The Last Week Tonight: What Will It Take?

Have you ever repeatedly uttered a word until it just became a meaningless sound? Try it for one minute. Love, love, love, love, love, love, … At most, you're left with a familiar, comforting noise. We often fail to notice what is familiar. The fish don't see the water or understand its significance--if that expression isn't itself too familiar to make the point. I think we also experience meaninglessness arising from repetition when we hear the same text over and over. It becomes a familiar,...