Author: Jim

NYTimes: The Muggle Problem

The Muggle Problem nyti.ms/2tjshbh

In the Potterverse, the meritocracy of magic allows the chosen to withdraw, to disappear behind a curtain into their academic world, leaving Muggledom to its own devices.
In our universe, though, the meritocracy of talent expects the chosen to actually go out and try to rule. On the evidence we have, they are not particularly good at it. And how to lead wisely in a society where most people did not go to Hogwarts is a lesson that J. K. Rowling’s lovely, lively, but ultimately childish novels do not teach.
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NYTimes: What Do We Have a Government for?

What Do We Have a Government for? nyti.ms/2ubSyVW

Gail: Speaking of tweets, you wrote a great column last week announcing that you were giving up twittering, except for occasions when you wanted to say something nice.

Welcome to the non-tweeting tribe! I have to admit my two reasons for pretty much avoiding Twitter are 1) fear of saying something really stupid and 2) fear of having it turn into another occupation. Yours seem much more elevated. How’s it been going?

Bret: I gave one last parting glance at the Twitter reaction, much of it obscene, to the column, and it made me feel that much better about the decision. Twitter is supposed to be just another communications tool, and in theory it has its uses. In practice, it has a way of turning its users into jerks. And yes, God save you (or me), from tweeting something impulsively and then regretting it for the rest of the week.

At the risk of being self-congratulatory, let me just say that part of what we’re trying to do with these conversations is model a certain kind of discourse — disagreement minus nastiness — that we could all use a little more of. Now, did I mention that your readers are demented morons if they think Betsy DeVos is the worst member of the cabinet?

Gail: Ah, the beat goes on. See you after our Independence Day vacation next week, Bret. And meanwhile, if you can’t tweet something nice about somebody, don’t tweet anything at all.

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