The introductory chapters of history books are usually marvelous to read. But Big Pictures can sometimes become over-generalized, superficial verbiage. So there is the opposite approach, using a tangible and specific event to serve as a metaphor to illustrate the Big Picture.
Perhaps that is the approach future historians will take when discussing the end of the American Empire. They will introduce their book with a comparison of the funeral in Iran and Trump's Great American State Fair, taking place on the same weekend.
Did you have a chance to see videos at the street level of the funeral in Tehran? I was impressed with how calm and long-suffering people were. They needed hours just to get to it, after fighting the traffic of a giant city. Where were the porta-potties and the food trucks? It didn't seem like Iranians needed hats for that sun. They stood shoulder to shoulder in triple digit (Fahrenheit) heat.
Why!, it's as if they were saying that there is more to life than comfort and convenience, safety, showy luxuries, and frivolous entertainment.
The numerical estimates are all over the map, but it certainly was millions of people. How many millions would brave similar conditions to attend Trump's funeral?
Watching the behavior of the Iranian crowds makes me wonder if a religious society has strengths that we in the secular West underestimate. Look at the leaders of the secular, liberal, materialistic West: Starmer, Macron, Merz, van der Leyen, and the big jackass in Washington. How can a civilization that chooses such leaders have a bright future ahead of it?
The secular liberal West stands for self-indulgence and egoism. It is crowned by a great narcissist. Is this the way for a civilization to come up in the world?
This is not an advertisement for turning the clock back to ancient superstitions. It is a chance to see our own civilization with a broad view of its strengths and weaknesses. We really haven't done a very good job of replacing traditional religions and ancient superstitions with effective and rational unifying principles.
I don't think many people will suffer a great deal of inconvenience to attend Trump's funeral. But millions would like to dance on his grave.
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