I am haunted by a recurring nightmare in which I am a guy in Munich back in, say, 1934, who can see into the future.

In my nightmare, there is a new leader who has taken the nation by storm. He promises us Hope and Change by bringing the nation back from the doldrums and economic chaos following the defeat in World War I and the Treaty of Versailles. The Volk are mesmerized by this new leader’s charismatic speeches. They’re convinced of his almost superhuman powers and great wisdom, because he attracts huge crowds and he’s managed to get the trains to run on time.

The problem is that, in my nightmare, despite all the adulation heaped on the guy, I know how it will all turn out in the end, and no one will listen.

Which is why I don’t sleep much.

There’s an excellent chance that I won’t be writing anything today, other than this sentence.