everywhere in chains

I love reading Rousseau's opening paradox in the Social Contract: "man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains". Rousseau comes out with some crazy shit for much of his writing, but each time I read those words I am never less than stunned by the simple insight of the observation.

Familiarity abounds - the same place, the same people, the same names of the same days, the same look of incredulity on everyone's face. Yet, all at once, the world feels remote and alien.

After the election this week, I woke dazed and late on Friday. Having made preparations for the hangover by arranging to "work from home", I sat in my PJ's for the remaining hour of the morning, coffee in hand, digesting the BBC newsfeed. The result felt incidental - it was no less than I had predicted (albeit I had prophesied an 80-seat majority) - it was the sensation of the morning after that lay on me. I had the feeling that something important had happened, and yet everything also felt the same - and it would continue to feel so...