Watch out for History: The Wheel May Come Off In Your Hands

History isn’t pretty. Sometimes, it dresses up nicely, looks good for a night or two but then returns to form as something we’re forced to live with, having no choice of our own, though we’d rather not.

I wonder too about the place amnesia plays in the creation of history? That by forgetting the past, or being misled by others who’ve been entrusted with telling us the truth, we’re led to a place where we have less chance of understanding the present, much less being able to make plans for the future.

The news the other day that Tesla was under investigation after Model Y steering wheels were reported to be falling off while the cars were being driven was not all that surprising coming from a major proponent of ‘driverless’ cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was “aware of two separate incidents involving 2023 Tesla Model Y vehicles in which the SUV’s steering wheel completely detached from the steering column.”

Then this morning in breaking news, the International Criminal Court said that President Vladimir Putin of Russia bore “responsibility for the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children, but that the likelihood of a trial while the Russian leader remains in power appears slim.”

History seems to keep being made by people who want to arrive at their destinations as quickly as possible.