Only consequences will ultimately persuade people what a catastrophic mistake they made.
The following is a guest opinion essay from a senior, long-time friend—brilliant musician, published author and pioneer computer wizard, Severo Ornstein. Exactly what we all must hear—demonstrating how age serves wisdom, providing solace on the brink of travesty. Severo offers a thoughtful meditation to offset reams of idle brouhaha about discarding older public figures. Would that Biden, warts and all, had not forsaken his chances or had withdrawn earlier. It turns out, however disheartening, that a white male, father figure would have bypassed the electoral challenges still plaguing a minority, liberal woman from California.
What stands out here is the realistic, humane projection likely driven by the immense, imminent suffering to be caused by a provocation president who elevates disruption for its own sake. Severo wrote this letter to comfort his anxious, distressed daughter, like tens of millions horrified that America knowingly re-elected a convicted felon, sex abuser, lawless insurrectionist—and failed president—now escaping punishment for his most horrendous lawbreaking. The important message here is that individuals and groups learn best (sometimes only) from failure—the more painful the blunders, the greater the opportunity to recoup from losses.
It’s not hard to imagine that Biden’s steadfast, adult presidency will emerge as a golden age of incremental, constructive governance, despite unwise reluctance to talk up substantive, essential systemic reforms (and at least subdue Israeli brutality). Robert Reich’s essay, “There was no mandate for Trump and there was no red shift—there was only a blue abandonment,” outlines the magnitude of mandatory, in-depth autopsies that must be done if the Democratic coalition has any chance to reconnect with its own alienated voters. RB
Copy of email sent last week
Dear [daughter]:
I’m sorry the election has caused you such angst. Of course at my age it’s easier to be sanguine about Trump than at your age. But here’s where I come down—and I think it’s helpful to keep the following in mind.
Just as individuals ultimately have to face and deal with the consequences of their decisions and actions, so do entire societies. In the end it is the consequences of Trump’s actions and the MAGA movement that will shape the course of history. The worse the chaos that results, the sooner and larger will be the eventual revulsion and turnaround. Individually there is sadly very little we can do to combat stupid actions by the overall society in which we’re immersed. As individuals we can certainly look for opportunities to tweak what happens, but given the overwhelming support Trumpism has obviously just been handed, I think we need to wait and let the disastrous consequences sink into the public’s awareness. It’s really only those consequences that will ultimately persuade people what a catastrophic mistake they made.
So if it feels hopeless, it’s because it probably is. Bad things are inevitably going to happen that will hurt many people, but ironically it’s that very harm that will ultimately bring about change. I don’t like to preach, but we learn most from our mistakes, and we’ve made a whopper this time.
We can watch as the entire system tries to resist his most destructive instincts, but we don’t really know how that resistance will go. Right now he’s got the element of surprise on his side: “How could anyone get away with doing THAT?” But eventually the chickens will start coming home to roost and there will be a groundswell of revulsion and rebellion. Only then will it be time to put shoulder to wheel. Right now any attempt by individuals will be “pissing into the wind”—which is clearly blowing the other way. It’s not just Trump that’s wrong—it’s the majority of the country that has allowed itself to be suckered. The only thing that will alter that is consequences—of which there will be plenty, and no way to prevent them. Meanwhile agonizing over the various steps he will undertake does no good and only damages yourself.
There will come a time when acting will be helpful, but not at this stage. we’ll likely be dead and gone by then, and it’ll be up to your generation and the next to figure out how best to repair the damage wrought by our generation’s dereliction—most particularly with regard to public education. It’s ignorance and stupidity that are the real enemy that has allowed this to happen. A too gullible population let itself be bamboozled.
And backing off to a larger perspective, as a species we’ve constructed a house of cards that relies on a number of items that don’t exist in endless quantity—fossil fuels, dumping grounds for our detritus, etc. We’re seriously damaging the very planet that we require to survive. Stopping and reversing the damage would demand dramatic changes we’re unwilling to undertake, and as a result the consequences and agony that are coming will surpass anything that Trump et al will be able to inflict. Our species, like many others before it, may well turn out to be an ultimately unsuccessful evolutionary experiment. So best to relax and get what enjoyment you can out of life. Rome is on fire; for the time being, might as well follow Nero and try to enjoy doing your own thing!
Love,
Dad
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