Lessons in Exorcism*

"The writer probably knows what he meant when he wrote a book, but he should immediately forget what he meant when he's written it."
-- William Golding

From Elvira's Tabacaria: "Lu dans l'International Herald Tribune: officiellement, et d'après le bureau de presse de la Maison Blanche, G.W. aurait sur sa table de chevet une biographie de George Washington et la Bible. En réalité, il est en train de lire I am Charlotte Simmons, un roman de Tom Wolfe qui raconte les aventures, notamment sexuelles, d'une jeune fille issue d'une famille très croyante rentrant à l'Université. Si Bill Clinton pratiquait, G.W. Bush préfère d'abord se renseigner sur la question..."

Having read Daniel Mendelsohn's review of Tom Wolfe's I am Charlotte Simmons in NYRB Dec. 16, 2004 issue, it never struck me such a novel could end up in the White House's current reading list, much less in the Oval Office. Unless, of course, one reads the novel as a list of to do's. Wolfe has in the recent past (2000) denounced American culture's "feverish emphasis" on sex; his novel attempts to portray the sex-ridden realities of everyday life in a (criticized as largely non-persuasive) setting of an elitist American university and how crushing this can be on the dreams and hopes of an intellectually privileged young female student. In a nutshell, what could a NeoCon President extract from any such read?
a. Boys in College care about Sports, Drugs and Sex (Wolfe's "beta males"). If they can keep their heads clear of filthy evolutionist books, they are bound to succeed. Surely, drugs (along with anything Evil) are all imported, so it's a good idea to start building a 'Wall' and San Diego looks a proper place to test this. Our Israeli friends should know better. If it works, another 32 States with international borders could follow suit. Sex is not intrinsically bad, as long as it occurs within the Church's guidelines. Careful, not within the Church, or we'd end up like the Greeks (but they wear robes all the time, anyway). A new, uncharted strain of the AIDS virus should help things.
b. Some unfortunate boys - the intellectuals - are definitely wimps, no girls could care for them and they will end up as homosexuals anyway. A new, uncharted strain of the AIDS virus should help things.
c. Girls with dreams to become scientists and skip the Sex, Drugs and Super Bowl triangle should better stick to learning to play the piano. They might end up in real high places. Who cares about girls anyway? Could it be these funny Muslims know something we don't?

And, what could a NeoCon President extract from looking at his offspring?

*BBC News reports that "The Vatican University is launching a new course for exorcists - Roman Catholic priests who cast out evil spirits from the possessed. Lessons at the prestigious Athenaeum Pontificium Regina Apostolorum will include the history of Satanism and its context in the Bible. Practical lessons in psychology and the law will also feature. Concern is high in Italy about the influence of Satanic cults - especially among the young and impressionable."