Beyond Pollyanna

As we reach the threshold of a new era the tendency is to take refuge in Pollyanna and utter denial to avoid going up against "the wall." The so-called "armed lifeboat" syndrome has brought us a new kind of literature, one which goes beyond warnings and denials to state that we must face, what Bill McKibben and many other writers have warned us about. These writings can amount to what Christian Parenti has called "romancing the end times."

Paarenti's book, "Tropic of Chaos," Slavoj Zizek's "Living in the End Times," and Naomi Kline's "The Shock Doctrine" take us to a reality that goes well beyond the fire walls put up and maintained by both apologists and critics of our dire predicaments. This is to be looking at the barrel of a gun, one which is not going to go away with rationalizations and platitudes.

It doesn't matter if your lifeboat has a cross on the bow and the old "red, white & blue" flying on the stern, nor whether you are able to lounge on your bullet and torpedo proof Chris Craft, or kick back in your deeply gated community. Everyone is involved, regardless of their armour or bank accounts. Last evening I hit the bottom of this and it was terrifying. All the best to you.