Decivilisation

A pessimistic column from Timothy Garton Ash, writing in today’s Guardian. His thesis is that the veneer of civilisation that we human animals possess is thinner than we think. While recent events in New Orleans may have been the catalyst to his thoughts, recent history has provided plenty of other examples as evidence. He worries that, as we move further into the 21st century, the pressure on the veneer will increase, not decrease. I can’t help feeling that he’s right. As the old saw has it: a pessimist is an optimist who is in full possession of the facts.