Wake Me When It's Over

Sophie's Choice circa November 2016

People seem to love disasters as long as they're not in them. Earthquakes, traffic accidents, mudslides wiping away entire villages in foreign countries, terror attacks, and Brian De Palma and Quentin Tarantino movies--the bloodier the better-- are all magnets for our basest instincts. We watch in horror but still we watch, fascinated and titillated and relieved it's not us.

The same is true of Donald Trump and his steadfast quest for the presidency. Americans can't seem to get enough about this man they say they detest, yet they continue to salivate over his every word. The media, claiming disdain, builds entire broadcasts and panel discussions around him. Even this teeny little thing, my personal blog, sees  skyrocketing readership numbers when I put Trump's name in the title.

Come on people, grow up: We all know he won't be our next president, so what's all the fuss about? Maybe if everyone started ignoring him he'd go away. And if he doesn't, remember this: "Toute nation a le gouvernement qu'elle mérite."--Joseph-Marie, comte de Maistre