Millions died to escape symbolism

Although this is neither criticism of The Brain nor support nor rejection of the Democrats’ choice of colours for anything, I am becoming increasingly alarmed when I read such assertions as “Symbolism is important in politics”.

That pronouncement reminds me uncomfortably of those who wore brown shirts in the 1930s in Germany. Those were people who definitely thought symbolism was important in politics, and the world spent decades after the Second World War to reverse that kind of thinking and to advocate knowledge and learning rather than mere symbolism in political arenas.

Are we now reverting back to that which brought so much pain and suffering to the world? Have we forgotten the extreme damage, death and destruction that political symbolism brought to the planet? Are we sure that symbolism is important in politics, or have we simply come to accept that because symbolism has become such a useful (and disgraceful) part of modern (but not evolving) political sales and marketing?

The importance of symbolism in politics should not be fait accompli. Just try to put milk on the table or gasoline in the automobile in exchange for some political symbolism.

Guy Baker

Bangkok