degringolade

I spent some time catching up with an old friend. Like me, he is increasingly becoming a recluse and our now preferred method of communication consists of the occasional email detailing an aspect of our current thoughts and a brief update on our infrequent interactions with what is laughingly referred to as the "real" world.

I had sent a brief note complaining about my current situation, where the monsoons that have hit the upper left of the continental United States has been keeping me inside more than my preference. When I stay inside too much, I spend to much time reading about the antics of the spoiled children who seem to be in charge of the western world. This nasty habit leads to a certain despondence on my part, so M was kind enough to send me this clip to cheer me up.

End of Strangelove

Now, this was sent to cheer me up, and I suppose that it did just that. Kubrick is a stone-cold genius.

But it also made me go back and begin to re-read a couple of history books that I finished long ago. These books show the run up to war and the nature of the societies that do that crazy thing.

The Proud Tower: Barbara Tuchman The Guns of August: Barbara Tuchman The Impending Crisis: David Potter

They are really good reads. What is amazing is that they show how folks go crazy (just a little) before they go into war and how war is brought on. We haven't progressed as a species since the events that these books describe and it looks like we are going down that path again.