This, from David Brooks in yesterday’s New York Times, is, to my mind, brilliant beyond measure—especially the 1st of the two paragraphs I reproduce here:
“Yet it might be useful to consider one more filter. Consider it the World Order filter. The fact that we live our lives among order and not chaos is the great achievement of civilization. This order should not be taken for granted.
“This order is tenuously maintained by brave soldiers but also by talkative leaders and diplomats. Every second of every day, leaders and diplomats are engaged in a never-ending conversation. … The quality of the conversation is damaged by exposure, just as our relationships with our neighbors would be damaged if every private assessment were brought to the light of day. We’ve seen what happens when such conversations deteriorate (look at the U.S. Congress), and it’s ugly. The Wikileaks dump will probably damage the global conversation . …”