So I need to make good on my promise of posting at least every monday - which it still is here at the office, even if it sounds like tuesday on the blog.

The situation in the arab world, dictator after dictator falling, is of great interest not just because of the obvious reason - that everyone deserves freedom. Some of the other reasons are: 1) While it seems pretty obvious that these are youth revolts, they also show of functioning civil societies in all of these states. Outraged doctors, lawyers, opposition politicians and army and police staff. This is a cause of great hope for the future. 2) There's been a lot of debate over the importance of modern media in the spread of this revolt. The complainers tend to prove too much, as David Weinberger remarks about Malcolm Gladwell. Believing that all of these neighboring countries would fall at the same time, just through word of mouth, is to me plainly nuts. Clearly there's a wave. And clearly that wave travels in a medium and clearly this is - in 2011 - a mass medium and most likely also an internet medium. This is not a miracle, but it's bloody obvious.