Grim Fairy Tale Number 2

This is the second in a new series of Grim Fairy Tales. The name is a play on the fictional tales of the Grimm Brothers, of which every child and parent knows. Mine differ, however, in being both decidedly grim, with only one “m,” and appallingly real.

The first in my series (although not named as such) was my post on how we are each probably carrying a spoon’s worth of plastic microparticles around in our brains. (This despite the alleged “blood-brain barrier,” an evolutionary feature of our bodies supposed to keep toxins and pathogens out of our brains, even if they otherwise enter our bodies.)

Now take a look at this clip of a recent Cabinet meeting, staged to congratulate Trump on the “success” of the first 100 days of his second term as president. [After the promo, set the timer at 0:20.] Note the vapid, simplistic and likely insincere flattery. Note the “cute” little MAGA caps, red and black, in front of each and every participant.

Recall the impossibly divergent cabinet of our very best president, Abraham Lincoln, as described by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in her book Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Imagine, if you will, how different Old Abe’s Cabinet meetings might have seemed, with intelligent, independent, strong leaders all discussing, as equals, the scourge of slavery and how to win our Civil War.

Then compare this modern abomination to the ancient Chinese custom of “kow-towing” to the Emperor—a self-abasement process of kneeling and touching one’s forehead to the floor. Or compare it to the tales of the many evil princes of medieval Italian city-states told in Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, replete with his introductory obeisance to his own sponsor. Or, perhaps mostly aptly, compare it to one of Vladimir Putin’s staff meetings.

Then, if you can despite the horror flooding your mind, have a nice day!

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