Pride and downsides

Late (and still great) Sir Pterry was a writer who wrote great footnotes as well as the books to contain them (name any other author who put a footnote even into the book title!). And while Thief of Time probably was not written for this particular footnote, it would’ve not been half as good without it: Every society needs a cry like that, but only in a very few do they come out with the complete, unvarnished version, which is “Remember-the-Atrocity-Committed-Against-Us-Last-Time-That-Will-Excuse-the-Atrocity-That-We’re-About-to-Commit-Today! And So On! Hurrah!” I think this describes the best the situation observed in this world as well: too many groups (from individuals to communities spanning many nations) think they were greatly wronged in the past and this excuses whatever they’re going to do. In the best case it’s merely against the perceived/appointed enemies, in the worst case it’s against everybody. Of course since those people think they’re right (or don’t think at all) they…