There’s nothing normal about the state of the world at the moment, but it’s also fair to say that it’s not unusual. I can’t say that a study of history provides any encouragement or guidance. Perhaps knowing it’s all happened before – and we’re still here – might remind us that we’ll get through this as well. To what end, and to what purpose though?
‘The Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century’ by Barbara Tuchman
‘The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam’ by Barbara Tuchman
‘The Shock Doctrine’ by Naomi Klein
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A perceptive observation by Sukaina Hirji: “…moral behavior doesn’t exist in an individualist vacuum – it’s dependent on community. “You’re never going to become a fully good person if you’re just trying to do it on your own,” she said. “We need a good, well-functioning political community that kind of helps us all be good, that kind of cultivates virtue and its citizens.”
However, they might have added: “People operate in and interact with a host of communities, and are more strongly influenced by (and have influence in) all of those that are closest to them – families, friends, teams, workplaces, clubs, schools and anywhere where people come together with a common interest or purpose.” All of these micro-communities have the potential, through good design and maintenance, to strengthen our ‘better natures’ We might think about how the Burner community fits into all of that.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/02/americans-rift-philosophers