Meaning and its Obverse

While we may desire narrative, perhaps we really want meaning.

When Kennedy was shot, no one could believe that the insignificant Oswald could have had the impact he had. All sorts of conspiracies were conjured. Even after the investigation reported out, the congress accepted it--but did not believe it.

So again we will search for something bigger. Perhaps it is the influence of public figures, talking harshly. There are a lot of anti-Semites; maybe there is a cabal of them at work. There must be something bigger.

But there is nothing bigger. There is no lesson to be learned, no Dr. Mudd to run to ground. These are isolated, idiosyncratic events, like volcanos or tornadoes, mindless and alone. Only Evil. Evil.

But we are the children of Vietnam, of Iraq and Libya. We are the children of meth and Fentanyl. So don't worry. We are getting good at meaningless destruction.