One of the advantages that should come to us from Egypt's teaching us how to be human again, (see: “The battle of Tahrir Square means we can all be human again,” http://kenmacleod.blogspot.com/2011/02/br-battle-of-tahrir-square-means-we-can.html) is a greater facility to organize our mental data, and focus our political thinking.
A case in point. Last week (February 6-11) in the States began with a wide, vigorous discussion in the media over the political career of Egyptian vice-president Omar Sulemein. Was he a tyrannical man? Was he a torture-enabler? (the "extraordinary rendition" flights to Egypt) About Wednesday, excepting the left media, the discussion stopped dead. By Friday, Mubarek was out. There was hardly any background discussion; attention seemed to focus only on the military. Sulemein and his deeds had apparently fallen down the memory hole.
Yeah, I went to kollitch. I know about oversimplification. I was taught to avoid "post hoc, ergo propter hoc" errors. More sophisticated Marxist professors cautioned me about “reductionism,” and making presumptions about “unnecessary” connections between events and economic interests. Life is strange, Grasshopper, and we musn’t assume that Obama and Clinton wanted Sulemein to come out on top all along.
So no Stalinism here, nosiree! However, one thing continues to nag me. To rephrase one of my favorite quotes from Ursula K. LeGuin: If we continue running around with (and being governed by. L.G.) arsonists as long as we have, by now shouldn’t we be better able to smell smoke?
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