Let the Games Begin

“To an authoritarian ruling elite insane narratives serve as both loyalty test and humiliation ritual.” —Kit Knightly

The ordeal of the holidays, and the void of action that attends it, is over. Now, history resumes its awesome out-spooling. Will it be tyranny, collapse, war, civil war, renewal? Probably some wicked combo of all that. The players are taking the field again. The great engine of the game comes back to life with a cough and a rumble.

Did you notice that “Joe Biden” ceremonially kic...