Some Throat Clearing

When Carolyn asked me to blog about “politics and creativity,” I immediately signed on, and then found myself at a loss.

I didn’t know how to square the dourness of political commentary with the usually sunny dispatches here at Geniocity. For politics, as Bismarck told us, is both the art of the possible and an inexact science—the entire enterprise requires creativity. And what is creative about politics is often also what is contemptible. Glenn Beck’s brand of hysterical libertarian populism, for example, may not be your cup of tea, and it may not even be new, but it is undeniably creative.

So what should you expect on this page?

As is the mandate at Geniocity, creativity and the cutting edge will take center stage. But the cutting edge of politics is, well, cutting. Politicians employ creativity in myriad awful ways—ways that I won’t hesitate to document. So I hope you’ll excuse what may seem like a darker disposition in these parts than you’re likely to find elsewhere on the site. That is, sadly, politics as usual.

But I’ll also try to highlight politics worth smiling about, policy developments that may actually improve our lives, creative solutions to longstanding problems, and maybe, if you’re lucky, tell a joke or two.

Mostly, though, I’m just going to write about whatever I want.

A little bit about my sensibilities: Like all writers, I have my hobbyhorses. I harbor an unhealthy fascination with the slow death of intellectual conservatism. I love opinion polling and the science behind it. Economic and historical illiteracy drive me up the wall. I wish I understood Afghanistan better. I love and hate Michael Bloomberg. I love New York City, but I will not subject a national audience to that particular obsession (much as I may want to). I will never read DailyKos or RedState, but I cannot stop reading Andrew Sullivan or The New Republic (or even The Corner). I wish both the liberal and conservative establishments did better jobs of embracing new ideas. Wonkette makes me laugh.

So here we go. I welcome your questions and feedback at seth@geniocity.com or in the comments. I can’t guarantee I’ll respond to all of them, but I’ll do my best.