The Endings of August

The month of August has always felt like a demarcation of the year.  Not in the same overt way the 4th of July does, or even Thanksgiving, but you can still feel it 'in your bones'.

Summer is ending with August, and so, shortly, will most summer vacations.  Back to school, back to seriousness, back to the real year that took a break sometime in late May and needs just now to get its act together.

Other things end in August too.  Some people get divorced.  Others lose their jobs.  Some lose their lives.  These things happen all year, of course, but August seems somehow a more fitting backdrop.

One 'thing' that clearly ended this August was any pretense that the Republican Party is dealing fairly with the American People.  At their convention in Tampa nothing was revealed of any substance, except that virtually everyone who took the stage spoke in meaningless banality; ignoring, slanting, skewing, or just plain corrupting the truth as if truth had no meaning at all.  That was what we learned about the GOP this cycle, and it felt like a true ending.

The Curse of Intelligence

"Envy the slow, the witless, the truly stupid, for they know no doubt."

I put that in quotes, but I'm paraphrasing, since I don't remember where or when I read that sentiment. I do believe it's true, though.  (I've had enough surreal airport and bar conversations to prove the theory.)

Imagine how simple a day would be if you awakened to firm, unshakeable belief in any number of subjects that intelligence tells us are debatable and anything but written-in-stone.

Imagine absolutely no doubt even where ample evidence exists to instill doubt.

Imagine believing as gospel every statement issued by your political party, your religious leaders, or FOX News.

Imagine being a member of the Tea Party or an acolyte of Limbaugh.

What an assured existence that could be.

Trouble is, if you can imagine any of those scenarios and their consequences, you are not qualified for a simple, doubt-free life.  You think too much.