The health care debate is madness. Joe Wilson's (R-S.C.) outburst at last night's joint session is indicative of the fever-dream this debate is for many of reform's opponents. Wilson's shout, 'You lie!' was irrational and wholly reactionary, a posture assumed from ten consecutive months of consumed feartalk.
With fear replacing reason, just about every visible curve transforms to a sharp, threatening edge. Skepticism transforms into paranoia. And those so riled, like Wilson, feel a desperate sense of duty in the face of their terror. One can imagine that his colleagues + news providers passively set him up for this moment ~ that Obama is lying, he cannot be trusted, he is vexing the public with charisma, that it is terrible, that it spells doom, and every word he utters into a microphone brings national collapse ~ Obama's ultimate agenda ~ closer and closer to hand.
I hesitate to call this imagination. But one could easily compare Wilson's fears about health reform to Orwell's fears about the all-powerful State. I'm biased here, though. I would describe Orwell's dream, though it could be called paranoid, as much more rational than Wilson's terror ~ I imagine he came to many of his severe conclusions independently, from calm observation, whereas Wilson was stirred into a frenzy that seemed to him the only option outside surrender.
Which isn't really an option.
Just try to click it.
[ Note: Yes is also unclickable. }
