1. Jokermaxxing
After last week’s TNL show in Austin I got some negative feedback from people who did not like how gleeful I was at the prospect of the consequences of the Iran war: increased energy prices, rising unemployment, a stock-market correction, inflation, and even a jump in the price of generic drugs.
The criticism was that these are things that will happen to real people in the real world. Young adults will find it harder to get jobs and make rent. Parents will struggle to feed their families. Seniors won’t be able to keep pace. Rain falls on the just and unjust alike, one person wrote.
Meanwhile, I’m like Selina Kyle, salivating at the prospect of the coming storm. Or worse: I’m the Joker, giggling while the world burns.
I understand this criticism and I take it to heart. Truly. When America’s leadership fails, everyone gets hurt, including you and me. But at the same time, I’d like to offer a counterpoint.
Warning: This will not sound very nice. But bear with me.
“Touching the stove” is a theory premised on an optimistic view of the American people. And if you want to hold to the idea that our neighbors are fundamentally decent, then you should embrace all of the negative consequences coming our way.
I’ll go further: The Trump era can be read as a counterproof of Stove Theory. Evidence has mounted over a decade that touching the stove does not change people’s views. What happens to America if Stove Theory is invalidated? Oh, we’ll get to that. But I’m going to try to convince you that we should welcome whatever consequences flow from the Iran war.
So let’s talk about stove-touching, together.