9 May — The Kennedy Brain Worm, Gaza Transgenders at The Met, Ryan Holiday Was Right Again, the Botched Zelenskyy Assassination Attempt

Bobby Kennedy claims a worm ate his brain. Or part of it. It’s that darn fish heavy diet. Has awful repercussions. Or manifestations. Infestations. I don’t think any worms have eaten my brain, but I think the media has. The Western media. I don’t know, I used to feel somehow, at least marginally, tangentially, connected to society, sort of a part of it, but it seems like the newspapers I have been reading are just shills for the Culture War, and pressing their case, whatever the cause du jour is these days, Gaza, transgenders, Gaza transgenders. And did you see the fashion at The Met?

Also, Eurovision. And the War on Christmas.

The Liberals. The Conservatives. The Libservatils.

In these news articles, I see almost no aspect of my own world reflected back. Anything connected to me is suspect. I am a father. Might that be too patriarchal of me? How might I reduce the patriarchy in my father-being? What is the best way to atone for the sins of my forefathers? I must repent.

Do I feel repressed in some weird twist of fate? Am I turning into one of those fascist wannabe oppressed men’s rights people. Not really. But I don’t trust myself as much as I once did. I can only imagine some university student combing through my inner monologue, marking down “problematic thoughts,” necessary for future Maoist mind cleansing. Struggle sessions. Reprogramming. Maybe they will insert a worm in my ear, just like in The Wrath of Khan? Is that what really happened to Bobby Kennedy Junior?

Who can live like this?

No, I think. My final answer to you is no. Maybe good old Ryan Holiday was right? The media is just noisy noise, preventing us from getting where we need to go. Or, as Rage Against the Machine once howled, “What does the sign say? Come and play. Come and play. Forget about the movement.”

Maybe the only thing of note that I read recently was the foiled plot to assassinate Zelenskyy, on Putin’s inauguration day, of course. Master wants the head of surly Jewish rapscallion in neighboring country, delivered on a platter. Best deliver to master all he wants, then master will be pleased. Could anything be more messed up? Zelenskyy is a beloved comedian. But master wants him dead. Master will pay for the head of a dead comedian.

In the UK, they expelled the Russian defense attaché. Basically they are kicking out all the spies (is anyone not a spy?) But as many have noted, all of the expulsions and sanctions aren’t really chinking the armor of Putin. He has Chinese backing, and in watching Xi land in Serbia on the 25th anniversary of NATO accidentally bombing the Chinese embassy in Belgrade (oops), one is reminded of the rather long memories of some old people.

It’s hard to take the Americans seriously when they talk about human rights and then are arming the Israelis so they can go mow down a few thousand more civilians in Gaza, in the name of freeing hostages who are now dead.

Some of whom might have also been transgender. Just saying.

Anyway, the world is on fire and burning. Burn, baby, burn.