Midlife Meditation

Things are falling apart. The end of World War I saw the establishment, across Africa, Asia, and even Europe, of new nations created by treaties drawn up by the winners of that conflict. Many of these nations functioned as colonies until the 1950s, when they began declaring independence. The superpowers drawing up their borders paid little or no attention to the territories of ethnic groups, and thus throughout Africa ancient nations like the Ewe found themselves living in multiple nations, often with borders running down the middle of villages. It also brought together groups of people who would not, of their own accord, have formed a state with each other: Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians in Yugoslavia; Christians, Jews, and Muslims in Lebanon; and, in Iraq, Shia, Sunni, and Kurds. Some of these nations were able to establish unity governments, and even to have democratic elections, but for the most part, they stayed intact as long as they did because of the presence of a strongman in...

Right away the progressive is schmoozing, talking up every single patron, asking how they're doing, what they're hoping to get out of the evening, what their hopes and dreams are. The progressive isn't all talk, either; anyone who seems promising gets a drink, too. In no time, the progressive becomes the most popular person in the bar. Meanwhile the liberal steps up to the bar and orders drinks for everyone the progressive didn't treat. "That's great!" says the bartender. "What's your name? I'd like to tell them who this is from!" "What's the point?" says the liberal. "My buddy the progressive will get the credit." "Not if I make the announcement," says the bartender. "No, you don't get it," says the liberal. "My buddy's all about the future, and leading the right people into it. I just want to be sure nobody gets left out." If that didn't make you laugh--and I ...