Nice query:

Jonah, I’m about half way through your book, and have what is probably a
silly question. (btw, I love the book, but that is no surprise) Anyway,
you draw a line from Rousseau to the French Revolution to Mussolini, Wilson,
Stalin, and Hitler. This makes sense to me, and I had that good feeling I
get when someone smarter than me agrees with something I’ve always thought.
Rousseau attempted to replace religion and tradition with reason, while the
later thinkers/politicians replace reason with, I guess, action. Why the
change? And how do you explain the change? I’m sure the book makes this
clear, and my reading is not close enough to discern it, but I’d be
interested in what happened. Perhaps you can refer me to the explanation in
the book I’ve no doubt missed. Anyway, it is so much fun to read a serious
book about big ideas-I almost always skip the “current affairs” section in
the book stores, because I can’t stand one more screed about the evils of
the Democrats, or another Bush bashing tract. Although many democrats are
evil. Thanks for the kind inscription, but as your probationary ag
subsidies guy, how do I get off probation? Perhaps I could swear off ag
subsidies, but my addiction may be too strong. And if I don’t take them,
then my family and my landlords can’t either, and they’ll both fire me.
Perhaps I should donate them to NRO?

Me: thoughts tomorrow.