A Hole in the World

In the immediate aftermath of September 11, Jonathan Schell wrote wise and passionate words that appeared in The Nation. From these words blossomed a regular column by the former New Yorker writer on the new American way of living, dying, and killing. Fierce and elegant, infused with Schell’s typical compassion, these meditations were incisions into the received wisdoms of post-9/11 America. Drawing from historical precedents to comments on the current political and cultural situation, Schell presents compelling arguments against America’s imperial ambitions, explores the dangers posed by the resurgence of nuclear proliferation, and argues that the public can and must hold their leaders accountable for their actions. As Schell warns, “Attention must shift from the deceiver to the deceived. The corruption threatens to spread from the teller to the hearer—from the Administration to the country, from them to us. Today's lies, exaggerations, contradictions and broken promises litter the mental landscape, like uncollected garbage, polluting and poisoning the intellectual and moral air. A fog of amnesia covers the scene. What was said ten minutes ago is forgotten. What was promised yesterday never appears, and no one cares ... Cognitive torture calls for cognitive indignation. And indignation should lead to action.”