I've used the mental image of a Clown-Car Circus very often on social media for many months. I was content with it. Over the past couple of weeks watching events transpiring in Afghanistan, I'm inclined to think that the entire planet has become a Shit Show.

So let's get to the Shit Show.

AFRICA

I'm 60 years old and pretty much all my life there has been the constant social drone of just a little guilt because CHILDREN IN AFRICA!!!

I'm not saying that was entirely a bad thing. There is nothing wrong in coming to recognize plain blind luck and the head start it can afford (same goes for children born to millionaires and billionaires of any color, anyplace). But that attitude comes best from gratefulness and appreciation, not guilt.

It's utterly puerile to saddle children with any notion of guilt for the sin of being born. But, it's a long established tradition and Christians are its chief progenitor.

It's the quintessential means of spanking your for your Original Sin and the guilt you ought to harbor for the audacity of being born better off to start. 'Keep that in mind always, pay all alms to an agent of propriety for the rest of your life and when the subject ever comes up, display proper contrition for your non washable guilty privilege.'

It used to be the favorite cajoling mechanism of parents to get kids to eat their dinner.

"Think of all the starving children in Africa."

Of course, none of us kids were pithy or clever enough yet to reply:

"Name one."

...But what has happened to the dire and grave concern for Africa over the last 18 months?

It's as though it doesn't exist anymore, calling into question all the motivation to guilt us over all those decades.

Of course, I have ideas.