If only children could be free of all that crap previous generations had gathered up for them, he said, perhaps it would bring some clarity to their lives.

The priest and the receptionist joyfully and contentedly shared their genuine dislike of the world, including the entirety of the Earth’s population. The burden was now only half as great, since each of them could take on three and a half billion people rather than seven billion alone.

He had certain similarities to Trump in Washington in that he was reluctant to delegate tasks in his administration. With the possible difference that Trump drew conclusions without doing the actual reading.

It had been exciting, the entire journey, but nothing lasts forever, except possibly general stupidity.

With the new antiterrorism laws, the government could call anyone a terrorist and lock him or her up for as long as they liked, for any reason they liked. Or for no reason at all.

But wait, how much do you have to think before you have finished thinking?

Nombeko said that she was South African, and that she thought it sounded laborious to hate all Americans, given how many of them there were.

The world went on revolving around its sun at the constant speed and with the inconstant temper it always had.

They amplified existing problems or invented ones that didn’t exist, polarizing and making people fearful of one another. Then they pointed to what they’d created and said they were the only ones with solutions.

We’ll just change your name – I’m sure the assistant can’t tell one black from the next.’ Said the fourteen-year-old who looked twelve.