Power Is as Much Consented to as Claimed

That’s a brilliant line from a review of Christopher Clark’s Prisoners of Time.

It’s a historic fact, as proven by something no more distant than (half of) America’s infatuation with Donald Trump. He didn’t coerce his way into almost complete control of the Republican Party—and very nearly the entirety of American politics—he was given permission by both his followers and party.

Logic and science and intuitive diplomacy are not bound to consent.

They are proven by constant argument to disprove. Einstein’s theory of relativity and the Jonas Salk polio vaccine are brilliant examples, the former by a decade to prove and the latter by wiping out polio.

We nibble around the edges of fact-based knowledge and climate change is the best example that comes to mind. We gaze out our windows, read about floods and fires but have not yet given our permission for the investment we are already too late to give.

In the sports world we swallow our heroes whole and one need merely peruse the sports pages f…