Fermenting Hope, in a world feeling hopeless : Dr Dawson

Paradoxically, while passionately worried about our current global crisis, I chose instead to write about a global crisis from 75 years ago.


 Because Dr Dawson faced a situation in WWII not unlike today's and his solution is equally valid - still.

 Just as today, the world's warring elites were nevertheless united (taking their cues from modernity science) in believing that Reality was both easily knowable and controllable.

 So if one already has all the answers, why seek the help of others?

 Back then, the elite held no special animus for Moslems (Jews topped that poll) but there were few of us they didn't potentially judge as unworthy of attention, of respect, even of life.

 These values of Modernity and Exclusion culminated, as we all know, in 1945 at Auschwitz.

 But 1945 is also regarded as the birthdate of Postmodernity and of our (too) slow move to more inclusionary values.

 And I dare to argue that it was Dawson's Big Tent Penicillin vision of "Help from all : Hope for all" that was its quiet harbinger..