“The Best Lack All Conviction. The Worst Are Full Of Passionate Intensity.”…W.B. Yeats-Re the Trump/Biden Debate.
Still in shock after the Trump/Biden trainwreck? Looking ahead with similar apprehension to a far-right takeover of the government in France? Gazing balefully as Putin seems to be gaining in the Ukraine? Looking on horrified at the slaughter in Gaza? Petrified by nuclear-armed China’s saber-rattling over Taiwan. Non-plussed by the unending flood of immigrants, the perilous state of the Climate?
A wave of black despair seems to have settled over the planet. The bad guys are winning everywhere. The future is bleak. Indeed, we’re unsure if there will be much of a future.
William Butler Yeats wrote a poem, “The Second Coming,” that describes that desolate view of the world:
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“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
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“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
Yeats wrote that poem in 1919.
What happened in the world in 1919 to generate such a tragic verse? I turned to GPT4.0 to write an Op-Ed that might have been written that year, and that would explain it all. The answer, after two seconds of reflection:
“The World in 1919: A Descent into Chaos
As we stand in the aftermath of the Great War, the world appears to be unraveling at an alarming pace. The once-promised peace and stability seem distant dreams, replaced by a stark reality of disorder and disillusionment. W.B. Yeats' chilling words in "The Second Coming" resonate deeply: "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold."
The Treaty of Versailles, intended to secure lasting peace, has instead sown seeds of resentment and instability. The punitive measures imposed on Germany promise not resolution but a festering wound that threatens future conflict. Across Europe, borders are redrawn with little regard for ethnic and cultural realities, fostering discord and nationalism.
The Russian Revolution has unleashed a wave of fear, as the specter of communism looms ominously over the continent. The old order is crumbling, and in its place, ideologies of extremism are taking root, threatening to engulf nations in further turmoil.
Economic instability is rampant, with inflation and unemployment eroding the fabric of society. The promises of a brighter future ring hollow to the countless war-weary citizens struggling to rebuild their shattered lives.
In this bleak landscape, the very foundations of civilization appear to be shaking. As Yeats foresaw, "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." The world in 1919 stands on the brink, teetering precariously between a tenuous peace and the abyss of further chaos and conflict.”
That was somewhat reassuring. In other words, the world we’re confronting today, is a hell of a lot less bleak and chaotic than that Yeats saw looking around in 1919.”
To further boost my morale, I asked GPT 4 to knock off an OpEd an editorialist might have written during the fall of Rome:
“The Twilight of Rome: A World in Chaos
As the mighty Roman Empire crumbles, we witness the twilight of an era that once promised civilization and progress. The grandeur of Rome, a beacon of order, is succumbing to chaos. Barbarian hordes breach our gates, bringing anarchy and ruin.
Our cities, once centers of commerce and culture, now lie in devastation. The cries of the hungry and diispossessed fill the streets, victims of a collapsing economy and fractured society. The Pax Romana is a distant memory, replaced by fear and uncertainty.
Political structures have disintegrated. Corruption and incompetence plague those in power, while our Senate, a shadow of its former self, is powerless against the tide of disintegration. Provinces fall into the hands of local warlords and invaders, each carving out fiefdoms from our once-unified state.
Cultural and intellectual achievements are at risk. Libraries burn, scholars scatter, and our art and literature unravel. The light of knowledge dims as ignorance and superstition rise.
The fall of Rome heralds a descent into barbarism, a long night from which we may never fully emerge.”
OK. Survived that. Fast forward to Europe in 1343 and another Oped:
A World in Darkness: The Black Death
As the Black Death ravages our lands, the world is plunged into a nightmare of unprecedented horror. Entire villages lie abandoned, their inhabitants claimed by the relentless plague. The air is thick with the stench of death, and the streets are filled with the cries of the dying and the wails of the bereaved.
Faith falters as the clergy, once pillars of hope, succumb alongside their flock. Commerce grinds to a halt, and famine looms as fields go untended. The social fabric unravels, with fear and despair reigning supreme. In this grim reality, humanity teeters on the brink of collapse.”
Pretty damn grim. Yet, somehow, we made it through. What about America in 1865.?
“America After the Civil War: A Nation Fractured
As the Civil War ends, America stands at a perilous crossroads, deeply scarred and uncertain. The abolition of slavery, while monumental, has not erased the deep-seated prejudice and economic disparity faced by newly freed individuals. Reconstruction, fraught with resistance, offers little more than a fragile hope for inclusivity and equity.
The South, left in ruins, struggles to rebuild amidst widespread poverty and resentment. The North, though victorious, faces the daunting task of reintegrating a divided nation, with many questioning the true commitment to the rights of all citizens. Technological advancements and industrial growth seem hollow against a backdrop of social unrest and political instability.
America's future appears bleak, dependent on a tenuous resolve to overcome profound divisions and uphold the ideals of liberty and justice, which now seem more distant than ever. The path to healing and unity is obscured by the shadows of deep fractures and lingering animosities, casting doubt on the nation's ability to rebuild truly.”
Rebuild, they did. But then came Wall Street in 1929.
“The Great Crash: A World in Peril
The Great Crash of 1929 has plunged the world into a chasm of despair. Once-thriving economies now lie in ruins, with banks failing and savings evaporating overnight. The streets are filled with the unemployed, their hopes shattered by the relentless collapse.
Families, stripped of their livelihoods, face hunger and homelessness. The promise of the American Dream has turned into a cruel illusion. Globally, the ripple effects are devastating, with political instability and social unrest on the rise. As markets crumble and despair spreads, the world stands on the precipice of an uncertain and perilous future.”
We’re still ironing out that perilous future. But thanks, GPT4.0, for making me feel a bit less miserable. Somehow, humanity persevered and survived one catastrophe after another—catastrophes possibly far worse than another Trump presidency. Though you have to admit it, the thought is still chilling.
Another thing to buck you up. While we’ve survived horrific wars, ice ages, plagues, and the collapse of civilizations, at the same time, our species has made great advances. In science, particularly in the last few centuries. But nothing compared to the vertiginous progress we’re now experiencing—in computing power, artificial intelligence, and almost daily, it seems revolutionary medical breakthroughs.
This points up what, in the end, is the fatal flaw of our species—our fantastic ability to uncover the secrets of the universe and harness them to our needs. At the same time, we have a tragic inability to organize our society rationally—to govern ourselves without blowing ourselves apart.
The astonishing potential future that awaits us is just a few decades away—As Ray Kutzweill’s new book “The Singularity Is Nearer” makes clear.
All we have to do is ensure we don’t destroy ourselves first.
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Barry, that is the most excellent, extraordinary piece of writing that I've come across in many years.
I'm saving it, sending it to some people, and re-reading it whenever I feel crushed and hopeless.
Joan