Hillary’s Hamartia

Hoover Institution ^ | 06.22.2018 | Victor Davis Hanson

[ameribbean expat]

Sophocles, Euripides, and the Greek epic poets, historians, and tragedians explore the idea of hamartia. Such an innate character flaw, such as Oedipus’s self-regard or Jason’s obtuseness, can be repressed, but it will inevitably resurface at the most inopportune moment.

***

The next step in the slow cycle of classical self-destruction is koros—a greed or overreaching ambition that is the result of hamartia. It thus deludes the apparently successful into believing there will be few consequences to their excess. Koros makes self-reflection impossible.

***

The final act in a multistoried Greek tragedy is the advent of Nemesis or divine retribution. At some point, the gods decide they’ve had enough of mortal excess, arrogance, and folly, and intervene to destroy the perpetrator—and often everyone in his or her vicinity.

Usually that happens at the pinnacle of the tragic hero’s perceived success, as in the case of a clueless but innately haughty King Oedipus of Thebes. In Clinton’s case, Nemesis approached in late 2016, when experts had all but coronated her as president-elect months before Election Day.

[ameribbean expat]

VDH...for those of us who weren't paying attention in high school.

[Da Coyote]

Does not that word refer to a “tragic downfall” of a hero or heroine?
There is nothing about the Hillabeast that identifies her as anything more than an average IQ (at best) grifting lying no morals .....uh....(choke) woman.

[NewHampshireDuo]

I’m waiting for her to gouge her eyes out.

[loveliberty2]

"In 1996, The New York Times columnist William Safire diagnosed Hillary Clinton's real problem. He called her a 'congenital liar.'" - Cal Thomas

[mjp]

In sum, Clinton made a series of nearly inexplicable, but clearly disastrous decisions.

But then again, according to the classical belief in fate and necessity, Clinton may have had little choice after all—given that her innate flaws were a sort of bomb that was always ticking until blowing up at the most appropriately tragic time.

personality disorders:

narcissistic + antisocial + self-defeating

[Fungi]

A very nice piece in classic Victor Davis Hanson style, verbose and overelaborate. For all his gilded knowledge, Hanson has yet to come across the word laconic.

[Dustoff45]

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins (Harmatia), He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness I John 1:8-9

[afraidfortherepublic]

For all his gilded knowledge, Hanson has yet to come across the word laconic

LOLOLOL! But he writes with such elegance! He almost rivals the late, great Krauthammer.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Worth the read. But, if wishes were horses, we’d each have a polo team.

[chief lee runamok]

hillary met her nemesis in the person of President Trump.

[seawolf101]

I have never had sexual relations with that woman standing beside me.

[Slyfox]

Hillary made it known to the media that she wanted Trump as her opponent. The media then gave him millions of dollars of free advertising, so much so that the other Republican candidates began complaining.

Yep, she got the candidate of her choice and then he beat her like wash on Monday.

[slowhandluke]

his 'gilded knowledge' includes the idea there is no electronic vote rigging. That has been shown to happen. It doesn't mesh with his 'shining city on a hill' view of civics, so he ignores it.

Voting need not be rigged everywhere, just in those precincts where it won't be easily caught, and can provide a huge vote surplus to override the other party's votes across the state.

Civics is much dirtier than he's willing to believe. Or, he's gaslighting us on purpose. I'm no longer willing to give the benefit of the doubt to folks who don't think politicians in general and leftists in particular aren't willing to do whatever it takes to win and keep power.