November 20

I opted out of the entire political process thirty years ago. Why? you may well ask. Are you lazy or just irresponsible? That is a very good question. My answer is simple: I choose to not participate in what I see as an empty, futile gesture. I offer the following as one event, which serves as a good illustration of how politics really works. On the 20th in 1407, John, Duke of Berry[i] brokered a truce between John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy and Louis of Valois, Duke of Orleans. It seems that John and Louis had been at odds for quite some time, both attempting to fill a power vacuum, which had developed because King Charles VI was clearly out of his mind. The two never learned how pleasant it could be to share and neither was able to simply shake hands and make nice. Three days after entering into this solemn truce, John the Fearless (pictured) had Louis assassinated.

[i] It was John, Duke of Berry that commissioned the medieval breviary The Book of Hours.