at the Rep party convention just recently). The signs of strains are being felt everywhere throughout the West. But in stark contrast to earlier times, national unity will not be achieved when any one of the civilizational crises does finally present. We are seeing so much window dressing being applied. But what is being presented is escapism, not home. Even the promises are faded out. The dreams. I see a society that is on the cusp of a revolution, or rather a coup: order will be imposed. What's beginning to emerge just now is the public face of it that strains to maintain continuity with a past grown evermore distant with each passing day. The New American Republic (sic) and its European variants are already taking shape before us as part of this re-inscription over the historical palimpsest. This process is no longer confined to classrooms, however: the future inculcated through decades of indoctrination is here (almost). Now come the Brechts. Now come the Eisensteins.... Now come all of those who will explain to us our lives, our being,. Now come all the arbiters of culture who will will interpret for us (on our own behalf) the significance of our life and times. These people will tell us where we fit in. --- --- Pasha : I used to admire your poetry. Zhivago : Thank you. Pasha : I shouldn't admire it now. I should find it absurdly personal. Don't you agree? Feelings, insights, affections... it's suddenly trivial now. You don't agree; you're wrong. The personal life is dead in Russia. History has killed it. I can see why you might hate me. Zhivago : I hate everything you say, but not enough to kill you for it.