Politics in the 'New Normal' America

October 7, 2004 7:23 PM

Politics in the 'New Normal' America. By Joan Didion.
posted by josh (7 comments total)

It's a little Fahrenheit 9/11--it even ends with a quote from George Orwell--but it's the best history I've seen of just how politics in America got so, so dumb. I find that it pretty much accurately something I've been thinking about inarticulately for a long time.

And check out those caricatures of Kerry and Didion! They are awesome!
posted by josh at 7:25 PM on October 7, 2004

This is good stuff. It feels like a hint of how this moment in history will be remembered and processed into literature.
posted by rks404 at 9:49 PM on October 7, 2004

this article is too long to be discussed on mefi, please include funny flash animation.
posted by Satapher at 9:59 PM on October 7, 2004

"They e-mailed newsletters and Web logs..."

Huh?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:40 PM on October 7, 2004

"They e-mailed newsletters and Web logs..."

Yeah, she could have said, "links to" but didn't. Probably better to stop reading there, though, stav. ;^)

Great article. Well worth the long read. Thanks, josh!
posted by squirrel at 3:00 AM on October 8, 2004

rks -- my thought exactly!
posted by josh at 6:13 AM on October 8, 2004

This is one of those essays you save so that you can come back to it ten years later. Props to JD for writing it and josh for bringing it to our attn.
posted by alumshubby at 11:33 AM on October 8, 2004