Lakshmi Chaudhry's essay on web narcissism misses the points of both George Scialabba's rundown of books on how and whether to save America and John Nichols's observation that endorsements from the oldest media can still swing elections: namely, that the political system we inhabit does not in fact have two parties, but rather it has two coalitions that oscillate in their capacities for irrational appeal.

What would it take to see the guy who farts Amazing Grace on YouTube as he sees himself, not as a sub-Big Brother reality show wannabe, but as the son and heir of Matt and Trey? A few thousand screenings of Idiocracy, maybe.

Narcissism and the resurgence of the messianic narrative (trilogy) -- the hero with a thousand faces. Star Wars, the Matrix, Frodododo, Hariputer. Boys in all cases, why's that.