by Anthony Barnett
There is a new Facebook group that makes me laugh and is very sad at the same time. It is called Nobody for President.
Here is just a selection of his slogans, and there are some photos of him as well:
"Nobody will end the war in Iraq. Nobody is listening to you. Nobody will fix the education system. Nobody knows what he is doing in Washington. Nobody will make us energy independent. Nobody will cut government waste. Nobody will clean up the environment. Nobody will protect us against terrorist threats. Nobody will tell the truth. (more...)
Nobody understands farm subsidies. Nobody will spend your tax dollars wisely. Nobody feels your pain. Nobody is a compassionate conservative. Nobody wants to give peace a chance. Nobody knows how Washington really works. Nobody believes that America's greatest days lie ahead. Nobody will stand up for what's right. Nobody will be your voice. Nobody is looking out for your interests.
Join the Nobody Party. Because Nobody gives a damn."
It currently has 166 members. It's compelling because of its energetic American cynicism - you can see why Nobody might be right! But as Homer (the original, not the Simpson one) tells us, Odysseus used this gimmick to escape from the Cyclops Polyphemos. After he blinded him in his druken sleep, the monster bellowed out in pain. His fellow Cyclops came and called to him outside his blocked-up cave, "What ails you.. why do you cry so sore in the starry night? You will not let us sleep. Surely no man's driving off your flock? No man has tricked you, ruined you?" And the mammoth Polyphemos roared back in reply, "Nobody. Nohbdy's tricked me, Nohbdy's ruined me!" And his neighbours shouted back, well if nobody has done you wrong then it is a pain given by Zeus and it is nothing we can do. So they left him.
And Odysseus, though still trapped within the cave, says, "I was filled with laughter to see how like a charm the name deceived them". In Homer the joke works to liberate Odysseus and his crew from being eaten alive. In Facebook it traps its supporters into their own hollow hopelessness. The joke is on them.
Meanwhile, the Cyclops of American power roams free.
